JUST eight days to go until my 16th WBO world super-middleweight title defence against Mario Veit in Germany and I've seldom felt better.
I've finished my sparring, I'm injury free and looking forward to fighting and winning. It's has been a long drag since the frustration of the Brian Magee fight in Belfast being called off and I can't wait to get back in the ring.
The Veit fight is a big challenge and I believe fighting him in his own country will bring out the best in me.
Fighting him at home would have put me in a big comfort zone.
Having to go there with a German judge and the country's reputation for producing home town decisions means I'll have to be at my very best.
I'll have to go out there and make sure I not only beat him, but beat him comprehensively.
The pressure will be on him because, firstly, he's fighting somebody who has knocked him out already and, secondly, he's fighting in front of his own crowd and the last thing he wants is to be beaten in front of them.
And I believe fighting in front of his partisan supporters will make me angry and fired up to show just who is number one.
I haven't had to fight away from home too many times, but when I have done so I have usually done very well.
I actually enjoy the experience.
The first time it happened was against Mark Delaney for the British title at Brentwood in Essex (in 1996).
It was a small venue, a couple of thousand, but they were very anti me and it spurred me on to give him the worst beating of his life.
I dropped him twice in the first minute and it was all over inside five rounds.
I remember Chris Eubank saying the best experince he had was when he fought Ray Close at the King's Hall in Belfast, where they are so partisan, because it gave him a real adrenalin rush and made him more determined.
So, though I won't lie and say I'm glad to be fighting abroad, because in doing so there is always a risk, I am feeling very positive and I'm in great shape.
Having said that, I'm not making the mistake of being over-confident.
When I KO'd Veit in the first round in 2001 he froze and I caught him cold.
Four years on he has improved with 15 wins and his confidence is sky high, but I have improved even more.
In my own mind I have prepared excellently.
In fact I have had to guard against over-training. That is worse than under-training because the danger is leaving it all in the gym.
I prepared for ten weeks for the Magee fight and to make sure I didn't over-train for Veit I had a week off and then trained just once a day for the next week before building up again.
As a result I now feel great, my weight's fine and I've eased my training down before I leave for Germany on Monday where I'll use a gym in the hotel to keep ticking over.
I'm sure they won't make it easy for me over there, but I have the personality, temperament and experience to cope and I'm ready for the worst.
Regarding the big night itself, I understand the venue holds around 8,000 people and with German boxing going through a resurgence it is certain to be packed out.
I've got 12 rounds to silence them and though, realistically, I'm not expecting to wipe Veit out in the first round again, I'm confident I'll stop him in the middle to later rounds.
He's only ever been stopped that once, so perhaps his chin isn't that bad, but I'll start quickly, stamp my authority on the contest and wear him down.
His style will suit me because basically he's very upright, very robotic and my punches, thrown in clusters, will be too fast for him.
He's also a very tall guy, so I'll be looking to get underneath him and rake him with body shots.
If I were to fight like I fought last time against Kabaray Salem I could come unstuck and lose, but if I fight like the real Joe Calzaghe there's no way that can happen. My destiny is in my own hands.
As for the future, after Veit, I have spoken to my promoter, Frank Warren, and there's the possibility of fighting IBF super-middleweight champion Jeff Lacy or undisputed light-heavyweight No 1 Glen Johnson.
But there are massive question-marks against the Johnson fight as he faces a return against Antonio Tarver on June 18 and could lose. Their first fight was 50-50 and the second one will be the same.
Johnson will fight me if the money's right but if Tarver wins, a fight against him is very unlikely.
He would be likely to fight a decider with Johnson or move up for a big money fight at heavyweight.
As for Lacy, he first has to defend against my old foe Robin Reid, who has been calling me out for a rematch ever since I beat him in 1999.
If Reid wins and that's what he still wants, I'd be glad to entertain him.
He seems to forget that when I fought him before I did so with one hand (the other was damaged after four rounds). If there's a next time I'll knock him out.
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