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Toward the end of the twentieth century, British fight fans bore witness to an unexpected super-middleweight thriller when Joe Calzaghe defended his WBO crown against then former WBC champion, Robin Reid in Newcastle. The fight was the first of two main events of a Pay Per View attraction, the second and final one being Oscar De La Hoya v Ike Quartey that took place in the US in Las Vegas.
The build up was intense and there was a lot of “needle” between the Welshman and the challenger from Runcorn. There were even accusations that Reid’s camp had deliberately planted pieces of glass in the champion’s coffee and ice cream! Accusations that ultimately were proven to be unfounded.
Reid looked pensive once the opening bell had rang. He was content to hold and even grab a leg of Joe’s, but he eventually settled and began to land his huge right hand upstairs with regularity, exchanging with his foe to get some digs in. After the final bell, scores of 111-116 were read out three times, once in favour of Reid. But Calzaghe came away as the winner after his higher work rate and volume of punches landed saved it for him.
Although he lost, that performance is remembered for being one of Robin Reid’s finest. Talks of a rematch occurred but plans for one never came to fruition. Robin explained to the BBC that the reason for why it never happened is because of conflicts and disagreements between managers. Hardly surprising. In this day and age of boxing, that kind of situation is more present than ever.
But I do think that an opportunity was missed there.
I would have tipped Calzaghe to have won again. But Reid would have been more motivated than ever to try and get revenge. Joe went on to improve his game and even found ways to adjust tactics mid-fight. Something he never really managed to discover back as early in his title reign in 1999. If he had then I predict that Reid would have lost much more decisively.
Calzaghe v Reid II is not the only rematch that boxing has missed out on. There are a number of others including James Douglas v Mike Tyson II, Oscar De La Hoya v Felix Trinidad II and a second Larry Holmes v Ken Norton fight. Boxing has shot itself in the foot on several occasions because money got in the way. But that is the fight game for you.
Everybody wants a piece of the pie.
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