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In a packed arena housing a boisterous crowd in Manchester, England, and witnessed by the many Showtime viewers around the world, hard hitting American Jeff Lacy 20-1-1 (17) was beat, bruised, bloodied and schooled by the ring savvy vet Joe Calzaghe 41-0 (31) in a twelve round super middleweight clash.
A fight that most considered to be Lacy’s night to once again shine and reign supreme was nothing of the sort as the brash Brit went to work from the beginning landing stinging shot after shot utilizing his speed to disrupt any attack that Lacy tried to offer up in round one.
Round two began with Lacy bleeding from the nose and eating more leather as southpaw Calzaghe continued his endless accurate attack, cutting both eyes of Lacy in round four from the non-stop tattooing while Lacy flung away hitting air. It was more of the same throughout the night with Calzaghe landing everything he seemingly threw out at the Floridian, dropping Lacy for the first time in his career in round twelve to end the night with a bang. Despite a one point deduction in round eleven for holding Calzaghe secured his reign over the super middleweight division by the scores of 119-105, 119-107 and 119-107 unifying the IBF and WBO super middleweight titles in the process.
The overlooked Calzaghe came on strong throughout the fight using his speed, skill and strength to overpower and muscle around Lacy, who in many eyes including mine was going to smack down the thirty-three year old pugilist. But youth and hunger had no ill effect on the nearly thirteen-year veteran whom to be quite honest made Lacy look one-dimensional, amateurish and lost, something neither I nor most pundits believed would happen.
It was surprising to see Lacy manhandled and dismantled, and kudos to Calzaghe for doing what he set out to do. Lacy deserves a slap on the shoulder for traveling for this fight and hanging in there giving it his all. When many would of have said forget it and quit, Lacy stuck it out and as a warrior left everything in the ring.
Despite looking as he did with the swelling and cut eyes Lacy said that he felt good and that this was a learning experience for himself and stated that he would undoubtedly be back.
Calzaghe, who appeared as if he was never in a fight, had nothing but respect for his opponent after the bout and felt that his total focus and determination was the major key to this victory. Antonio Tarver’s name came up in conversation as an opponent for Calzaghe as he peered into the future, but chalk up as just ring talk for now.
All and all it was a heck of a performance for Calzaghe and no doubt a learning experience for the twenty-eight year old Lacy, who I feel will be back.
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© Copyright / All Rights reserved: Doghouse Boxing 1998-2006
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By "Big Dog" Benny Henderson Jr. (March 5, 2006)
