This post isn't very Thai oriented, but being that I have written about my love of 'Muay Thai' and sports in general, it was a great pleasure to go and see 'An audience with Joe Calzaghe' at Southend's Cliff's Pavilion last week.
If you don't know him, Joe Calzaghe is a Welsh boxer who has 46 middle weight matches undefeated, which for his weight class, is unprecedented.
He is a true great British champion, beating and ending the careers of some of the best boxers in history - Robin Reid, Chris Eubank, Jeff Lacy, Mikkel Kestler, Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones Junior, are just a few of his victories.
All of these guys were the toughest fighters in probably the most competitive weight class; and Calzaghe beat them all.
Not only did we get the chance to listen to Joe, he was introduced by another great iconic British Champion, Henry Cooper, who looks great for his 75 years and is as funny as ever.
Interesting boxing facts that came out of the night.
1. Cooper explained why Ali is in so much trouble now - Apparently, Ali was so quick, his unorthodox style of throwing his head backwards to avoid punches meant that, over time, he took many blows to the back of his neck / base of his brain (instead of to the top and side of his head). This has left him in the physical condition he is in today.
2. Calzaghe explained that his toughest fight was.............. Chris Eubank! Apparently Chris explained to Joe that 'he would take him into the trenches.' After Eubank was knocked down in the first round, Joe continued the fight thinking 'this is going to be easy'. It wasn't, and Eubank very nearly beat him.
3. Calzaghe confirmed his most satisfying victory was over Jeff Lacy, who fought him in Manchester. Joe, although undefeated, was widely considered the underdog. 'When we met at the weigh in, he knew' said Calzaghe. 'He shit himself'.
4. Calzaghe on Frank Warren 'the a**hole still owes me 2 million from the Hopkins fight. This will be one fight I won't lose' (in court).
5. A girl from the audience asks Joe 'So.......... when your girlfriend is in the bedroom, standing in front of you, with all her gear on, the night before the fight, do you really say 'no'.
Joe laughs and talks of one of his old boxing friends (can't recall who) who apparently abstained from sex for seven weeks in the build up to a big fight, only to be knocked out in the 2nd round!
'It's bullshit, a myth' explained Joe. The longest I went before a fight was 3 days, and that was the Jeff Lacy fight'
6. Joe was actually a victim of bullying when he was a nipper, and now dedicates a lot of his time to campaigning against bullying in schools.
Here are some of Joe's best moments (he confirmed that he wouldn't be tempted back into the ring). However, TTP is not so sure that Calzaghe quite believes this himself.......
I suspect Joe will one day be acknowledged as as great a fighter as Ali. His record is supurb.
Posted by: Wotchit | June 18, 2009 at 10:35 AM
Nice post, Calzaghe's a brilliant boxer. I like watching Muay Thai too but there are so many fixed fights in Chiang Mai, or fights staged for the tourists. It's pretty obvious after you've seen a few, but the tourists don't seem to care.
You're not from Saaaafend are you?
Posted by: pete, frogblogger | June 18, 2009 at 06:44 PM
Wotchit he will be discussed in generations to come I have no doubt.
Pete defo the fixed fighting is v obviously once you have seen one. I am Saaafend thru and through!
Posted by: The Thai Pirate | June 19, 2009 at 01:41 AM
Takes me back, last trip there was to see Status Quo at the Kursaal about 30 years ago, but went to school just down the road (Westleigh Junior, Westcliff High)
Posted by: pete, frogblogger | June 20, 2009 at 07:12 AM
Pete, wow, snap.....
I went to Westcliff High, as did my dad and brother. What year(s) were you there? You may have gone to school the old man! LOL.....
I'm saying it more and more since I've been in Thailand, what a small world....
(dropped my brother off to a do at the Kursaal just last night).
Posted by: Ben Shingleton | June 20, 2009 at 07:40 AM
Left when I was 14 to go live oop North, but was at Westcliff High between 1967 and 1970. Don't remember much except for a history teacher nicknamed 'Topper' (because he used to yank you into a standing position by the sideburns if you misbehaved), and a French teacher nicknamed 'Miniman' (because he was, er, vertically challenged)... the only other thing I remember about the place was being p...d off because there were no girls ...
Posted by: pete, frogblogger | June 20, 2009 at 08:28 AM
I am gobsmacked..... Wow. So Pete, you're an old Westcliffian! (Should have guessed! ) I have mentioned to dad, he will no doubt comment (he used to tell us the story about the bloke who grabbed the sideburns)!
Posted by: Ben Shingleton | June 20, 2009 at 09:07 AM
Hi all, Westcliff 1963-69. The History teacher was "Tosser" Day (also the scoutmaster who kicked me out the first week), the sideburn specialist was "Felix" Turner, Geography teacher. Nice bloke/sadistic bastard depending on the day, weather, if you'd caught him "in flagrante delicto" with the school secretary etc. Pulled my entire r/h "sideboard" out one day.
Don't remember you though Pete. Some of the teachers went on to teach my two boys who went on to WHSB (Jim Harrison - Legend, Thorogood). The miniman you refer to was probably Harry Harden, topped himself some years ago apparently. Anyway this is turning into "All our Yesterdays" meets "Twitter" so I'll shove off. As the Pirate says - small world!
Posted by: theoldman | June 20, 2009 at 09:21 AM
Ah yes, 'Tosser' Day... it all comes back. And I was having a good day until now ;-) Don't remember the name Felix Turner. Was sure Day was the sideburn specialist, memory playing tricks. So you were four years before me (I arrived '67). Remember some miserable b.... who taught Latin, always wore his robes. Every lesson was spent reciting declensions and vocab. All a bit vague, I've done my best to forget that period! Don't remember a Thorogood at WHSB, but had a Mrs Thorogood who taught music at my junior school, Westleigh (my old lady was a teacher there too). Small world indeed...
Posted by: pete, frogblogger | June 20, 2009 at 10:58 AM
Small, berobed, bastard,taught Latin = Harry Harden (one who topped himself) Large, berobed rubber lipped,Spitting Image/Mick Jagger look alike
taught occasional Latin = Henry Cloke (Headmaster). Ahhh, best days of one's life and all that. (I was only in it for the Rugby).
Posted by: theoldman | June 20, 2009 at 12:32 PM
Cloke, he was ok from what I remember. No it was Harden that taught me Latin. Never spoke to the pupils, just remember the 'musical chairs' system during every lesson he ever did - get an answer wrong, and you moved down a desk. Two guys above you get a question wrong, and you get it right you jump two places. In theory you could go from bottom of the class to top in one move, if everyone above you gets it wrong and you remember the answer. Miserable taciturn character, I'm not surprised that he committed suicide.
I was glad to leave at the end of the 3rd year, ended up in a proper school, with girls... even if rugby was replaced by soccer...
Posted by: pete, frogblogger | June 20, 2009 at 09:29 PM
Ah well Pete, never mind, personally I had a great time at Westcliff (the girls were only next door, so not too far). Very small world.
Posted by: Ben Shingleton | June 20, 2009 at 09:35 PM