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Date set for Calzaghe v Hopkins
Bernard Hopkins taunted Joe Calzaghe in Las Vegas last month
Joe Calzaghe has confirmed that a date has been set for his light-heavyweight showdown with Bernard Hopkins.
Calzaghe says the pair will meet on 12 April with Las Vegas the likely venue.
"The talks with Golden Boy Promotions, Hopkins' representatives, are almost over and I've been told the fight's on 12 April," said Calzaghe.
The fight with Wales' undisputed super-middleweight champion Calzaghe is likely to be made at that 175lb, light-heavyweight limit.
Philadelphia's Hopkins, 42, is widely regarded as the best light-heavyweight in the world.
New York had been suggested as one possible stage, with Yankee Stadium or Madison Square Gardens mentioned.
But it is more likely that the extra glitz and capacity offered by the super-hotels and casinos of Las Vegas will provide the venue
"The venue is not set in stone but it does look like the fight will be in Las Vegas (rather than New York) and will be in one of the mega casinos," Calzaghe told the South Wales Argus.
"Two that I have heard mentioned in discussions are the MGM Grand, which staged Floyd Mayweather v Ricky Hatton and also the Mandalay Bay resort."
The pair squared up at the MGM Grand hotel in Vegas last month at the weigh-in for Ricky Hatton v Floyd Mayweather, sowing the seeds for another big British-US clash.
Pound-for-pound great Hopkins said he "would never let a white boy beat me" as he tried to taunt 10-year super-middleweight champion Calzaghe, who laughed off his boasts.
He said: "I went to Las Vegas to support my mate Ricky Hatton and when I met Hopkins he got in my face and taunted me, saying he'd "never lose to a white boy."
"Can you imagine if I had made comments like that?
"I don't think I would have won Sports Personality, that is for sure!"
BOXING'S 10-YEAR CHAMPIONS
Joe Louis, 1937-49
Archie Moore, 1952-62
Julio Cesar Chavez, 1984-94
Azumah Nelson, 1984-94
Ricardo Lopez, 1990-2001
Bernard Hopkins, 1995-2005
Joe Calzaghe, 1997-
Newbridge-born Calzaghe, 35, has long been after a 'super-fight' against former middleweight king Hopkins, and is now ready to fight in the States.
The Welshman has won all of his 44 fights, with 32 knock-outs, and in his last outing he beat Mikkel Kessler to add the WBC and WBA titles to his WBO belt.
Hopkins, known as 'The Executioner', has a record of 48 wins, four defeats and one draw, and is one of only seven men (including Calzaghe) to have held world titles for 10 years.
Bernard Hopkins taunted Joe Calzaghe in Las Vegas last month
Joe Calzaghe has confirmed that a date has been set for his light-heavyweight showdown with Bernard Hopkins.
Calzaghe says the pair will meet on 12 April with Las Vegas the likely venue.
"The talks with Golden Boy Promotions, Hopkins' representatives, are almost over and I've been told the fight's on 12 April," said Calzaghe.
The fight with Wales' undisputed super-middleweight champion Calzaghe is likely to be made at that 175lb, light-heavyweight limit.
Philadelphia's Hopkins, 42, is widely regarded as the best light-heavyweight in the world.
New York had been suggested as one possible stage, with Yankee Stadium or Madison Square Gardens mentioned.
But it is more likely that the extra glitz and capacity offered by the super-hotels and casinos of Las Vegas will provide the venue
"The venue is not set in stone but it does look like the fight will be in Las Vegas (rather than New York) and will be in one of the mega casinos," Calzaghe told the South Wales Argus.
"Two that I have heard mentioned in discussions are the MGM Grand, which staged Floyd Mayweather v Ricky Hatton and also the Mandalay Bay resort."
The pair squared up at the MGM Grand hotel in Vegas last month at the weigh-in for Ricky Hatton v Floyd Mayweather, sowing the seeds for another big British-US clash.
Pound-for-pound great Hopkins said he "would never let a white boy beat me" as he tried to taunt 10-year super-middleweight champion Calzaghe, who laughed off his boasts.
He said: "I went to Las Vegas to support my mate Ricky Hatton and when I met Hopkins he got in my face and taunted me, saying he'd "never lose to a white boy."
"Can you imagine if I had made comments like that?
"I don't think I would have won Sports Personality, that is for sure!"
BOXING'S 10-YEAR CHAMPIONS
Joe Louis, 1937-49
Archie Moore, 1952-62
Julio Cesar Chavez, 1984-94
Azumah Nelson, 1984-94
Ricardo Lopez, 1990-2001
Bernard Hopkins, 1995-2005
Joe Calzaghe, 1997-
Newbridge-born Calzaghe, 35, has long been after a 'super-fight' against former middleweight king Hopkins, and is now ready to fight in the States.
The Welshman has won all of his 44 fights, with 32 knock-outs, and in his last outing he beat Mikkel Kessler to add the WBC and WBA titles to his WBO belt.
Hopkins, known as 'The Executioner', has a record of 48 wins, four defeats and one draw, and is one of only seven men (including Calzaghe) to have held world titles for 10 years.
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