Boxing fans were treated to an enthralling evening with two of Wales’s finest former World Champions in Joe Calzaghe and Enzo Maccarinelli, who spoke at the Lyric Theatre, Carmarthen, writes Gordon Thomas.
 
There was a packed house with excited fans inside the theatre and they were given a night to remember as both champions spoke candidly about their successful boxing careers.
 
The evening was excellently hosted by Polly James, Sky Sports, and Radio X presenter.
 
They have fought at the top level but they have never forgotten their roots as the pair were raised in Cardiff and Swansea with Italian fathers.
 

Joe proud of unbeaten pro record

 
In the first half of the show, undefeated former World Super Middleweight Joe was given a rousing reception as he walked on stage. Calzaghe was asked why he didn’t try to make it to fifty fights without losing? His incredible pro record from 1993-2009 reads 46-0 - including 32 knockouts.
 
“I’m proud of the fact that I went 16 years undefeated as a pro,” said Calzaghe, with tremendous applause from the audience.
 
“Could I have reached 50? Yes possibly, but at that time I had picked up a lot of injuries (broken hand twice) and I was getting on in age in boxing terms, so I got out at the right time as I stayed unbeaten which was my ultimate aim. I beat the likes of Jeff Lacey, Mikkel Kessler, Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones Jnr.”
 

Boxing took over first passion football

 
How did you start boxing Joe? “Like all young boys, my first passion was football, but one Christmas I was given a football and a boxing speed ball, you know the one, you put your foot on the base and jab it. I soon learnt that my hand speed coordination was far greater than football skills.
 
“My late dad (Enzo Calzaghe) took me under his wing and brought me to the nearest local boxing club and as soon as I got in there, I just loved training and the smell of the place. I won Wales and British junior amateur titles and I was hooked. I loved that feeling of being a champ, it felt natural for me.”
 
He was asked what was his hardest fight? “Without doubt it was Chris Eubank. I was going to fight Irishman Steve Collins, but he pulled out, guess he was scared of me,” with a wry smile.
 

Eubank toughest fight

 
He mimicked how Eubank spoke which had the audience in stitches. “When we shook hands, I remember Eubank had a vice-like grip, he told me before we got in the ring that I should be prepared to go down the trenches.”
 
At the time Calzaghe didn’t know what he meant, but he found out once he got inside the ring with the top boxer.
 
“I dropped him (Eubank) in the first round. I thought to myself this isn’t going to last long, but he took me through the full 12 hard arduous rounds, the first time I’d ever gone the distance.
 
“I knew what he meant when he said he would take me down the trenches, he took me to a place where everything in my body was hurting, he questioned my mental toughness, he tested my fitness levels to the maximum.”
 
Calzaghe spoke about his special relationship with his dad, trainer, and mentor Enzo: “He knew how to push my buttons; as a teenager I wanted to pack it in, but dad knew how to get me interested just saying little subtle things, ‘fancy a run son?’ of we’d trot, he soon had my interest back.
 

Train like a challenger

 
“When I was champion, he taught me to always train like a challenger, remember you will be fighting men who want to put food on the tables for their kids, they’ll be hungry, you have to be ready for all comers.”
 
His last fight was fought in Madison Square Gardens, New York, against the highly reputable Roy Jones Jnr.
 
“What a way to end your career,” Joe added. “I knew before I got in the ring it was going to be my last, I’d discussed it with dad, the injuries and training had taken its toll.
 
“It’s strange but I fully intended to enjoy every round, I put on a boxing master class as I totally out boxed Jones. I wasn’t there to knock him out. I was there knowing this was my last fight and I was going to enjoy it, counting down in my head every round. I danced my way round the ring, jabbing and constantly putting him under pressure”
 
During the interval there was some impressive boxing memorabilia auctioned such as a framed Mike Tyson glove, Frank Bruno glove, Anthony Joshua glove, Tyson Fury book and Joe Joyce’s shorts, plus six gloves signed by Calzaghe.
 
After the break Maccarinelli joined Calzaghe on stage, and immediately you could see their close bond, Maccarinelli is an ex sparing partner of Joe, the latter is a god parent of Maccarinelli’s children.
 
Maccarinelli’s impressive fight record is 49 fights, 41 wins, 33 knockouts and 8 losses, he held the WBO Cruiserweight title from 2006 to 2008.
 
“I was his sparring partner for years,” said Maccarinelli. “I loved training with Joe, I can honestly say we’ve never fallen out.


 

Enzo and Joe always been best of mates

 
“The only arguments in the gym were when Enzo (Joes’ dad) and Joe would have a disagreement over a session, mind it never happened that often.”
 
The pair were part of a highly successful Newbridge Boxing Club which was an old wooden built shed with no luxury of a changing rooms and a shower, inside was basic with a ring, punch bags and pads, that’s all we ever worked with plus we’d go for long runs, we were all extremely fit.
 
Joe added: “It was an old school gym, where all worked hard, and you had to remember to wipe your feet on the way out.”
 
He added: “We had some class boxers in the gym at that time, there was the likes of WBA light welterweight Gavin Rees, former Commonwealth light middleweight champion Bradley Price and former WBU champion and world title challenger Gary Lockett.
 
“It was a talented bunch who were all trained by Joe’s dad Enzo.”
 
Maccarinelli spoke at his pride of becoming world champion. “I fought Marcelo Dominguez, I hit him with a good punch early which should have knocked him out, but he took it and said, ‘good shot’ I knew he was strong, but thankfully I realized my dream when the fight was stopped in the ninth.”
 
These two great Welsh warriors received a standing ovation at the end as they left the audience with a great deal of knowledge at what made them tick to become on top of the world of their chosen sport.