Welshman Joe Calzaghe makes his professional debut in October 1993 and is the British super-middleweight champion two years later

Calzaghe knocks out Brazilian Luciano Torres in the final fight before his 1997 world title shot against Chris Eubank

Calzaghe confirms his class as he knocks down the WBO super-middleweight champion Eubank in the first round in Sheffield

He proves he is no ordinary Joe as he shocks the experienced Eubank to win his first super-middleweight world title

Referee Joe Cortez presents Calzaghe with the WBO super-middleweight belt - he went on to hold it for a record 10 years

David Starrie is beaten on points by Calzaghe in his fifth world title defence on a Mike Tyson undercard in January 2000 in Manchester

Calzaghe drops to his knees after he knocks out American Omar Sheika at Wembley in his sixth defence eight months later

By Joe! Calzaghe knocks good mate Richie Woodhall to the canvas in Sheffield in his seventh title defence

Calzaghe jumps for joy as he floors German Mario Viet in one minute and 52 seconds into his eighth - and quickest - title defence

In the shadow of Iron Mike, Calzaghe gives a news conference before his fight with Will McIntyre on a Tyson undercard in Copenhagen

The setting is fit for a king as Welsh boxing's reigning monarch takes on Miguel Angel Jiminez at Cardiff Castle in 2002

Santas Ricky Hatton and Calzaghe promote their joint top-of-the-bill show in December 2002 - Calzaghe beats Tocker Pudwill

Calzaghe rues his broken left-hand as he beats Evans Ashira one-anded in September 2005 after suffering the injury in the third round

Calzaghe confirms his greatness by mauling highly-rated American Jeff Lacy in March 2006, stunning the US boxing fraternity

Lacy hits the canvas against Calzaghe in the final round of their super-middleweight unification clash in Manchester in 2006

Joe Calzaghe gets a kiss from his dad and trainer Enzo after his one-sided demolition of Lacy

Calzaghe lines up for the national anthem before Wales' Six Nations clash with Italy, the land of Joe's father, in 2006

Welsh stars collide as Joe Calzaghe shows Welsh mezzo-soprano singer Katherine Jenkins

Calzaghe is cut against Sakio Bika - he later accuses him of head-butting in his 19th defence in Manchester in October 2006

Trainer and dad Enzo and ring legend Sugar Ray Leonard flank Joe as they promote his fight with Contender star Peter Manfredo Jnr

Calzaghe shows Peter Manfredo Jr who is the real deal as he demolishes him inside three rounds of his 20th title defence in April 2007

Calzaghe and Mikkel Kessler enjoy squaring-up ahead of their super-middleweight unification clash in Cardiff in November 2007

Calzaghe goes on the attack as against the dangerous Dane in their three-title showdown in Cardiff

Royal flush! Calzaghe shows all that glitters is gold as he unifies the super-middleweight division by beating Kessler on points

Joe Calzaghe steps out with girlfriend Jo-Emma Lavin at the 2007 BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year awards night

Joe rounds off a fabulous 2007 as he wins the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award

Viva Las Vegas! Calzaghe takes a gamble to fight in America for the first time against Bernard Hopkins just off the famous Strip

Calzaghe goes into media overdrive as he promotes his US debut against middleweight legend Hopkins in Vegas

Calzaghe's American debut gets off to the worst possible start as he is floored by Hopkins in the first round

Calzaghe feels the full force of a Hopkins left in their light-heavyweight mega-fight under the bright lights of Las Vegas

But Calzaghe gets the better of his opponent and expresses his relief as he takes another notable scalp at the age of 36

Calzaghe prepares for a fitting finale against the multi-weight world champion Roy Jones Jr at New York's Madison Square Garden

Joe Calzaghe is put through his paces by father and trainer Enzo ahead of his clash with Roy Jones Jr in New York

Both boxers come in just under the 175lb light-heavyweight limit at Friday's weigh-in

As against Hopkins, Calzaghe is dropped to the canvas in the first round as Jones connects with a right hook, more wrist than knuckle

Calzaghe is stunned both by Jones' first meaningful combination and that he is on the floor in the first, two fights running

Jones takes the first two rounds without injury before Calzaghe begins to land several trademark southpaw jabs in the third

Both fighters begin to goad each other, despite the violence, showing their chins and grinning at their opponent

Blood is drawn by Jones across the bridge of Calzaghe's nose but the Welshman is throwing far more punches in rounds four and five

Jones keeps a high guard and is happy to let Calzaghe punch away, picking him off with accurate pot shots

The fight turns in the seventh round as Calzaghe lands with a right, cutting Jones' left eye and sapping the Pensicola boxer's confidence

The American's corner seem unable to stem the bleeding, and the ringside doctor is twice called to rule if Jones can continue

Instead of having exhausted himself, Calzaghe is encouraged by his opponent's wound and diminishing defences

But in the 10th Jones reminds Calzaghe and the crowd why he was a fomer four-weight champion with a decent left hook

Both fighters, battered and unrelenting, receive the praise of the crowd but it is Calzaghe victorious after 12 tough rounds

The Welshman celebrates the unanimous win, 118-109 points, with his trainer and father, Enzo, undefeated after 46 professional wins