The Greatest British Boxer Ever? Why He Never Returned! The Full Unfiltered Story of Joe Calzaghe

Joe Calzaghe sits down for a deeply personal, no-holds-barred conversation with former world champion and close friend Darren Barker — and it might be the most emotional and revealing interview of his legendary career.

From going 46-0 and becoming a two-weight world champion, to walking away from £10 million comeback offers, and now embracing life beyond boxing — Joe opens up about retirement, regret, fatherhood, legacy, and sobriety in this raw and unfiltered episode of First Round TV.

This is a rare glimpse into the mind of one of the greatest British fighters of all time.

🧠 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

The full story behind Calzaghe vs Jeff Lacy – and why Joe almost didn’t fight

Why Joe says he “never truly enjoyed boxing” despite going undefeated

The life-changing influence of his father and trainer Enzo Calzaghe

Behind-the-scenes insight into the Hopkins and Roy Jones Jr. fights

Why Joe turned down all comeback offers – even with millions on the table

His battle with sobriety, identity loss after boxing, and finding peace

Thoughts on the next generation, fatherhood, and what legacy really means

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🔥 Who Is Joe Calzaghe?

Joe Calzaghe is widely regarded as one of the greatest British boxers of all time. A former WBO, WBA, WBC, IBF, The Ring, and lineal super-middleweight and light-heavyweight world champion, he retired in 2009 with a perfect 46-0 record, becoming one of the very few boxers to hang up the gloves undefeated.

Born in London and raised in Wales, Joe was trained by his father Enzo Calzaghe, a man with no formal boxing background who helped build one of the most incredible legacies in British sporting history.

His resume includes dominant wins over:

Chris Eubank

Jeff Lacy (in a performance often considered the greatest by a British fighter)

Mikkel Kessler

Bernard Hopkins

Roy Jones Jr.