Joe Calzaghe vs Will McIntyre

For the first time in 32 professional contests, the WBO super middleweight champion defended his position beyond the United Kingdom. Joe Calzaghe travelled to Copenhagen on 13 October 2001 to meet Will McIntyre at the Parken Stadium, where approximately 21,000 spectators had gathered chiefly to see Mike Tyson face Denmark’s Brian Nielsen. The Welshman’s contest formed part of a substantial supporting programme and represented his ninth defence of the title won from Chris Eubank four years earlier.

Calzaghe arrived unbeaten in 31 fights and was coming from a first-round dismissal of Mario Veit. McIntyre, an American with a record of 29 wins and two defeats, had previously lost to Omar Sheika and Dana Rosenblatt. He possessed experience and durability, but his record did not suggest that he was equipped to trouble an established champion operating at his peak. Calzaghe was also under pressure to impress the American television audience, with plans being discussed for his long-delayed first appearance in the United States.

The difference in speed was apparent within seconds. Calzaghe advanced from his southpaw stance, established the right jab and immediately followed it with rapid combinations. McIntyre could neither match the champion’s pace nor escape the succeeding punches. Calzaghe attacked from changing angles, striking to the body before bringing both hands to the head. During one passage in the opening round, McIntyre absorbed a prolonged succession without producing a meaningful reply. Referee Rudy Battle watched closely but allowed the contest to continue.

The second round brought no improvement for the challenger. Calzaghe remained balanced while punching and gave McIntyre little opportunity to set himself. The American attempted to cover behind a high guard, but the champion divided his attack between head and body and found openings around and through the defence. McIntyre was not short of courage, yet courage offered scant protection against the speed and accuracy confronting him. By the end of the round he walked uncertainly towards his corner, and there was already a reasonable case for intervention.

Calzaghe increased the pressure in the third. McIntyre’s face showed the effects of the punishment and his replies became still less frequent. A heavy left uppercut caused his legs to give way and sent him stumbling into the ropes, which prevented him from reaching the floor. Battle administered a count. McIntyre was permitted to continue, although he was plainly hurt. Near the bell, another attack drove him backwards, and Calzaghe briefly stepped away as if expecting the referee to act. Battle again declined, and the challenger was allowed to return to his corner.

The champion began the fourth with the same urgency. He drove McIntyre across the ring with straight punches and hooks, then landed another left uppercut, which put the American down. McIntyre attempted to rise, but he was dazed and no longer capable of defending himself properly. Battle stopped the contest at 45 seconds of the round, giving Calzaghe a technical knockout victory and preserving his unbeaten record.

There had been no competitive change in the fight and no need for the judges. McIntyre had shown considerable resolve, but he had been outclassed in speed, timing and punch selection from the first exchange. The only serious criticism concerned the lateness of the stoppage, for the challenger had taken unnecessary punishment in the third round and appeared beyond recovery before the final assault began.

The victory was Calzaghe’s 27th inside the distance and his first successful title defence on foreign soil. It did not provide the unification contest he wanted, nor did McIntyre possess the standing to enhance the champion’s reputation greatly. It did, however, show the efficiency with which Calzaghe could dispose of an overmatched challenger. On a night dominated by Tyson’s presence, the Welshman completed his work quickly and left Copenhagen still awaiting the opponents who might properly test him.

I thought this was a pointless defence because Will McIntyre simply was not in Joe Calzaghe’s class. His record looked respectable, but it had been built largely away from the serious end of American boxing. Once Calzaghe started punching, the difference was embarrassing.

Calzaghe did not throw one or two punches and admire his work. He changed the angle, stepped with McIntyre and produced another combination before the challenger could reset. McIntyre’s guard was too static, his feet were slow, and he offered nothing to discourage the champion. By the second round, he was returning to his corner unsteadily, and the referee should already have been considering a stoppage.

The third was uncomfortable to watch. McIntyre took repeated punishment without answering, and Calzaghe stepped away near the bell as if inviting the referee to rescue him. The finish came early in the fourth, but it should have arrived sooner. Calzaghe did exactly what a champion should do with an overmatched challenger, yet contests like this explain why sections of the public remained unconvinced during the middle years of his reign. His ability was obvious. The opposition too often was not good enough to reveal its full extent.