JOE Calzaghe has banished memories of his greatest night as he prepares to defend his IBF and WBO super-middleweight titles against Cameroon's Sakio Bika in Manchester on Saturday.
The 34-year-old Welshman returns to the ring for the first time since his sensational March victory over Jeff Lacy, which ranked as one of the finest performances by a British fighter in history.
Calzaghe's success shunted him up the pound-for-pound rankings, earned him a lucrative deal with American cable giants Home Box Office, and turned him into a true global boxing icon.
But he insists it is time to stop re-living the Lacy win and instead concentrate on a future which he hopes will lead to future super-fights before he finally hangs up his gloves.
Calzaghe said: "I could not have written a better script, to fight the best fight of my life on the biggest night of my life, but there are other things to be done and Lacy is in the past now.
"We have all got to get over the Lacy thing. I have got a big fight next Saturday, and in boxing you are only as good as your last fight. So actually, Lacy is already forgotten."
Focused
Calzaghe has proved a master at remaining focused for so-called lesser tests during his phenomenal reign as champion stretching back 18 defences to the night he beat Chris Eubank for the title in 1997.
And while Bika certainly does not arrive on these shores with the hype afforded America's next big thing Lacy, he boasts a strong enough record to persuade Calzaghe not to change his winning habits.
Calzaghe added: "One of my strengths is that I don't look beyond any fight. It doesn't matter who is in the opposite corner to me, I always respect every opponent.
"I realise anybody can be beaten, including myself, so I train like a challenger instead of a champion. If you let your guard down for one second that is when you get beaten - and I don't want to get beaten."
Calzaghe still has big plans including a possible unification showdown with the winner of Saturday's WBC and WBA title clash between Mikkel Kessler and Markus Beyer in Copenhagen.
A dominant performance in particular from Kessler, who has won all 37 of his professional fights, would make the clash a realistic possibility for next year.
Calzaghe added: "It would be nice to win another title. Kessler is the second best super-middleweight in the world and I fancy him to beat Beyer quite convincingly.
"But it is a big struggle to make the weight and I have always said it is my ambition to become a two-weight world champion. It could be the opportunity to step up to light-heavyweight."
Can anyone stop Calzaghe? Have your say.
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First of all as an American Boxing fan I'd like to say that not all fans on this side of the Atlantic were shocked over Joe Calzaghe's win over Jeff Lacy and were quite aware of Calzaghe's talent.
As to the question can anyone stop this Champion at this time? Yes, only Joe himself if, like he says he doesn't prepare and get up for the fight. that's about it!
JOE CALZAGHE IS THE BEST EVER POUND FOR POUND FIGHTER I HAVE EVER SEEN ,SAKIO BIKA IS A GOOD FIGHTER BUT SHOULD HE REALLY BE IN THE SAME RING AS SOMEONE AS GOOD AS CALZAGHE ,I PERSONNALLY DONT THINK SO ,AND WILL BE SURPRISED IF IT GOES MORE THAN 5 ROUNDS
Copey: Hatton asked Mayweather for $13m for a fight and Mayweather turned it down saying thats my numbers. In England the value of the Pound is double the price of the Dollar at the moment and Hatton fetches £4m over here, so is it really that hard to ask for a mingie $13m in US because im confused as to knowing why Tyson and Lewis split $110m. In the Uk we see America as the money state for boxing. If ricky were back in the uk he can make upto £10m in three fights.If Floyd Mayweather were to come to England I think he'd make more than America would dream of paying out, so Floyd should wise up, hatton went there thinking $13m wouldnt be that hard to earn knowing that he's moved to America were the "BIG" money is "MEANT" to be.
I agree that only JC can stop JC. Why? Because Warren will never let him fight anyone even remotely in the same league as Joe. Kessler is asking on world wide TV for a unification bout. Why isn't Joe doing the same? Is an unspotted record, padded as it is, really that important to you, Joe? Step up and fight Kessler.