Weighing up Joe's dance chances

Joe Calzaghe joked his partnership with Kristina Rihanoff was like the "lady and the tramp".

By Jo Manning BBC news

He's ducked and dived, trained hard and won boxing titles in Las Vegas. But has Joe Calzaghe got rhythm? And what will he look like in a tight, spangly-sequined all-in-one?

All these questions and more will be answered when the retired boxing champion from Newbridge, Caerphilly turns his legendary focus on Strictly Come Dancing in the months ahead.

The man himself says he is "petrified" at the prospect of dance offs with the likes of ex-England spin bowler Phil Tufnell, the bloke who plays Garry from EastEnders (Ricky Groves) and Loose Women's Linda Bellingham.

But is he merely trying to lead his fellow contestants into a false sense of security?

Well his mum Jackie thinks he can bust a move.

Of his dance style, she said: "It's just today's dance, just moving your feet and bit and your head a bit and that's about it, you know. You don't get any jive... Can he dance? He ain't too bad."

She added: "I think he will do very well, I have got every confidence. I do like the show. I will be watching it, I have always watched it. It will definitely be more relaxing (than watching him in a fight)."

When it comes to public voting, Calzaghe's bulging biceps and smouldering looks are likely to go down well with viewers.

And he's been partnered with Kristina Rihanoff, who managed to make the charmingly hapless John Sargent look half-decent for fleeting moments in last year's Strictly contest.

Perhaps taking a leaf from the former journalist's book, Calzaghe has already made plenty of self-deprecating comments about his chances.

He joked his partnership with Rihanoff was like the "lady and the tramp" and said he was a long way out of his comfort zone.

Asked if he would get a ribbing back home for wearing sequins, Britain's only undefeated boxing world champion said: "To be honest, I probably won't go out alone for a while - only joking, people love it."

It is not just about throwing punches, you are always on the balls of your feet moving backwards and forwards Joe Calzaghe on boxing and dancing's similarities

But then this is the man who faced Mikkel Kessler in the Millennium Stadium and Bernard Hopkins under the bright lights of Las Vegas while watched by a sprinkling of A-list Hollywood stars and millions around the world.

And he came through all that pressure and prospect of serious injury undefeated and relatively unscathed. Surely not even a scowling Craig Revel Horwood will be able to put him off his Rumba?

As boxing legend Mohammed Ali demonstrated, dancing in the ring can help to win you fights and Calzaghe is an excellent exponent of the art.

"It is not just about throwing punches," he said.

"You are always on the balls of your feet moving backwards and forwards."

And as we all know, that's all there is to the jive.

Calzaghe's hunger to compete will also give him an edge, especially because the champ has not been a contender since November 2008, when he beat Roy Jones Jr at Madison Square Gardens in New York.

"I miss the focus, I miss the challenge of the boxing," he said.

"It is a challenge, I like a challenge."

Puns

Certainly the bookies think he's got the edge in a competition which is being described as the soap stars versus the sports stars.

William Hills bookmakers have installed him as the 9-2 favourite to win following the successes of fellow sportsmen Darren Gough and Mark Ramprakash.

William Hills spokesman Rupert Adams said: "Joe Calzaghe could waltz off with an unusual double by adding the Strictly title to the Sports Personality of the Year award he won a few years ago.

"We know he's a hit with the public as well as being light on his feet so we think he'll be a knockout on the dance floor."

E-mail this to a friend

Printable version