Glenn’s there for Calzaghe

Apr 18 2008 by Stuart Rayner, The Journal

JOE Calzaghe will have a North East influence in his camp this weekend after pestering Glenn McCrory to attend a night of boxing as a paying customer for the first time in a quarter of a century.

McCrory, the region’s only world champion, hopes experiencing the Las Vegas fight between Calzaghe and Bernard Hopkins will give him some training tips to help his relentless search for another home-grown world beater to step into his boots and rid him of his unwanted “one and only” tag.

In two decades as a Sky TV commentator, McCrory has become a familiar sight ringside at the world’s biggest fights. But like boxing fans the world over, McCrory had been planning to spend the early hours of Sunday in front of his television until Calzaghe intervened from Las Vegas.

“My business partner, Gwilym Williams, was going out instead because, like me, he knows Enzo Calzaghe (Joe’s dad and trainer) but Joe was on the phone three times asking, ‘When are you coming out?’ It’s kind of nice to have the super-middleweight champion of the world asking, so as a friend you’ve got to give your support.

“It’s probably the first time in 25 years I’ve actually paid to go to a fight! It’s the kind of fight you want to see. Joe Calzaghe’s one of the best British fighters ever and one of the best in the world pound for pound at the moment. He’s got a fantastic record of 44 fights undefeated.”

McCrory flew out on Wednesday to be on hand if the undisputed super-middleweight champion needed his experience when he moves up a division to take on light-heavyweight champion Bernard Hopkins in the non-title “Judgement Day” superfight.

Annfield Plain-born McCrory also hopes to pick up some tips for the youngsters at his Newbiggin Hall gym. “I’ve gone out to be around Joe,” McCrory said. “I’ve been around big fights most of my life but I’m looking forward to seeing it from this perspective.

“I’m looking to get my boys to a level where they can fight world title fights and this way I can get a bit more of a personal look. The other thing is Golden Boy Promotions (Oscar De La Hoya’s company, which promotes Hopkins) are making big fights happen.

“There were years when the best fighters in the world didn’t fight each other but they make sure the fights people want to see take place. “My ambition is to make Newcastle a hotbed of boxing again, so I can learn from that. I will be so happy the day I see one of my kids fight at St James’s Park.”

McCrory believes psychology will be vital, and that Calzaghe needs to win if his legacy is to reflect a talent only recently acknowledged beyond boxing circles.

“They’re both probably past their best but they’re two great fighters,” he commented. “This is Joe’s defining fight because, although he had a great win over Jeff Lacey, he (Lacey) is not held in such high regard. Joe’s a great champion but when you go in with a big name, that’s what you’re known for. He’s had big fights before but not against big names.

“I don’t think Hopkins is at his best at 43 but he’s so wily. He will try to out-psyche and out-hype Joe and make him loose his cool.

“There’s going to be a bit of bad feeling after Hopkins’ comments about not letting a white guy beat him but Joe’s seen it all before. I expect him to be the stronger and hungrier boxer. No one’s ever going to be fitter than Joe, thanks to his dad.”

Calzaghe, meanwhile, has poured scorn on Bernard Hopkins’ conviction that his 56-month stretch in a Pennsylvania penitentiary will give him the edge.

“Hopkins says he had to go to prison to make himself hard,” said Calzaghe. “That means he’s weak. Me? I was born hard. On Saturday, I am going to make a grown man cry.”