By Mark Vester
WBC/WBA/WBO super middleweight champion Joe Calzaghe (44-0, 32 KOs) is beating the drums for a fight with recognized light heavyweight champion Bernard Hopkins (48-4-1, 32 KOs). Calzaghe and his promoter Frank Warren, said they are willing to make the fight in America or even Hopkins' backyard of Philadelphia - if the money is right.
Hopkins told boxing scribe Dan Rafael that he is very interested in answering the challenge and making the fight in America, but has no interest in fighting Calzaghe in Wales, which could become the big stumbling block.
"That's impossible. It won't happen because I don't have to go there," said Hopkins. "He said he would fight me anywhere. I have no interest in going there. Why do I have to go? He has to bring his butt here to fight the living legend Bernard Hopkins. We know he can do well in Britain, but step out of your neighborhood."
Hopkins said that Calzaghe's best weapon is the high volume of punches he throws per fight. Calzaghe threw over 1,000 punches in his unification win over Mikkel Kessler last Saturday in Cardiff, Wales. Many experts have knocked the record of Calzaghe, but not Hopkins. He respects Calzaghe's 21-defense record because he's been there and done that. Hopkins defended the middleweight title 20 times before losing via split-decision to Jermain Taylor in 2005.
"Do I feel I can give him his first loss? Yes. Can I neutralize the best weapon my opponent has and use it against him? Yes. His best weapon is that he throws a lot of punches. I know how to adjust to any style out there," Hopkins said. "He's made 21 title defenses, and I don't care if it was against 21 Charlie Browns or Donald Ducks. I'd be a fool to not respect a guy who made all those defenses. I know what he had to do within himself to get up for those fights."
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