Calzaghe readies for Hopkins battle

BEIJING, April 17 -- Joe Calzaghe said he would show America what he was made of when he makes his Las Vegas debut on Saturday against light-heavyweight champion Bernard Hopkins.

"It's the icing on the cake," the 36-year-old undisputed world super-middleweight champion said on Tuesday ahead of the headline bout at the Thomas and Mack Arena.

"I'm proving to everybody what I'm all about. I'm a champion, a winner. My career's coming to an end, and when I go out, I want to go out with a bang. I don't want it to fizzle out, I want to fight the best," added the Briton.

Hopkins, with a record of 48-4-1 with 32 KOs, fits that description.

The 43-year-old Philadelphian won the IBF middleweight title in 1995 and made 20 successful defenses, including victories over Felix Trinidad and Oscar De La Hoya, before losing two close decisions to Jermain Taylor.

He moved up to light-heavyweight in 2006, and defeated Antonio Tarver to become champion at a second weight.

Calzaghe said he was not impressed by his opponent or his record, however.

"I've fought better fighters," he declared, citing Denmark's Mikkel Kessler, whom he outpointed in his last fight in November to add the WBA and WBC super middleweight titles to the WBO belt he won in 1997.

Calzaghe, 44-0 (32 KOs) acknowledged that he faces a difficult task on Saturday.

"I'm fighting in Vegas, with an American referee, American judges, outside my comfort zone, my first fight at light heavyweight, and my first fight away, so all those things in combination makes this a difficult fight," he said.

"I'm not going to deny that."

He said he was happy with the choice of referee, Joe Cortez, who was also the third man in the ring during compatriot Ricky Hatton's unsuccessful challenge of Floyd Mayweather last December.

"It's a good omen. Joe Cortez refereed my first world title fight against Chris Eubank (when he won the WBO belt in October 1997), so I have fond memories of Joe."

As he prepared to stage a final public workout in front of some 400 mostly British fans at the Planet Hollywood Casino in Las Vegas on Tuesday, Calzaghe reflected on the long path he has traveled.

"Everything in my career has been very hard, with injuries and so on. I've had nothing on a silver plate. I've had to work very hard since the amateur days. I've had to fight for everything I've got."

(Source: Shanghai Daily/Agencies)