A lot of folks probably missed the recent retirement of Joe Calzaghe. He’s the Welshmen who stepped down as the undefeated super middleweight champion with a 46-0 record. His last two wins were over prominent American light heavyweights Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones. Calzaghe, 36, was champion for more than a decade.
The significance is that he went out on top, and that few elite athletes do. Michael Jordan couldn’t do it. Neither could Willie Mays, Hank Aaron or Babe Ruth. Joe Namath, Johnny Unitas and Brett Favre hung on too long. As did Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Leonard. They overstayed their skills and left a last impression unworthy of their careers.
Part of it was the money. A few more paychecks while their name still had cachet and marketability. The other part was ego.
“It’s tough to leave center stage,” acknowledged Leonard, who never should have un-retired.