Calzaghe's career was full of impressive achievements. He held the WBO super-middleweight belt for a decade, made 20 title defenses, and faced off against some of the best in the business. His list of opponents reads like a who's who of boxing greats: Steve Collins, Mikkel Kessler, Jeff Lacy, Sakio Bika, Richie Woodhall, Bernard Hopkins, and Roy Jones Jr.
But it was his clash with Eubank Sr that stands out as the most challenging. In a recent interview, Calzaghe opened up about the experience:
"It was by far the toughest fight I've ever had as regards to exhaustion. I was f***ing exhausted, man, I couldn't move for three days afterwards … It was really, really tough."
The fight didn't start as Calzaghe expected. He went in confident, planning to knock Eubank out. Eubank, on the other hand, warned he'd take Calzaghe "to a place I'd never been, to the well."
Calzaghe dropped Eubank with his first left hook and tried to finish him off. But his excitement led to poor pacing. By the third or fourth round, he was exhausted. After five or six rounds, he realized a knockout wasn't likely.
Chris Eubank Sr was known for his unyielding grit and remarkable toughness. A two-weight world champion, he had held both the WBO Middleweight and Super-Middleweight titles. His ability to absorb punishing blows with stoicism made him a formidable opponent.
Despite the grueling nature of the fight, Calzaghe won by unanimous decision. But the victory came at a cost. The exhaustion was so severe that Calzaghe couldn't move for three days after the fight.
This bout against Eubank Sr stands out in Calzaghe's illustrious career. It tested him in ways no other fight did, pushing him to his limits and beyond. The experience left an indelible mark on the undefeated champion, cementing its place as the toughest fight of his career.