devans
Mentor
Bernard Hopkins takes boxing counsel from no-one. So there's little
likelihood of 'The Executioner' seeking guidance from a Welsh power plant
worker.
But Hopkins could do worse than giving Michael Smyth a call in between the
Welshman's 10-hour shifts at Aberthaw Power Station, just outside Cardiff.
Even some of his work colleagues do not know it, but the stand-out scalp on
the list of the man once known as the Barry Bomber is the boxer Americans are
calling 'the Southpaw Joe C Wales.'
However much Smyth tries to play it down, he is not being allowed to forget
beating up the boxer who boasts the honour of being the longest reigning current
world champion.
While the loser of the 1990 Welsh ABA finals prepares for his American debut
among the glitz and glamour of Las Vegas, the winner is busy clearing asbestos.
Sometimes, sport is just not fair.
But Smyth is one of a select few that have broken the resistance of Calzaghe.
<table align="right" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="226">
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<tr>
<td>
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<div ="cap">Smyth represented Wales at the 1990 Commonwealth
Games</div></div></td></tr></t></table>
It is very seldom that a head coach of a small amateur boxing club such as
Rhoose ABA can offer advice to such a true sporting great like Hopkins, but with
Calzaghe's name on his cv, Smyth is no ordinary guy.
"Calzaghe hits fast and throws plenty of them but I was a one-punch hitter
with the power," said Smyth, 38.
"Calzaghe has always been a combination hitter whereas I looked for a shot
and let fly.
"I just walked through his shots because I was determined the kid everyone
was calling a golden boy was not going to beat me.
"In fairness, he gave me a pasting in the first round and as I sat on my
stool my trainer Peter Anthony, who sadly died of cancer 18 months ago, gave me
the ultimate pep talk that I still recall to this day.
"He said 'throw punches from the hip and plenty of them, when he moves to the
right you move to the left close the gap down.'
"He went on 'If you let him throw shots, he'll punch holes in you and use
your body like a dartboard so jump on his chest and keep the play away from
him.'
"I executed Pete's game plan to the letter and I broke Calzaghe's heart. I
beat Joe on points and it takes something to do that to a guy with such a
full-on work-rate.
"He had tremendous ability and style and everyone was talking about him but I
taught him a valuable lesson that you needed great heart, courage and desire to
become a champion."
Crushing Calzaghe is something Smyth could dine out on for the rest of his
days, but the father-of-two gets bashful taking about the day he beat a British
sporting legend.
"I suppose I'm part of an exclusive club but I don't like people that boast,"
said Smyth.
"I only tell people if they ask me and to be honest I get a little
embarrassed talking about beating Joe because he is one of the great British
sportsmen of this generation."
Calzaghe is man enough to admit he 'cried like a baby' after losing to Smyth
in front of close family and friends in the Welsh capital.
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But he has not made a habit of losing. Calzaghe has only lost to Romanian
amateur Adrian Opreda since and claimed three British ABA titles before going
pro.
Calzaghe is unbeaten in his 15-year professional career, knocking out 32 of
his 44 victims, and has ruled the super-middleweight kingdom with fear for ten
years since he defeated Chris Eubank for the WBO crown in 1997.
The Newbridge fighter defended his honour 21 times and defeated Mikkel
Kessler in his last fight in November to confirm his status as the undisputed
king of the 168lb division.
Calzaghe is nearing the end of a distinguished career but the 36-year-old
stylish southpaw has one remaining ambition, to become a two-weight world
champion.
To that end, Calzaghe moves up a weight and out of any comfort zone to take
on American hero Hopkins, another man who has ruled a division for a decade, for
The Ring Magazine belt and a stepping stone to a world title shot.
From http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/boxing/7346607.stm
likelihood of 'The Executioner' seeking guidance from a Welsh power plant
worker.
But Hopkins could do worse than giving Michael Smyth a call in between the
Welshman's 10-hour shifts at Aberthaw Power Station, just outside Cardiff.
Even some of his work colleagues do not know it, but the stand-out scalp on
the list of the man once known as the Barry Bomber is the boxer Americans are
calling 'the Southpaw Joe C Wales.'
However much Smyth tries to play it down, he is not being allowed to forget
beating up the boxer who boasts the honour of being the longest reigning current
world champion.
While the loser of the 1990 Welsh ABA finals prepares for his American debut
among the glitz and glamour of Las Vegas, the winner is busy clearing asbestos.
Sometimes, sport is just not fair.
But Smyth is one of a select few that have broken the resistance of Calzaghe.
<table align="right" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="226">
<t>
<tr>
<td>
<div>
<div ="cap">Smyth represented Wales at the 1990 Commonwealth
Games</div></div></td></tr></t></table>
It is very seldom that a head coach of a small amateur boxing club such as
Rhoose ABA can offer advice to such a true sporting great like Hopkins, but with
Calzaghe's name on his cv, Smyth is no ordinary guy.
"Calzaghe hits fast and throws plenty of them but I was a one-punch hitter
with the power," said Smyth, 38.
"Calzaghe has always been a combination hitter whereas I looked for a shot
and let fly.
"I just walked through his shots because I was determined the kid everyone
was calling a golden boy was not going to beat me.
"In fairness, he gave me a pasting in the first round and as I sat on my
stool my trainer Peter Anthony, who sadly died of cancer 18 months ago, gave me
the ultimate pep talk that I still recall to this day.
"He said 'throw punches from the hip and plenty of them, when he moves to the
right you move to the left close the gap down.'
"He went on 'If you let him throw shots, he'll punch holes in you and use
your body like a dartboard so jump on his chest and keep the play away from
him.'
"I executed Pete's game plan to the letter and I broke Calzaghe's heart. I
beat Joe on points and it takes something to do that to a guy with such a
full-on work-rate.
"He had tremendous ability and style and everyone was talking about him but I
taught him a valuable lesson that you needed great heart, courage and desire to
become a champion."
Crushing Calzaghe is something Smyth could dine out on for the rest of his
days, but the father-of-two gets bashful taking about the day he beat a British
sporting legend.
"I suppose I'm part of an exclusive club but I don't like people that boast,"
said Smyth.
"I only tell people if they ask me and to be honest I get a little
embarrassed talking about beating Joe because he is one of the great British
sportsmen of this generation."
Calzaghe is man enough to admit he 'cried like a baby' after losing to Smyth
in front of close family and friends in the Welsh capital.
<table style="width: 115px; height: 338px;" align="right" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
<t>
<tr>
<td width="5">
<td ="sibtbgf">
</td></tr></t></table>
But he has not made a habit of losing. Calzaghe has only lost to Romanian
amateur Adrian Opreda since and claimed three British ABA titles before going
pro.
Calzaghe is unbeaten in his 15-year professional career, knocking out 32 of
his 44 victims, and has ruled the super-middleweight kingdom with fear for ten
years since he defeated Chris Eubank for the WBO crown in 1997.
The Newbridge fighter defended his honour 21 times and defeated Mikkel
Kessler in his last fight in November to confirm his status as the undisputed
king of the 168lb division.
Calzaghe is nearing the end of a distinguished career but the 36-year-old
stylish southpaw has one remaining ambition, to become a two-weight world
champion.
To that end, Calzaghe moves up a weight and out of any comfort zone to take
on American hero Hopkins, another man who has ruled a division for a decade, for
The Ring Magazine belt and a stepping stone to a world title shot.
From http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/boxing/7346607.stm