I can imagine there were red faces all round the BBC's top table this week after boxing swept the board at the Sports Personality awards.

Joe Calzaghe, quite rightly, took the top prize with Ricky Hatton in third after his gallant defeat against Floyd Mayweather just hours before. And Enzo Calzaghe, Joe's old man, even got in on the act when he was named coach of the year.

Ironic, then, that the Beeb's public voted in their numbers for a sport that has not been covered seriously by the corporation for nearly three years.

The last live fight broadcast on BBC 1 was in March 2005 when Sheffield's Clinton Woods won the IBF light-heavyweight crown against Rico Hoye.

That proved the final episode of a four-year project which had involved throwing vast sums of money at Audley Harrison in a delusional belief that he was as good as he claimed to be.

He wasn't and the Beeb were made to look very silly as they tried to flag up six-rounders against American no-hopers as if they were world title warm-ups.

So they pulled the plug, save for the amateur ABAs and week-old highlights of Calzaghe outclassing Mikkel Kessler. But let's hope that public demand will force a rethink.

The signs appear promising, with claims that Frank Warren is in talks with the BBC. There is a suggestion of a return to major Saturday fight nights to fit round Match of the Day - and it cannot come soon enough.

Talking of THE fight night of the year, I've been dining out this week on a tasty 11-1 bet on Mayweather winning with a late stoppage.

It was always only a matter of time before the Pretty Boy got Hatton's number and the second half of the fight showed just why they call it the "sweet science".

English brawn was picked apart by the scalpel-like precision of a man who reinforced his position as the number one name in the sport.

Mayweather should - and probably will - retire now with his legendary status untouched.

Meanwhile, Hatton has made predictable noises about a rematch but I cannot see him fighting above his natural light-welterweight again.

Trainer Billy Graham never wanted him to step up a division in the first place and there have been stories of discontent among the Hitman's camp during the Las Vegas build-up.

Hatton says there are still big fights out there for him if he drops back to 140lb. One, as we all know, clearly stands out.

So will he finally bite the bullet and grant Junior Witter his wish? I wouldn't bet on it.

  • Start or join a debate on this issue in our on-line forum - Click here