On this day in 2008: Calzaghe beats Roy Jones Jr in his final fight

The Welshman got up from a first-round knockdown at Madison Square Garden to win on all three judges' cards, each scoring it 118–109.

Joe Calzaghe beat Roy Jones Jr by unanimous decision at Madison Square Garden in New York 18 years ago today. He retained The Ring light-heavyweight title in what proved to be the last fight of his professional career.

Calzaghe was knocked down in the first round but recovered to win on all three judges' scorecards, each reading 118–109. Jones was later cut over an eye.

The bout, billed as Battle of the Superpowers, matched the 36-year-old Calzaghe, coming off a split-decision win over Bernard Hopkins, with the 39-year-old Jones, who was on the comeback trail after beating Félix Trinidad. It had been set for 20 September 2008 but was postponed when Calzaghe was injured in training. It was also his first fight after splitting with the promoter Frank Warren in June 2008 and announcing that he would promote his own fights.

Calls for him to retire followed. Lennox Lewis, the former heavyweight champion, felt Calzaghe had nothing left to prove, and Ricky Hatton and David Haye said there was nothing more he could achieve. Chad Dawson, the double light-heavyweight champion, challenged him to one last fight, as did Carl Froch, then unbeaten.

Calzaghe announced his retirement on 5 February 2009. "It was a difficult decision but I have achieved everything I wanted to achieve in boxing," he told the BBC. "I've been world champion for 11 years. I've got no other goals to go for. That's why I am calling it a day."

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