The longest-reigning world champion of recent years, retired Welsh professional boxer Joe Calzaghe defended his title successfully 21 times. Fighting in both super middleweight and light heavyweight ratings, Joe fought 46 fights, all of which he won with 32 being knockouts. Between 2006 and 2008, Joe was rated within the top ten boxers of all time by The Ring magazine. Often referred to as the ‘Pride of Wales’ or the ‘Italian Dragon’, in reference to his mixed heritage and fierce style of combat. A compelling boxing speaker, Joe mixes anecdotal tales of being the very best in the world with the regime it takes in order to complete this.
After turning professional in 1993, Joe became British Champion within two years and took the world title in October 1997 after defeating Chris Eubank on a unanimous points decision. Even so, Calzaghe conceded many years later that Eubank had given him the toughest fight of his life. From that point on, Calzaghe would remain World Boxing Champion for the rest of his career and became a boxing legend in the process. Joe’s relentless drive and determination for success make his after dinner speeches or question and answer sessions as a boxing speaker truly engaging, with advice given from a lifetime of elite competition.
Calzaghe continued to fight and defend his World Champions status, never truly having a close run bout with his opponents. After splitting with his promoter, Joe fought his last few fights around the world before retiring in early 2009. Joining an elite club of ten, Joe finished his career as an undefeated World Champion, with fellow boxer and friend Ricky Hatton describing Calzaghe as “the best British boxer we’ve ever had”. As a sports speaker, Joe enjoys answering questions from the audience and opening up about the finer details of such a highly competitive sport.
After his retirement, Joe has enjoyed multiple appearances on some of the nation’s largest shows, such as Strictly Come Dancing. Joe set up his own boxing promotion company called Calzaghe Promotions with his father Enzo, now with experience of business and sport, Joe makes an ideal boxing speaker to bridge the gaps between both worlds and draw comparisons to aid competition in a corporate environment.
How to hire Joe Calzaghe
Contact the Champions Speakers Agency to provisionally enquire about hiring Joe Calzaghe for your next event, today. To get in touch, simply call an official booking agent on 0207 1010 553 or email us at [email protected] for more information.
** We do not accept requests for autographs, signed merchandise, fan mail, birthday messages or any other non-commercial contact with the speakers or acts. Each speaker on the website may not have necessarily worked with Champions in the past but are known to perform such engagements within the industry.
When he's at corporate events, Joe is known to cover the following topics:
- Boxing and sports
- Performance and consistency
- Achieving ambitions
- Tackling problems
- Performing under pressure
- 2014 - inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame
- 2009 - Retired from Boxing with a perfect record of 46-0, becoming the tenth World Champion boxer to retire as an undefeated world champion and just the second Brit
- 2009 - Won the Ring Magazine World Light heavyweight title
- 2008 - Had his MBE elevated to a CBE
- 2007 - Named BBC Sports Personality of the year
- 2007 - Successfully defended his WBO for a 21st consecutive time
- 2007 - Won the WBA and WBC World Super middleweight titles World title
- 2006 - Added the IBF World Super middleweight title to his collection and became the first Super middleweight to be recognised as a world champion by Ring Magazine
- 2003 - Received an MBE
- 1997 - Won the WBO World Super middleweight title
- 1995 - Won the British Super middleweight title
- 1993 - Made his professional boxing debut
- 1993 - Became the first British boxer to hold ABA titles in three different weight categories
