by Peter Shuttleworth

Joe Calzaghe bristled when reminded about the 15th anniversary of his professional debut.

From the start, Calzaghe has been trained by his father Enzo

"I tried to forget, thanks for reminding me how old I am," the 36-year-old boxing superstar told BBC Sport with a wry smile.

Journeyman Paul Hanlon was a battery maker in Birmingham when he became Calzaghe's first casualty on 1 October 1993 on the undercard to Lennox Lewis' heavyweight title victory over Frank Bruno at Cardiff Arms Park.

But the atmosphere inside Welsh rugby's citadel when Calzaghe, just 21, took to the stage was far from highly-charged.

"I was on so early, only one man and a dog saw me," he said. "Oh, and my mum.

"It was outside on a typical Welsh afternoon. It was cold and so wet they had to mop the rain off the canvas.

"And because I was my not in the amateurs anymore, I wasn't wearing a head-guard and vest... I was freezing and embarrassed because I felt naked."

Calzaghe's victim that night, Hanlon, said recently: "I was working night shifts making batteries on a factory production line in Birmingham and got a call a couple of nights before the fight asking if I fancied taking on this new pro.

"I fancied a night off from work so said yes. I'd seen Joe first-hand in amateur ABA title fights so I knew he was good - but it was not until we got into the ring that I realised just how talented he was.

"His punches weren't powerful but they just kept coming, I couldn't cope. He was a class above.

"Having gone down once, the referee had no choice but to stop the fight when I went down again in the first round.

"Even from the short time we were in the same ring, I knew he was destined for the top."

CALZAGHE CAREER TIME-LINE 1993: Wins pro debut over Paul Hanlon 1995: Honoured as Young Boxer of The Year 1997: Wins vacant WBO super-middleweight by beating Chris Eubank on points 2003: Suffers first career knock-down against Byron Mitchell before KOing Mitchell in round two 2006: Unifies IBF and WBO world crowns by demolishing Jeff Lacy 2007: Becomes undisputed super-middleweight champ by beating Mikkel Kessler 2007: Wins BBC Sports Personality of the Year award 2008: Beats the great Bernard Hopkins on his American debut in Las Vegas 2008: 46th and final fight against Roy Jones Jr at Madison Square Garden in New York

Calzaghe hardly broke sweat against the 31-year-old from Birmingham.

"It was great to sample a mega-fight atmosphere in my first fight, said Calzaghe.

"It might have been my first professional fight but I'd fought 120 amateur fights and won three British ABA titles so I was hardly a rookie.

"I remember he came in swinging and I smashed him up without trying.

"I took care of business pretty quickly in them days as none of my first nine fights didn't last longer than two rounds."

While his pro bow lasted just two-and-a-half minutes, the valleys southpaw's career legacy is substantial.

The unbeaten Welsh idol and undisputed super-middleweight king was boxing's longest-reigning world champion before he handed back his WBO crown of 11 years last month.

"I always knew I'd be world champion," boasted Calzaghe. "I even had the swagger back then, I was never short of confidence.

"But I never imagined to reign king for so long.

"I've had many great nights of boxing, starting winning my world crown against a world-class fighter like Chris Eubank in 1997.

"Destroying Jeff Lacy in Manchester 2006 was good because he was supposed to be the next Mike Tyson, unifying the super-middleweight division against Mikkel Kessler in front of 50,000 fans in Cardiff was special as was beating Bernard Hopkins on my American debut in Vegas.

"Not many last long in boxing...to begin it on a prestigious show like Bruno v Lewis in my home country then ending it at Madison Square Gardens in New York, the Mecca of boxing, against a legend like Roy Jones Jr.

"It doesn't get much better than that.

"Oh, except to finish unbeaten like Rocky Marciano - that's not asking too much, is it?"