What Has Joe Calzaghe Been Up to Anyway?

Though we now know that Allan Green is taking over for Jermain Taylor in the Super Six World Boxing Classic, one of the more fanciful yet intriguing suggestions I heard from other boxing fans was getting Joe Calzaghe to come out of retirement and join the tournament.

That certainly would have been a blast, and it would have made the Super Six an even bigger deal in Europe (where it's already more significant than it is here in the U.S.). There's virtually zero chance it would have happened, but hey, it's always fun to dream.

Anyway, since this is boxing we're talking about, quite a few fans seem to be skeptical that Calazghe will actually stay retired. But from all indications, he seems to be enjoying his life outside the ring.

What's he been up to since beating Roy Jones in November of 2008? Glad you asked.

In what may have been his most visible activity, Calzaghe was a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing, the U.K.'s version of (and indeed, the inspiration behind) Dancing With the Stars. That didn't end so well for JoeCal, but it may not have been a total loss, either, as reports have it that he ended up with a pretty nice consolation prize.

He also got more seriously involved with the business side of the sweet science, starting Calzaghe Promotions to help mold the next wave of U.K. boxing talent. Joe's venture promoted two cards in 2009, with more said to be on the way soon.

Last and certainly not least, Calazghe has been donating time and money toward several worthy causes. He's thrown his weight behind both Latch, and organization devoted to researching ways to defeat childhood cancer, and Beatbullying. And no, the latter doesn't involve Joe administering physical beatings to bullies... though that would be a fun twist.

Joking aside, our European readers may be interested in Calzaghe's next endeavor. That would be his Undefeated Dinner, a gala event to be held at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London on March 22.

Promising a night of entertainment from world class performers, all of the proceeds from the dinner will go to support Help for Heroes, a charity that aids British military personnel wounded in the world's current conflicts.

It's a cause that clearly means a lot to Calzaghe.

"I will always be proud of my record of having retired as the undefeated world champion after 18 years as a professional," Calzaghe said in a press release announcing the event. "But it was only when I met some of our servicemen and saw their sacrifices that I truly understood the meaning of undefeated.

"They are an inspiration to us all. I can think of no better use of money raised from my testimonial dinner than for it to make a contribution towards the better futures of those who have made such unimaginable sacrifices for their country."

Tickets for the gala aren't cheap (£550 plus VAT per person, or tables of ten for £5,000), but the price includes a champagne reception, a three-course dinner, complimentary drinks and the live entertainment. Full details are available at Calzaghe's official website.

Whether you cheered him on or rooted against him, you have to admit that Calzaghe's relatively brief time on top of the sport of boxing wasn't boring. We may never see him in action again, but he's applying his fighting spirit in other areas, and smart money wouldn't bet against him continuing to make an impact.

Posted by The Franchise