Joe Calzaghe Receives Honorary Fellowship
Published July 27, 2009 by Boxing Capital
Swansea University has conferred an Honorary Fellowship on Welsh sporting legend Joe Calzaghe.
The undefeated former world boxing champion was presented with the award on Wednesday 15th July during the degree ceremony for the School of Human Sciences (Sports Science and Psychology).
Joe Calzaghe was recognised by the University for his outstanding sporting achievements and for his role as proud ambassador for Wales throughout his boxing career.
Born in Hammersmith, London, Joseph William Calzaghe was two years old when he moved with his Welsh mother, Jackie, and Sardinian father, Enzo, to South Wales.
Joe began boxing at the age of nine and won four schoolboy titles in more than 120 amateur contests and three consecutive British ABA Championship titles.
His professional debut in 1993. By June 1995, he had won all nine of his fights, seven in the first round, and two in the second. He was British champion by the end of the year.
In 1997, Joe faced two-time champion Chris Eubank for the vacant WBO super-middleweight title. After knocking Eubank down in the opening seconds, Joe went on to claim the title in what he has referred to as the toughest fight of his life. He went on to unify the super-middleweight division in May 2007, when he beat Mikkel Kessler to claim the WBO, WBA super, WBC, and Ring Magazine super-middleweight titles.
Joe Calzaghe is the longest-reigning world champion in recent years. He held the WBO super middleweight title for over ten years before relinquishing his hold on the belt to focus on fighting at light-heavyweight.
When he announced his retirement in February this year, he was unbeaten in 46 matches – 32 of which he won by knock out – and he is one of a select few World Champions to retire undefeated. His last defeat was as an amateur in 1990.
In 2007, he was voted the BBC Sports Personality of the year, beating fellow boxer Ricky Hatton and Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton. Joe won nearly thirty percent of the public vote and became the first Welsh winner of the award for 47 years. In 2008 he was made a CBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.
Speaking after receiving the award, Joe Calzaghe said: “Swansea University has a strong history of producing an excellent academic experience for all students, and I am therefore very proud to receive this Honorary Fellowship from them.”
Swansea University’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Richard B Davies said: “Joe Calzaghe is unquestionably one of the greatest sportsmen that our nation has ever produced.
Since making his professional debut at the Cardiff Arms Park in 1993, he has entertained and enthralled audiences around the world, and he has always been a proud ambassador for boxing and for Wales.
Sport is important at Swansea University and we are delighted to recognise Joe Calzaghe’s unsurpassed achievements with the award of an Honorary Fellowship of Swansea University.”
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Added: Monday, 27 July 2009
Well done Joe! You deserve all the honours you get - amazing fighter.
—Aaron Williams