Wales’s greatest ever boxer was billed as Joe ‘The Cat’ Calzaghe that night, but for his homecoming to the Millennium Stadium he will be simply known as Joe.
“We have the potential at the Millennium Stadium to become the biggest outdoor or indoor boxing arena Britain has ever had and the Christmas market is expected to play its role in ensuring we have a bumper turnout for Joe’s return to his spiritual home in Wales’s capital city,” said Millennium Stadium chief executive Paul Sergeant.
“Over 15,000 fans attended Sports Network’s debut appearance at the Millennium Stadium earlier this year when Heavyweights Danny Williams and Matt Skelton went toe to toe, and around 25,000 people watched Bruno v Lewis at the Arms Park in 1993.
“Boxing legend Howard Winstone fought Vincente Saldivar in front of 30,000 fans at Ninian Park on the 15th June 1967 for the WBC World Featherweight title, losing by half a point.
“The Millennium Stadium could beat that figure on the 7th of April when the nation unites behind its hero; Joe could be fighting in front of the biggest boxing crowd Wales has ever had.”
Calzaghe has had a magnificent year with the highlight being his sensational win over Jeff Lacy when he unified the titles. Next year it will be even bigger when he headlines the world-renowned Stadium and joins the ranks of some of the world’s biggest sports and entertainment events.
WBO World Cruiserweight king Enzo Maccarinelli and young star Amir Khan will also feature and a full supporting under-card will be announced shortly.
Tickets are priced at: £300 Ringside, £200, £150, £100, £75, £50 & £40 and are available from the ticket hotline tel: 0870 060 3794 (Tickets subject to a booking fee) or online at: www.seetickets.com or www.frankwarren.tv
DID YOU KNOW?
– The first boxing bout at the Arms Park was in 1944: it was a British lightweight title fight on the 12th of August, Welshman Ronnie James from Swansea beat Eric Boon.
– We had to wait 49 years until boxing returned to Wales’s national ground and Joe Calzaghe featured then in his first professional fight on the under-card for the Frank Bruno v Lennox Lewis world title clash in 1993.
– At the time Joe told the local media “I’ve sparred with Nicky Piper and handled him quite easily so I’m confident that it won’t be long before I’m mixing with the Benns and Eubanks. I’m going to be world champion and make lots of money.” The rest is history.
– Next up was Danny Williams v Matt Skelton, a Heavyweight clash earlier this year, which featured the likes of Amir Kahn and Enzo Maccarinelli on a 16 fight under-card. 15,000 people agreed it was a great night of boxing at the Millennium Stadium.
– Joe Calzaghe once fought in front of just 150 people at the Splott leisure centre in Cardiff; on April 7th he could be fighting in front of the biggest boxing crowd Wales has ever had.
