BOXING/WBO Super-middleweight title: Joe Calzaghe pressed an ice pack to his swollen left hand as he relaxed at the end of 12 thunderous rounds in which he thrillingly and emphatically outfought Charles Brewer of the US to retain his World Boxing Organisation super middleweight title for the 10th time in front of an ecstatic Cardiff crowd.
A small boy asked for the champion's autograph. "Of course" came the reply from the ever courteous Welshman. But Calzaghe winced as he took the pen, his bruised hand reminding him of what had gone before.
Calzaghe has a pride in his performance and a fighting heart which has established him as perhaps his nation's favourite sporting son. Self-confidence shines through the good-humoured way he faces his public and he admits to feeding off the emotional backing of his fans.
Brewer, a 32-year-old from North Philadelphia, is a former champion and not the sort to scare easily. This was no opponent in search of a good pay day and goodnight, "The Hatchet" had arrived in Cardiff in search of a title.
"He does nothing special. He's pretty ordinary really, and I've fought better men," Brewer said before the fight. Afterwards, his bruised fighter's face showed he had been on the receiving end of almost incessant pressure as Calzaghe won by scores of 117-112, 118-111, and 119-109, Brewer conceded: "He showed he's a true champion." Brewer is not the sort to dole out praise, but the warm hug he gave Calzaghe on the final bell spoke volumes.
After a spine-tingling reception from the 5,500 capacity crowd, the two fighters abandoned all pre-fight plans. Macho, yet savagely beautiful, the action was all these things as the two men elected to stand toe-to-toe from the outset.
While the southpaw Calzaghe utilised his speed to rain punches in as he sought the eye-catching victory he is told will guarantee him superstardom, Brewer showed the pride of a true fighter.
Just once, in the closing seconds of round seven, was Calzaghe in real trouble. A left hook to the temple followed by a marvellous uppercut to the jaw rocked him, but the bell meant Brewer was unable to follow up the initiative, and his chance was gone.
"Sometimes I get too emotional," said Calzaghe. "I wanted to show I could take it and beat him any way he wanted the fight to be. I know American TV has been building me up, and I showed again that I am the best man in my division".
Exactly where Calzaghe goes from here remains to be seen, but his promoter Frank Warren has had talks with his American counterpart and former business partner Don King, with a view to bringing the world middleweight champion Bernard Hopkins to fight at the Millennium Stadium in August.
Apart from the brilliant light heavyweight champion Roy Jones, who for tedious reasons of boxing politics remains no more than a lucrative mirage for Calzaghe, Hopkins is the available fighter of worldwide renown, having beaten the Puerto Rican Felix Trinidad last September to win the "undisputed" accolade.
"I want Hopkins, and I want him here," Calzaghe told American television viewers. It is a fair bet Hopkins will have heard and now will be assessing his options.
