Calzaghe: "Forget Maskaev, Hopkins Fight Me"

By Mark Vester

Super Middleweight champion Joe Calzaghe would like Bernard Hopkins to forget about coming out of retirement for a move to the heavyweight division in order to face WBC champion Oleg Maskaev. Calzaghe said that if Hopkins decides to come out of retirement, he thinks Hopkins should face him, and he is willing to fly across the ocean to make the fight happen.

"I'd love to fight in America, but if it's right. If it's right for me and I get the right opponent. Ideally I would love to fight Bernard Hopkins - he's a true champion. If that was to happen, I would go to America," Calzaghe said.

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Saturday | Jan 31, 2026

Hopkins was last seen winning a one-sided decision over light heavyweight champion Antonio Tarver in June. There is no guarantee that Hopkins would be able to make the super middleweight limit of 168 pounds, but for a chance at Hopkins, Calzaghe would certainly be willing to move up in weight to make the fight happen.

Shakur vs Teofimo, Why Winning as the Underdog Is a BIG Deal Paulie & Algieri Break Down BIG FIGHT

In this episode, Paulie Malignaggi and Chris Algieri break down why winning as the underdog in a fight like this is such a big deal — not just for rankings, but for momentum, perception, and long-term stardom.

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