Calzaghe: "my next opponent will be Mikkel Kessler".

From: http://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/sport/general/display.var.1491287.0.im_no_stayathome_fighter.php IT NOW seems almost certain that my next opponent will be Mikkel Kessler, the WBA and WBC super middleweight champion. The fight is one that excites me tremendously, Kessler has a faultless 39-0 record and I am unbeaten in 43 professional bouts, so something will have to give. I understand from my promoter Frank Warren that negotiations are at an advanced stage to get the fight on, though when and where the fight will be are two questions I can't answer this week. advertisement My preference would be to fight in September, but I understand Kessler's camp want the fight for November and if I have to wait, I will. Looking on the positive side, the longer we wait until the fight, the better my hand will be after I broke it in April - more on this later. The bigger issue is the venue for the fight. I have read plenty of speculation on this and would like to set the record straight. Many times in my career I have been referred to as a stay at home fighter, a champion unwilling to be the guy being booed in someone else's backyard. This is complete and utter nonsense. In the past I have beaten Richie Woodhall and Mario Veit in their hometowns with the crowd desperate to see me lose and it didn't bother me a jot. If the fight is made for Cardiff at the Millennium Stadium, then of course that is great for me. I would imagine even more people will attend than the 35,000 who saw me batter Peter Manfredo, this is a super fight on a grand scale and having partisan support would be one of the highlights of my career. However, if I get a call from Frank Warren in the next couple of days telling me we are going to Denmark, I will tell him I am more than ready. A lot of boxing is politics and money is a huge factor, I am not going to pretend it isn't. If the money is right for me to go to Copenhagen or wherever else, I will happily do it. Fighting in Cardiff with a home support would be a huge bonus, but equally I will feed off the boos and jeers if I go to Denmark. Once you get in the ring it is just you and the guy you are fighting, nothing else matters. This is a fight I am desperate for, it will be one of the biggest of the year, it is so rare two undefeated world champions face one another. I really hoped to fight American Jermain Taylor a while ago, but when he started saying he wanted $10 million despite not impressing in his previous two fights, I knew he didn't want to face me. Talk of that fight died a death despite Frank Warren and I going to America to try and get it on. It's a shame, but I feel the fight with Kessler will be a better spectacle anyway as Taylor is a negative kind of fighter, albeit with a great record and reputation. Good news is that my hand - broken on Peter Manfredo's head - has healed nicely and I am almost at 100%. I am back in training as I don't enjoy sitting on my backside for too long and I have been able to do some light sparring with Enzo Maccarinelli. The injury could've been a lot more serious and I am pleased it is no longer any sort of concern. ------- Looking forward to it.