Calzaghe hints at Pavlik fight
Thursday, 17 July 2008Joe Calzaghe has revealed he has no intention of relinquishing his WBO super-middleweight belt and is eyeing a possible showdown with world middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik next year.
It is the clearest indication yet that Calzaghe's September fight with Roy Jones might not be his last.
It had been widely assumed Calzaghe's 12-stone days were over following his light-heavyweight win over Bernard Hopkins in April, a belief given extra credence by his decision to give up the WBC portion of his title.
However, Calzaghe now says he intends to keep hold of the WBO belt he has held since beating Chris Eubank in 1997 and could potentially face Pavlik.
Calzaghe told The Times: 'There is no way I am going to give up my WBO title. I do not have a mandatory [challenger] at the moment so I do not have to defend my title.
'If I beat Jones, I might move back down to super-middleweight to face Kelly Pavlik.'
The 36-year-old Calzaghe is the longest reigning champion in his sport, having defended the WBO belt 21 times, four short of the all-time record for consecutive defences held by heavyweight great Joe Louis.
Calzaghe has returned to training for his September 20 bout with Jones, which has been announced for Madison Square Garden in New York, but which the Welshman hopes could still take place in Cardiff.
Calzaghe had previously hinted the fight against Jones would be his last, and that he had no desire to fight Pavlik, who hammered his stablemate Gary Lockett to third-round defeat in New York last month.
