Former world champion boxer Joe Calzaghe is to explore the impact a local boxing club has made on a community in south Wales in the latest Supporters Club documentary from BT Sport.
‘Street games with Joe Calzaghe’ premieres on Wednesday, February 26, at 9.30pm and sees Calzaghe reflect on his own childhood in Wales and how boxing helped him to turn his life around.
For the first time five years, Calzaghe steps back in the ring to spar with the keen young boxers in Newport who train day-in day-out, and they put up a good fight.
The half-hour documentary aims to present an honest examination of how sport can overcome challenges within a community.
Calzaghe also meets the heroic coaches and volunteers who work tirelessly to keep the club open and affordable and talks to members of the community that benefit from their work.
He described himself as eager to get involved with BT’s Supporters Club as he appreciates and understands the difference sport can make to a young person looking to their future.
Having grown up round the corner from Newport, Calzaghe was bullied at school and was unsure of what the future held for him.
With the support of his father and coach, Enzo, he started boxing and it had an incredible impact on his future.
Calzaghe became one of Britain’s most successful and publicly acclaimed sporting heroes thanks to his impressive unbeaten run as a professional stretching across a 15-year career from 1993 to 2008.
The Welshman won his 46th and final victorious fight came against American Roy Jones Jr at New York’s iconic Madison Square Garden in November 2008.
Along the way to sporting greatness, Calzaghe fought and defeated the likes of Chris Eubank, Mario Veit, Jeff Lacy, Bernard Hopkins and Mikkel Kessler.
His achievements were recognised by the public in 2007 when he won the fabled BBC Sports Personality of Year award.
Not all the youngsters Calzaghe meets may repeat his extraordinary sporting success, but all benefit from a variety of ways through the support of their local boxing club.
Calzaghe said: “I grew up in a tough area and when I was bullied at school, I struggled to understand myself.
“I became introverted and didn’t have any self-worth; boxing gave me the discipline, strength and focus I needed to respect myself and others.
“During the filming, I witnessed first-hand the joy boxing brings to these youngsters – it could almost be me 30 odd years ago.
“I loved meeting them, sparring with them and finding out their stories.”
“We must ensure that local clubs and coaches are supported to enable them to continue their great community work.”
Joe Calzaghe’s Supporters Club documentary is the latest high-profile film in a strand that highlights the work of BT Sport’s major charity initiative, which launched last summer.
Through the Supporters Club, BT is raising money to use the power of sport to change young lives and has given grants to grassroots projects across the UK and around the world.
BT Sport customers can simply add £1, £3 or £5 to their monthly bill and BT will match it pound for pound.
The Supporters Club fund has given a grant to StreetGames, a nationwide charity that uses sport to tackle issues around employment and education by strengthening the links between community and local sport.
It works with the boxing club in Newport to ensure that the coaches and club use their love for boxing to help young people become mentors themselves, build confidence and skills, access education and employment, and engage with their community.
Other charities being supported in the UK and overseas will be revealed in the coming months and those projects will feature in documentaries on BT Sport.
BT is covering the costs of the Supporters Club fund, which is managed by Comic Relief, meaning every pound will make a difference.
The documentaries show the impact of the money raised by The Supporters Club – demonstrating to viewers the difference their donations are making.
For more information visit www.thesupportersclub.org or follow the Supporters Club on Twitter via @supporters.
‘Street Games with Joe Calzaghe’ airs on Wednesday, February 26, at 9.30pm on BT Sport 1.
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