Boxing: Fracture Curbs Calzaghe Training

Joe Calzaghe will miss at least four weeks training after learning that he fractured a bone in his left hand during his three-round win over the American Peter Manfredo at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on Saturday, but the WBO super-middleweight champion is confident he will recover in time to defend his title for a 21st time in July.

"It is a fracture of a little bone called the scaphoid," said Calzaghe. "But the specialist who examined it said I should be ready to go back in the gym in four or five weeks. It's not too much of a worry for me because I normally allow myself a three-week break from any form of training after all my fights.

"I felt something go in my hand when I was making a big attack in the third round. I was throwing lots of punches and, fortunately for me, the referee stopped it. I would certainly have knocked him out anyway if it had been allowed to continue but it was hurting so the referee perhaps did me a bit of a favour. I would not have wanted to be fighting one-handed."

Calzaghe, 35, is chasing a high-profile fight for his next appearance, the 44th bout of his undefeated professional career, and July 21 has been pencilled in as a possible date. He has been linked with fights against the current world middleweight champion Jermain Taylor and the former champion Bernard Hopkins after negotiations with the WBA and WBC super-middleweight champion Mikkel Kessler were halted because the Dane will not be ready to fight in July.

"I don't mind who I face because I know I am the best super-middleweight in the world and I will win again whoever they put in against me," said Calzaghe.

"They are talking up Kessler like they did Jeff Lacy before I beat him. Kessler is good for my style and I don't think that would be a particularly difficult fight. Taylor would not be able to live with my speed and power. Even though he beat Hopkins, I actually think Hopkins would give me the most problems because he is a wily old boy and has a good defence."