Calzaghe wins another fight - this time outside of the ring

Joe Calzaghe was never beaten in the ring and yesterday he won possibly the final battle of his professional career — in the High Court against Frank Warren, his former promoter.

Mr Justice Wyn Williams told Sports Network, Warren’s company, to pay Calzaghe £2 million in unpaid fees relating to Calzaghe’s win over Bernard Hopkins last April, the last bout he had with Warren as his promoter. He also dismissed Sports Network’s claim for £1 million from Calzaghe, who retired last month after 46 bouts unbeaten.

The judge said that it was “inexplicable” that Warren and Ed Simons, Sports Network’s company secretary, who were both “astute and experienced businessmen” had failed “to produce one shred of paper” to record their alleged verbal deal over the Hopkins bout.

Calzaghe was British champion when he teamed up with Warren in 1997, but was struggling to pay his mortgage. Within a year he was a world champion, having beaten Chris Eubank to win the WBO super-middleweight title.

It was a belt he would hold for nearly 11 years — making him the third-longest reigning world champion in history — but the relationship soured and Calzaghe left Warren before his final bout, against Roy Jones Jr. Sports Network sued for breach of promise, Warren claiming that he had a verbal contract to continue promoting Calzaghe’s final bout. Calzaghe’s counterclaim said that he was owed money from his purse for the bout against Hopkins.

Calzaghe said: “The fight with Frank Warren was not one that I sought, but I am delighted to have remained undefeated through it.”

However, the case may not yet be over after Warren indicated that he may appeal against the size of the judgment. “Sports Network, throughout the litigation, has always said that it would pay Joe Calzaghe, but we disputed the sum he claimed,” Warren said in a statement. “We were right to do so and feel vindicated in defending Joe’s claim, which we have reduced by almost £1.5 million.”