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 | | Sunday, 21 April, 2002, 23:26 GMT 00:26 UK Calzaghe 'can take on the world'  Calzaghe was too strong for Brewer in Cardiff British and Commonwealth heavyweight champion Danny Williams was full of praise for Joe Calzaghe after he won a bruising battle with American Charles Brewer. The Welshman won a unanimous points decision to retain his WBO title that should now see him getting the big pay-days he has long been searching for. "He proved without doubt - not that there was any doubt in my mind - that he is the best super-middleweight in the world," Williams told BBC Sport Online. "He showed fast hands, a good chin, powerful punching and a great heart. "He was sensational at times. I would say it was his best display so far.
"In Joe's mind he would have liked to have knocked him out. "But he was up against a real good fighter who has been around a long time and a former world champion, and at times he was electric." It was Calzaghe's 10th defence of the world title he won by beating Chris Eubank back in 1997. Williams believes that, alongside Lennox Lewis, Calzaghe is Britain's best pound-for-pound fighter at present. But despite being at the top of his division for so long he has failed to attract the big fights. The 28-year-old heavyweight says this is because he has not always performed when he has needed to. "The problem with Joe has been - as Nigel Benn has said - that he fights to the standard of his opposition.
"If he fights world-class opponents he looks good, but when he fights lower level opposition he is brought down to their level. "He's really now at the peak of his career and he needs to start to step up." Calzaghe is keen to take on American middleweight Bernard Hopkins, feeling there is little competition left in the super-middleweight division for him to take on. He fought in front of just 5,000 against Brewer on Saturday. But American TV were also watching and the manner of the victory over the 33-year-old should have finally seen Calzaghe noticed across the Atlantic. Best chance He is looking to bring Hopkins, who beat Felix Trinidad to unify the middleweight division, to the Millennium Stadium, where he would be cheered on by around 40,000 fans. Williams is keen for him to take advantage of his latest win and get among the best fighters in the world, with Roy Jones top of his wish list. "I'd like to see him try and unify the titles," Williams said. "If he can't then perhaps it is time for him to step up and fight light-heavyweight champion Roy Jones. "I think of all the fighters Joe has the best chance of beating Roy Jones. "I'd probably give Jones the edge but he would give him a really good fight, he's ready to step into the ring with him now." | | See also:  Other top Boxing stories: Links to more Boxing stories are at the foot of the page. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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