By Mark Vester
Dan Birmingham, trainer of Winky Wright, told BBC Sport Wales that his fighter is more than willing to accept a fight with WBO/WBA/WBC super middleweight champion Joe Calzaghe in the first quarter of 2008.
In a recent interview, Calzaghe expressed his interest in defending his titles in the early part of 2008 to stay busy while waiting for a fight with light heavyweight champion Bernard Hopkins. Hopkins wants to return to the ring in either June or July, while Calzaghe wants to come back in March or April.
Calzaghe mentioned Wright as a possible opponent for the fight. According to Birmingham, Wright would have no problem with the date, or taking the fight in the UK.
"It could definitely be made and it would be a truly great match-up," Birmingham said. "It would be an honour and a pleasure for us to come over there and face Joe, who I consider one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world. It would have to be on the right terms and at the right weight. Winky was too heavy against Hopkins and it was an ugly fight."
Birmingham feels that Calzaghe would much match up better with Wright, making the bout a more exciting affair than the Hopkins snoozer.
"The two southpaws would match up well. Winky has really good hand speed and movement and a lot of experience. He only wants the big fights and there aren't many bigger than Calzaghe. Calzaghe is a master of distance and timing, with great speed, chin and heart. He doesn't look intimidating, but when he gets into the ring he always takes care of business. I have a lot of respect for him. Winky is used to fighting overseas, so coming to the UK would not be a problem. We know all about what Calzaghe can do, but he should be concerned about what Winky can do."
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