Calzaghe too strong for Manfredo - U.S. Politics Online: A Political Discussion Forum

Obama08 · #1 (**permalink**) 04-07-2007

Quote:

Joe Calzaghe dismantled Peter Manfredo Jr to make the 20th successful defence of his WBO super middleweight title at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium.
Welshman Calzaghe, 35, thrilled the 35,000 spectators with a third-round stoppage of the American, a former reality TV star.

Calzaghe dominated a low-key start before stepping it up in the third.

The referee stepped in with Manfredo on the ropes and, although it was a little early, the result was never in doubt.

In front of a record indoor crowd, Calzaghe was a class apart from Manfredo who barely threw a significant punch.

The 26-year-old, most famous for being the runner-up in the first US series of boxing reality TV show 'The Contender', could not cope with Calzaghe's speed.

The Welshman made the first telling blows to the body at the start of the second and took control of the fight behind his jab.

A good right early in the third rocked Manfredo and Calzaghe piled in with a succession of hooks.

However, Manfredo appeared to be soaking up the blows and it was a surprise when referee Terry O'Connor stepped in and stopped the fight after one minute 30 seconds of the round.

The victory extends Calzaghe's unbeaten record to 43-0 and his next fight could be against WBA champion Mikkel Kessler of Denmark.

"It's amazing (to be in Cardiff) for my 20th defence in this amazing arena," he said afterwards.

"I paid my dues for a long time and this is what dreams are made of - and there's more to come yet."

He added: "I think you could make a case that it was stopped slightly prematurely but if it hadn't have been then I'd have stopped him by the fourth.

"The referee saved him from more punishment. Up close he was going (down) and in the next 20 or 30 seconds I'd have floored him."

Manfredo said: "I was hanging in there, trying to get my rhythm going, and the fight was stopped too soon. There was no warning or anything.

"Joe is the best and I wanted to feel my way and find my rhythm but I couldn't get it going. He picked up the pace and got me in a corner.

"He has fast hands but not much power. I've been hit by bigger punches. I was never hurt and it (the stoppage) was too quick."

Was anyone able to watch this fight? To be honest it was not much of a fight. Manfredo came into the fight talking the talk. Saying that Cal was old and that he would be the first to beat him. When it came to walking the walk he had nothing. I cant remember a Manfredo punch landing on Cal. Cal won the first 2 rounds with relative ease. Then the fight was stopped in the 3rd, Cal was bringing the punches and Manfredo just could do nothing about it, he was getting battered and was not fighting back. Later Manfredo said he was dissapointed that the referee had stopped the fight as he wasnt hurt, but it was only a matter of time before he was going to get hurt. Calzaghe said that the referee saved Manfredo from more harm.

So Cal retained his belt and that was his 20th defense of his title. And remains undefeated.

Steve · #2 (**permalink**) 04-12-2007

Gee, Calzaghe wins in a stopped fight on his own turf?

What a shocker.

That fight was stopped waaaaay too early. It screams of favoritism. I'm not about to suggest that Manfredo would've won, but the way it went suggested that it was the referee's plan all along...

Obama08 · #3 (**permalink**) 04-13-2007

Lucky for Manfredo it did get stopped. He was getting killed in there, i agree it was stopped to early i wanted Cal to knock him out, and he was secounds away from doing that

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