Calzaghe ready to fight on after Jones bout says dad

Enzo Calzaghe insists that his son Joe has not ruled out fighting again after he faces Roy Jones Jnr at Madison Square Gardens on Saturday, contradiction what the Welsh fighter has himself been saying in recent weeks.

Calzaghe has been adamant that he will retire from the sport after his showdown with Jones - the 46th of his 15 years as a professional - but his father and coach Enzo firmly believes the 36-year-old could be tempted to continue should the right offer come along.

"Fighters are always talking about retiring but you're always only good as your last fight. Joe, I'm sure, will make a final decision after this fight on Saturday," Enzo said. "If there's no damage done to him and someone puts $20m on the table then I'm sure he'd seriously consider carrying on."

Who Calzaghe could face following a career in which he has defeated every fighter he has faced, achieved 32 knockouts and made 21 successful title defences appears unclear, especially if he was to defeat Jones, a title-holder at four different weight divisions and widely regarded as the best pound for pound fighter of his generation. Rumours emanating from New York, where team Calzaghe has been based for the past two weeks, suggest a rematch clause was included in the deal he signed with Jones, although a second bout with Bernard Hopkins, whom Calzaghe defeated in Las Vegas seven months ago, remains the stronger possibility, especially after the American's victory over fellow countryman and world middle-weight champion Kelly Pavlik in July. Hopkins, who will be at ringside on Saturday, has already expressed an interest in facing Calzaghe again with the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff mooted as a possible venue.

The World Boxing Association super-middleweight champion, Mikkel Kessler, who Calzaghe beat last year, is another possible opponent with the Dane having also expressed an interest in a rematch.

A 47th fight would come as a major surprise considering the comments Calzaghe, who is four fights away from matching Rocky Marciano's undefeated-fights record, has made in the build-up to his debut appearance at Madison Square Garden. He has stated in a range of interviews his desire to retire after the weekend, most recently saying that he has promised his mother, Jackie, who has never watched her son fight, that he will quit. "Whatever happens, happens," added Enzo. "It's the lap of the Gods."

For the time being, the focus remains on Jones. In contrast to the build-up to his last fight, the points victory over Hopkins in April, Calzaghe has not entered into a war of words with his latest opponent. The pair agreed the contest between themselves following Calzaghe's acrimonious split with long-term promoter Frank Warren - legal proceedings are pending - and have remained cordial since. But his father insists that goodwill will be abandoned once the pair step into the ring.

"We respect Roy Jones, he's out there doing a job, but at the end of the day he wants to tear Joe's head off and Joe wants to tear his head off," said Enzo. "There's a lot of respect but there won't be any love songs playing as these guys walk into the ring, it'll be a war as usual."

"Joe's training has gone really well and he's really looking forward to Saturday. Roy Jones is a top fighter, perhaps the best Joe has ever faced, but that does not mean we have adjusted our preparation for him, we never adjust our preparation, it's up to the other guy to chance his preparation for us. Joe is at the top of his sport so all he has to do is go out there and perform like he always does, in his own style. He's the Manchester United of boxing, he looks to dominate every fight he is in."

As usual, Enzo will watch the bout from his son's corner, something he admits is difficult for him as a father to do but as a coach he continues to see as an essential duty. "Joe may be my son but I can't allow myself to get emotional, if I did I'd have to quit," he said. "It was quite a problem at the start but I've learnt to calm my stress-levels down. I'm in the corner with a job to do, there's no time to get all sentimental."

Joe Calzaghe - My Life Story is released November 10. The DVD is made by Integral Productions and distributed by Universal.