Joe Calzaghe was considering retirement in December 2007 until his promoter Frank Warren reminded him of Joe Louis's all-time record of 25 world title defences. The Welshman, who defends his WBO and IBF super-middleweight titles against Sakio Bika in Manchester next Saturday, now sees a chance to make history.
Calzaghe, unbeaten in 41 professional fights, has been champion for almost nine years. He said: 'My ideal strategy would be to fight this fight, knock the guy out, and fight three times in 2007. But then Frank was saying earlier that the most defences by any champion is Joe Louis with 25. I'm close to doing something remarkable.'
The 34-year-old's longevity is due in part to his father Enzo, who has trained him since age eight. Enzo described his son as 'like Rembrandt' and joked: 'He'll only be appreciated when he's dead.' Calzaghe has already ruled himself out of the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award, criticising past winners Greg Rusedski and Tim Henman as 'losers'.
Calzaghe said: 'Does it bother me that I haven't won it and might not? Of course not. Maybe it's because I'm a winner. I look at Greg Rusedski and Tim Henman and what have they ever won? They never won Wimbledon. No disrespect, but they are losers.'
