November 30, 2005
By
Matt Richardson
Photos: Ed Mulholland
The
on-again/off-again fight that is Joe Calzaghe vs Jeff
Lacy is definitely on. And this time it could actually
come off. The much anticipated super middleweight super
fight was officially announced Tuesday afternoon at Gallagher's
Steak House in New York City. Both Calzaghe, Lacy and
their respective promoters were in the house to announce
and promote their fight set to take place March 4 at the
Manchester Arena in England. Showtime will televise the
bout live 2 AM local time to accommodate American viewers.
"This is probably the single biggest super middleweight
fight since Roy Jones and James Toney (in 1994),"
Gary Shaw, Lacy's promoter said. Frank Warren, Calzaghe's
long-time promoter concurred with Shaw's assessment. "We've
got a real big one on our hands. It has the makings of
being the fight of 2-0-0-6."
"On
March 4 there's going to be some explosives," stated
Lacy (21-0, 1 ND 17 KO's). "You're going to see two
warriors who are going in there to fight. You're going
to get your money's worth. I'm going over there to do
my thing and I won't be denied."
"I've
got full respect for Jeff Lacy," said Calzaghe (40-0,
31 KO's). "I've been (WBO) champion for 17 defenses.
I have been waiting for 8 years for this. 8 years as a
champion - but it doesn't mean anything if I don't fight
a great fighter and I think Jeff is."
Lacy
meanwhile, seems elated that he will finally get his chance
to prove that he is the real 168 lb. champion. This fight
has been talked about for years and was all but made for
November 4 but Calzaghe injured himself in an August tune-up,
scuttling the fall date. But now it's finally here. "It's
been a lot of up and downs for this fight to happen,"
Lacy told Fightnews. "It's looking like everything
is downhill towards going to the fight. I think it'll
happen. But if not, I'll be very disappointed. I mean
I wasn't disappointed the first time because there was
chances that it couldn't happen because he was taking
a fight. Injuries happen. But now we're only focused on
each other and it's all about him making it to March 4
with no injuries and me making it March 4 with no injuries.
And it's going to be some fireworks."
"I'm
very, very excited for this fight to go down," Lacy
continued. "It's a great fight to start the year
off. It's going to be a tremendous fight. I'm really excited
for the fight. I'm up for it." When asked if he believes
his recent activity (4 fights in twelve months compared
to two for Calzaghe) will help him, Lacy responded positively.
"When I have someone that I really have to train
for, not that I don't train, but someone that's going
to make me feel like I'm being threatened or chances of
losing a fight. It really takes me to another level."
JABZ
Warren
said that ticket sales have predictably going well for
the popular Calzaghe. According to the promoter 6,000
seats were sold in 4 days and the brisk buying rate is
still going.
Many
fighters don't frequently travel overseas to defend their
titles as they are afraid of being on the wrong end of
a controversial decision. "There are not many people
who have belts who are willing to leave their soil,"
said Shaw of Lacy. But "Left Hook" said he's
confident that won't happen. "I'm going over there
to knock him out," he said with a smile.
In
other news George Horowitz, the President and CEO of Everlast
and a frequent New York fight fixture, passed away at
5:00 PM Monday evening due to liver cancer. Fightnews.com
offers it's condolences to the Horowitz family and the
whole Everlast staff. |
