Image details: Joe Calzaghe Media Interview served by picapp.com

If you call your opponent a “sore loser” doesn’t that necessarily indicate that you’re a sore winner? In Joe Calzaghe’s case it just means that he’s a classless boxer who doesn’t know when to shut up or give a great fighter credit.

What this all means is that Calzaghe is at it again, talking to BBC Two in a Sunday interview, view it here, spouting off about everything, professing his love for countryman Tom Jones and Al Pacino, insulting Bernard Hopkins‘ performance and attitude, harping about the referee and American judges, and pretending that fight fans don’t remember how he’s refused to fight against the best competition for years.

Continue reading for more quotes from the interview that haven’t made the press release transcripts. Believe me, there are dozens more that boil my blood.

He begins that he was proud to “finally get my big fight in Vegas.” Finally! That’s right no American ever wanted to fight Calzaghe for his titles during his decade-long monkish sequestering in the Welsh highlands. I forgot.

Offering an excuse for his amateur boxing-esque pitter pat style Calzaghe states, “Computer stats don’t lie. At the end of the day slaps, jabs, light punches – whatever you want to call them – I still landed the most punches against Hopkins.”

Does Joe think Hopkins a great fighter? “Hopkins is a fraud as far as I’m concerned.” Then Calzaghe commits a Freudian slip, “The guy’s lost four fights, er, five now.”

To Calzaghe’s credit his “He should get over it. He should watch the tape and accept that he lost.” quote that’s made the wire rounds was taken out of context and referred NOT to last Saturday’s fight but to Hopkins’ 2005 bout(s) against Jermain Taylor.

In regards to Hopkins’ infamous I’ll-never-lose-to-a-white-boy comment Calzaghe offers “he’s got no class” then continues, “I’m proud of myself not stooping to the same level.” He then continues to denigrate Hopkins in many classless ways.

Among them was the following insult of Hopkins fortitude: “I always lay it on the line. (Hopkins) doesn’t lay it on the line. He tried to steal the fight I tried to win the fight.” The notion that Hopkins has no heart is just jaw dropping.

Calzaghe then asserts, “He’s not the best fighter I’ve ever fought.” Those would be Kessler and Lacy. We wonder, would Calzaghe even make Hopkins’ Best 5 list of boxers faced? Possibly, but the name sure to top Hopkins’ Fave 5 is an in-form lightning quick 24-year-old Roy Jones, Jr. Who does Calzaghe want next? The 39-year-old version Roy Jones, Jr.

“I’ve fought the up-and-coming young fighters,” Calzaghe reasons, “why can’t I be the young guy in a fight?” I guess he’s earned the luxury of high profile, less challenging, bigger payday bouts but fight fans everywhere would surely enjoy something different.

Again, to see the interview for yourself on the BBC site click here.

Post from: EveryJoe

Calzaghe Thinks Jeff Lacy is Better Than Bernard Hopkins (and Other Gems from the Welshman)