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| Date | 7 April 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venue | Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Wales | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Title(s) on the line | WBO, and The Ring super middleweight titles | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tale of the tape | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Result | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Calzaghe wins via 3rd-round TKO | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Joe Calzaghe vs. Peter Manfredo Jr. , billed as Pride Under Pressure, was a professional boxing match contested on 7 April 2007, for the WBO and The Ring super middleweight championship. [1] The bout took place at Millennium Stadium, with Calzaghe winning by technical knockout in the third round.
Calzaghe vacated the IBF title he won against Lacy, instead of facing mandatory challenger, Robert Stieglitz, in order to make a voluntary defence against Manfredo. [2] Manfredo's rise up the ranks came as a result of competing in the first season of The Contender. [3]
On 27 November 2006, it was announced that Calzaghe and Manfredo would fight on 3 March 2007 at Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, live on ITV Sport and HBO. [4] [5] The fight was rescheduled to 7 April due to a Six Nations Rugby match between Wales and England on 17 March. [6]
In the opening two rounds, Calzaghe landed scoring shots and quick combinations, with Manfredo boxing at range defensively and attempting to counterpunch. In the third, Calzaghe connected with a series of punches to Manfredo' head and body, sending him back against the ropes, it was at this point that the referee waved the fight off, therefore giving Calzaghe the win by TKO.
In the post-fight interview, both Calzaghe and Manfredo said they felt the stoppage was premature.
Calzaghe defeated Kessler on 3 November, by unanimous decision to unify the WBA, WBC, WBO, and The Ring titles. [7]
Confirmed bouts: [8]
| Weight Class | vs. | Method | Round | Time | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Super-middleweight | Joe Calzaghe (c) | def. | Peter Manfredo Jr. | TKO | 3/12 | 1:30 | Note 1 |
| Welterweight | Michael Jennings | def. | Merdad Takaloo (c) | UD | 12/12 | Note 2 | |
| Cruiserweight | Enzo Maccarinelli (c) | def. | Bobby Gunn | TKO | 1/12 | 2:35 | Note 3 |
| Light-middleweight | Bradley Pryce (c) | def. | Thomas Awimbono | UD | 12 | Note 4 | |
| Middleweight | Gary Lockett (c) | def. | Lee Blundell | TKO | 3/12 | 1:35 | Note 5 |
| Welterweight | Tony Doherty (c) | def. | Taz Jones | TKO | 7/10 | 2:15 | Note 6 |
| Light-welterweight | Amir Khan | def. | Stefy Bull | TKO | 3/8 | 1:45 | |
| Welterweight | Kell Brook | def. | Karl David | TKO | 3/8 | 2:58 | |
| Super-middleweight | Nathan Cleverly | def. | Nick Okoth | PTS | 8/8 | ||
| Lightweight | Gavin Rees | def. | Billy Smith | PTS | 6/6 | ||
| Welterweight | Barrie Jones | def. | Daniel Thorpe | TKO | 2/6 | 2:29 | |
| Middleweight | Kerry Hope | def. | Jamie Ambler | PTS | 6/6 | ||
| Flyweight | Don Broadhurst | def. | Delroy Spencer | PTS | 4/4 | ||
| Super-middleweight | Kenny Anderson | def. | Jorge Gomez | TKO | 3/4 | 1:22 | |
| Heavyweight | Derek Chisora | def. | Tony Booth | PTS | 4/4 |
^Note 1 For WBO and The Ring super-middleweight titles
^Note 2 For WBU welterweight title
^Note 3 For WBO cruiserweight title
^Note 4 For Commonwealth light-middleweight title
^Note 5 For WBU middleweight title
^Note 6 For Celtic welterweight title
| Country | Broadcasters | |
|---|---|---|
| Free-to-air | Cable/Pay TV | |
| United Kingdom | ITV Sport | — |
| United States | — | HBO |