Joe Calzaghe has revealed his thoughts on how a fight with current super middleweight king Canelo Alvarez would have played out if Calzaghe was amongst the current crop of fighters at 168lbs.
Like Canelo, Calzaghe held all four belts in the division during his career, however promoter politics meant he never matched the Mexican’s impressive feat of holding them at the same time.
However, in an interview with SecondsOut, ‘The Pride Of Wales’ explained he still believes he’d have emerged with the victory if the pair ever locked horns in the ring.
“At the end of the day, is there a super middleweight now who’d have beat me? No. But would I have loved the Canelo fight? Yes!”
“I’d have loved that fight back in the day, he’s not a big super middleweight. He’s great fighter, but I was a big super middleweight and a great fighter. So I think it would have been an exciting fight.”
“We’ve seen him lose to Bivol. I don’t think he’s a light heavyweight or even a real super middleweight. He’s still a great fighter, I’d have had to just use my speed and skills.”
Calzaghe called time on a glittering career in 2008, having remarkably won every single one of the 46 professional bouts he took part in.
Unfortunately for Canelo, he has already tasted defeat twice during his 18 years as a pro, so perhaps that levels things up between the two icons.
The 32 year old will look to retain his undisputed crown against John Ryder next month at the Akron Stadium in Guadalajara, the first time he will have boxed in his beloved homeland in over a decade.
Should he get past the Brit, a rematch with Dmitriy Bivol looks set to take place in the second half of the year.