Calzaghe Promotions - The Boys are Back in Town
Venue: Newport Centre Date: Friday, 21 August Time: 1900 BST

By Peter Shuttleworth

Enzo Calzaghe won BBC Sports Personality Coach of the Year in 2008

Renowned coach Enzo Calzaghe has revealed he almost quit boxing during his "hell" of the last 18 months.

His son Joe Calzaghe, the retired world champion boxer, won a high-profile High Court case against former promoter Sports Network Limited in March.

Calzaghe quit fighting while stable-mates Enzo Maccarinelli and Gavin Rees lost their world crowns before Maccarinelli quit the Newbridge gym.

"Yes, I wanted to walk away," the 60-year-old coach Calzaghe told BBC Sport.

The Calzaghe fight club, near Newbridge in Caerphilly borough, was at the centre of the boxing world two years ago when it housed three world champions.

Joe Calzaghe reigned supreme as the undisputed king of the super-middleweight division, Maccarinelli held the WBO cruiserweight crown while Gavin Rees held the WBA light welterweight title.

Gary Lockett was also WBU middleweight champion, Bradley Pryce held the Commonwealth light middleweight belt and Nathan Cleverly - a fighter hailed the 'new Joe Calzaghe' - was then a British light-heavyweight title challenger.

At one stage in my heart I thought I was not going to go back to boxing, I told Joe about it and the passion Joe and I had was crumbling - and passion is the most important thing of all Trainer Enzo Calzaghe

Now, though, Calzaghe and Lockett have quit, Maccarinelli lost his title in a unification showdown with David Haye then left the Calzaghe gym, Cleverly also quit Newbridge Boxing Club while Rees and Pryce also lost their belts.

Calzaghe jr also had a bitter split and High Court legal battle with Sports Network Limited, whose chief executive was Frank Warren, over money owed.

Mr Justice Wyn Williams ruled in the High Court that Warren's company Sports Network Limited should pay Calzaghe some £1.8m. This was upheld on appeal.

Then Sports Network told the BBC in April it had gone into administration - although Sports Network Europe and Frank Warren Promotions were continuing to trade as normal.

The gym's 'godfather' coach Calzaghe admits: "To this very minute I'm not as enthusiastic as I was before.

"I'm not the Enzo Calzaghe that I used to be as I know what I should do, I want to retire.

"I've given 30 years to boxing and the last few years have been the most unhappy years of my boxing life.

"I'm not happy with my last year and a half in boxing, it has been hell.

"My appetite disappeared because some of my fighters started leaving.

"At one stage in my heart I thought I was not going to go back to boxing, I told Joe about it and the passion Joe and I had was crumbling - and passion is the most important thing of all."

Calzaghe sr will be in the corner for Calzaghe Promotions' first major event on Friday in Newport as trainer for Gavin Rees and Bradley Pryce in their comeback fights.

"I owe it to my boxers to continue," continued Calzaghe, the 2008 BBC Sports Personality Coach of the Year.

"I've trained Bradley Pryce and Gavin Rees since they were nine years old. I couldn't walk away.

"My heart is going but now I've made the decision to come back. I've got half a gym left and these boys are keeping me going and keeping me hungry.

"I'm there for those kids, and they'll be there for me and that is the reason why Joe and I will stay to fly the flag for Welsh boxing.

"I made the empire but it hasn't collapsed it has just gone through a bad period but my empire can be built again."

Rees faces journeyman Gary Reid in his lightweight comeback at the Newport Centre while Pryce will fight Michael Monaghan.

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