On this day 1999: Joe Calzaghe retains WBO super-middleweight title
The Welshman laboured to victory over Rick Thornberry.
Joe Calzaghe still had plenty to prove when he stepped into the ring to face little-known Australian Rick Thornberry in the fourth defence of his WBO super-middleweight title in Cardiff.
The unbeaten Calzaghe had squeezed a contentious verdict over former WBC champion Robin Reid in his previous bout in Newcastle, and was banking on a conclusive finish against his opponent.
But the curse of Calzaghe’s hand injuries struck again, effectively negating his power from the third round onwards, and allowing Thornberry to survive to the final bell, where the Welshman gained an unsatisfactory verdict.
Arguably they did not arrive until his stunning win over highly-fancied American Jeff Lacy in 2006 – setting Calzaghe on his way to true boxing superstardom, and ultimately retirement with his unbeaten record proudly intact.
