Calzaghe looks to bypass Pavlik

By Joe Scalzo

The 36-year-old Welsh boxer didn’t rule a fight sometime later.

It looks like Joe Calzaghe’s going to pick on someone his own age.

The 36-year-old Welsh boxer told the South Wales Argus that he’s leaning toward fighting 39-year-old Roy Jones Jr. in his next bout, bypassing a possible super middleweight title fight with Kelly Pavlik.

“Talks are ongoing about me facing Roy Jones, a genuine legend of boxing and a previous four-weight world champion,” Calzaghe said. “That is a fight that I think can be made.”

The Jones-Calzaghe fight had been rumored for weeks, although Pavlik’s third-round knockout victory over Gary Lockett last week prompted fans and boxing observers to raise the possibility of a Calzaghe-Pavlik bout in October in Las Vegas.

Calzaghe, however, said he felt Pavlik should gain more experience before facing him. He didn’t rule out fighting Pavlik eventually, however.

“It’s not beyond the realms of possibility that we will face each other, but I think Jones is the right fight for me at the moment,” he said.

A Jones bout seems to carry less risk than a Pavlik fight and would probably be just as lucrative for Calzaghe. With Calzaghe an unlikely option, Pavlik will likely fight next in late September, possibly in Cleveland.

The opponent most often mentioned is Marco Antonio Rubio, a 28-year-old Mexican fighter ranked No. 3 by the WBC. Other possible opponents are IBF champion Arthur Abraham, WBA champion Felix Sturm.

Junior middleweight Ricardo Mayorga has also been mentioned as a possibility.

None of those bouts would generate the interest of a Calzaghe bout.

“A lot of people would love to see it,” Calzaghe said. “However, at this point, I think it’s unlikely. I’m not sure if Pavlik really wants to face me at the moment. He would have little to gain because I believe I would definitely beat him and, with respect to Gary Lockett, I would be a step up too far for Pavlik.”