Calzaghe junior provided plenty of evidence on Saturday night that he can live up to his father's claim to be the best active pound-for-pound fighter in the world when he climbed off the canvas in the first round to dismantle ring legend Roy Jones Jr over 12 rounds, scoring a decisive, unanimous decision victory at Madison Square Garden.
The win extended the 36-year-old Calzaghe's perfect record to 46-0 but having pledged during the pre-fight build-up to retire following his showdown with Jones, the 'Pride Of Wales' kept the door open to keep on fighting.
Enzo wanted his son to retire undefeated and go down in history as one of the all-time great champions to quit the sport with an unblemished record.
Yet he warned that if anyone wanted to fight the Newbridge boxer they would have to move swiftly because once Calzaghe did retire he would stay that way.
"His mum is begging him to retire and he has nothing more to achieve," Calzaghe senior said.
"Whatever he wants to do, I'll back him. If he doesn't want to box, he gets my blessing because there's no more to achieve.
"But if he wants to carry on boxing, keep boxing now, don't retire. Once he's retired there's no coming back, I don't want him coming back.
"Retired means retired. Not retired for two years and come back after. No way.
"If he stays on I'm fully behind him.
Offers
"I hope the offers come now, then he doesn't have to retire. Once he's retired and they come with the offers it's no good."
By saying he would rule out any rematches, Calzaghe junior effectively discounted fights against Jones, Bernard Hopkins, whom he beat in April by split decision, or Denmark's Mikkel Kessler, whom he fought in his last contest at super-middleweight in 2007.
Yet he refused to confirm that he would now retire.
"I'm 36, nearly 37 and I'm not going to announce anything right now," Calzaghe said in his post-fight media conference.
"I said before the fight it would possibly be my last fight but I'm just really happy. I enjoyed it, except the first round of course.
"I can't answer those sort of questions right now. Those are the answers I'm going to go away and evaluate.
"I don't really like to do rematches.
"I just want to spend some time with my family, have a rest. I'm so happy with what I've achieved this year."
Having achieved his emphatic victory over Jones, however, Calzaghe conceded there would not be a more perfect time to bow out.
"I don't think there's a better ending. A fairytale fight, fairytale ending. I enjoyed the fight except for the first round. I was having fun, being a bit flashy myself.
"Full credit to Roy. He showed what a champions' fight he has and what a great fighter he is still, coming back, hanging in there, always dangerous.
"I've been fighting world title fights for 11 years, beaten six world champions when I was given the opportunity, fighters like Jeff Lacy and Mikkel Kessler, the best super-middleweight in the world right now.
"To come over here and beat two American legends - Hopkins and Roy Jones tonight - and not just beat those guys but beat them in America, I'm so proud of that.
"But I'm not going to make a decision until I go away and have a good sit down and think."
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Who else is there out there to beat?
Joe has been a true world class champion and doesnt get the credit he has deserved over the years!
Well done Joe, get a nighthood, hang the gloves up and enjoy retirement knowing you were the daddy of your generation!
Joe is a great champion but he has been dodging Anthony Mundine for years. Mundine is an awesome fighter on the way up and would make for a great fight
Calzaghes victory over Roy Jones jnr,did not prove much at all ,other than that Calzaghe beat a fighter who`s best days are behind him,the same could be said for the B.Hop fight.
With the exception of Kessler and a couple of others ,Calzaghe has made a successful career and a lot of money fighting ,"Tomatoe cans"pretenders,and over the hill fighters,and avoiding any legitimate boxers.
Professional boxing is in a sad state,one only has to look at the Heavyweight division,where are the Ali`s,
the Joe Frasier`s,George Foreman`s? and in the light heavies,Bob Fosters,Tommy Hearns,Roberto Durans?, Calzaghe isn`t even close to being in this league.!
Joe should continue to fight and break Marciano's record of undefeated fights and then retire.
If he can go 50-0 then he can be truly ranked against the very best fighters in history.
He is so close and is still fresh and can do another 4 fights in two years and retire before 40.
He can still add to his legacy. He can fight Pavlik (even though he lost to Hopkins. Pavlik said he was ill), Glen Johnson, Dawson and as a finale Tarver.
Joe has nothing left to prove, he should retire now, his legacy and brain still in tact.
Can we just gain a little perspective here on Calzaghe’s long and illustrious career, he has been Champion for 11 years, making 24 defences, he is also 46-0, which is now running very close to the late great Rocky Marciano. Many people, particularly our American friends will scoff at the mere mention of the Rocks name being spoken in the same breath as Joe’s, but can we not compare the two for a moment?
Rocky had 7 world title fights, fighting 5 men over 3 years, who were largely aging or overweight light heavies.
Was an aging Archie Moore (he too, was 39 at the time) really better than an aging pound for pound “fighter of the 90’s” legend Roy Jones Jnr?
Was Overweight English light heavyweight Don Cockell better than young, unbeaten World Champ Mikkel Kessler?
Was A 33 year old Ezzard Charles, who the Rock beat up on twice in the same year better than the American hyped and young unbeaten mini Mike Tyson Jeff Lacy?
Was Roland La Starza, who the Rock had already beaten 5 years previously, really any better than the man Calzaghe won the title off in the first place in Chris Eubank?
Finally, was Jersey Joe Walcott, at the time the oldest Champ in history who Marciano also beat twice better than Bernard Hopkins, who, lets remember in his next fight after Joe, beat the unbeaten middleweight king, Kelly Pavlik?
These facts are in no way means to criticise Rocky Marciano’s achievements, I admire the man as much as the next fight fan, albeit through rose tinted spectacles. They are however, merely used for comparison in an attempt to gain a little clarity on what we have here today. We should embrace our current legends not run them down or belittle their achievements.