Hickey embraces 'honour' of Calzaghe comparison
Scottish boxing hope Sam Hickey is embracing the "great honour" of being compared to a young Joe Calzaghe, but intends to make "a name for myself" by building on his impressive start as a professional.
After a glittering amateur career, including a gold medal at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, the Dundonian middleweight has won all three of his fights since joining the senior ranks last summer.
Such has been his impact, former WBO cruiserweight champion Johnny Nelson revealed Hickey reminds him of former undefeated world super-middleweight champion Calzaghe.
"He is like the best British fighter we have ever had," said Hickey, 25 of Calzaghe.
"You have got maybe three fighters who really standout in British boxing – Calzaghe, Lennox Lewis and Carl Froch and to be compared to Calzaghe is crazy but that is a great honour.
"It gets eyes on you because people think, 'what is he talking about, Johnny Nelson?' I don't necessarily need the comparison because I am going to make a name for myself and do good things hopefully."
'Tannadice or Dens would be amazing'
Hickey's most recent victory was against Harley Hodgetts at Barnsley's Oakwell Stadium last Saturday.
"It has really given me aspirations to want to do this in my home city or anywhere in Scotland in the future doing big arena shows," he said.
"I know years ago there was boxing at Dens Park, with 20,000 people watching. Tannadice or Dens would be amazing."
Hickey is trained by Robert McCracken in Sheffield.
"Rob is a straight shooter and he doesn't blow any smoke or anything," Hickey explained. "He just keeps it straight, he is a really tough man to please so when I tell people that they say, 'that is good, that is what you want'.
"I want to be in big fights, world title fights and box at the highest level. Also, I want to make money and seal my future when I finish boxing because I have been doing this since I was nine years old and it is the toughest game."
Another son of Dundee, Dick McTaggart, passed away earlier this year, aged 89, and Hickey described the 1956 Olympic lightweight gold medal winner as an "inspiration". McTaggart also earned a Commonwealth gold two years later.
"He did an article after the Commonwealth Games saying how proud he was and stuff like that that I had won the Commonwealths," said Hickey.
"It is great to be from the same city as probably the greatest amateur boxer Britain has ever had and emulating just a small bit of his success is great."
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