Undefeated super middleweight champion Joe Calzaghe and Philadelphia native Bernard Hopkins met today in London to confirm their light heavyweight bout scheduled for April 19 at the Planet Hollywood Ring in Las Vegas.
Calzaghe, a 35-year-old from Wales, will be making his United States debut. He owns a record of 44-0 with 32 knockouts.
Calzaghe unified the super middleweight titles in his last fight, taking a unanimous decision from Denmark's Mikkel Kessler last November in Cardiff. He added the WBA and WBC crowns to his own WBO belt.
"This will be Bernard's last fight -- I am going to be a legend after this fight. I’m going over there to win and you will see an awesome performance," said Calzaghe at today’s press conference.
"I’ve trained like a challenger every single fight, that’s why I have been a champion for ten years. I’ll be in the best shape, enough to do 15, 20 rounds. You haven't seen Hopkins flat out on his back yet -- you will in the PH Ring on April 19."
Hopkins, a former undisputed middleweight champion, has won his first two bouts in the light heavyweight division after a pair of 2005 losses to JermainTaylor at 160 pounds. He beat Antonio Tarver in June 2006 and earned a unanimous decision over Winky Wright last July.
"I respect what Joe Calzaghe has accomplished in this game over the years, but he will be stepping into a different realm on April 19th," Hopkins said today in London. "All Joe's other American opponents had to go to Wales or England -- let's see how Joe performs in the United States -- the USA is the stamp of approval. There’s old Poppy Hopkins standing at the gate of America waiting for Joe to bring the key to try and open the door."
The 43-year-old Hopkins has a record of 48-4-1 with 32 knockouts.
Calzaghe, a 35-year-old from Wales, will be making his United States debut. He owns a record of 44-0 with 32 knockouts.
Calzaghe unified the super middleweight titles in his last fight, taking a unanimous decision from Denmark's Mikkel Kessler last November in Cardiff. He added the WBA and WBC crowns to his own WBO belt.
"This will be Bernard's last fight -- I am going to be a legend after this fight. I’m going over there to win and you will see an awesome performance," said Calzaghe at today’s press conference.
"I’ve trained like a challenger every single fight, that’s why I have been a champion for ten years. I’ll be in the best shape, enough to do 15, 20 rounds. You haven't seen Hopkins flat out on his back yet -- you will in the PH Ring on April 19."
Hopkins, a former undisputed middleweight champion, has won his first two bouts in the light heavyweight division after a pair of 2005 losses to JermainTaylor at 160 pounds. He beat Antonio Tarver in June 2006 and earned a unanimous decision over Winky Wright last July.
"I respect what Joe Calzaghe has accomplished in this game over the years, but he will be stepping into a different realm on April 19th," Hopkins said today in London. "All Joe's other American opponents had to go to Wales or England -- let's see how Joe performs in the United States -- the USA is the stamp of approval. There’s old Poppy Hopkins standing at the gate of America waiting for Joe to bring the key to try and open the door."
The 43-year-old Hopkins has a record of 48-4-1 with 32 knockouts.
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