Calzaghe wins Sports Personality of the Year
10th December, 2007
Joe Calzaghe, World super-middleweight champion brought his superb year to a close by being voted the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award.
The 35-year-old was the unexpected winner, beating Formula One wonderkid Lewis Hamilton and boxing star Ricky Hatton. Calzaghe won with 177,748 (28.19%) votes to Hamilton's 122,649 (19.45%) and Hatton's 85,280 (13.53%).
Calzaghe is undefeated in 44 fights, most recently his classy win over Mikkel Kessler in November. His trainer and father, Enzo Calzaghe, was named Coach of the Year at the awards. Before his win over Kessler, Calzaghe was a huge 33/1 to win the award, before shortening to odds closer to 5/1. Hamilton was the clear favourite at about 1/2, with Hatton around 4/1 before his fight against Mayweather.
All winners:
- Sports Personality of the Year: Joe Calzaghe
- Overseas Sports Personality of the Year: Roger Federer
- Coach of the Year: Enzo Calzaghe
- Team of the Year: England rugby union team
- Lifetime Achievement Award: Sir Bobby Robson
- Helen Rollason Award: Oscar Pistorius
- Unsung Hero of the Year: Margaret Simons
- Young Sports Personality of the Year: Tom Daley
