Hopkins-Calzaghe fight set
World super middleweight champion Joe Calzaghe will make his long-awaited U.S. debut against Bernard Hopkins on April 19 at the Thomas & Mack Center.
Thomas & Mack director Daren Libonati confirmed the date and site. An official announcement is expected to be made today in London.
Calzaghe (44-0, 32 knockouts), a 35-year-old from Wales, will move up to light heavyweight to face Hopkins (48-4, 32 KOs), who last fought July 21 when he defeated Winky Wright at Mandalay Bay. Hopkins' Ring Magazine light heavyweight title will be on the line.
Calzaghe last fought Nov. 3 when he took a 12-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Mikkel Kessler.
Calzaghe has held the WBO super middleweight title for more than 10 years with 21 successful defenses, the longest reign of any fighter in history. But he has fought outside of the United Kingdom only three times and always has wanted a high-profile fight in the United States.
In Hopkins, he has the big-name opponent he coveted.
The two have been engaging in a war of words for a couple of months, and they nearly came to blows in the media center and later at the Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Ricky Hatton weigh-in at the MGM Grand on Dec. 7.
Hopkins, a 43-year-old from Philadelphia, was fined a record $200,000 by the Nevada Athletic Commission for starting a melee at the weigh-in for the Wright fight.
Hopkins-Calzaghe will be televised on HBO, not on pay per view as was originally planned.
Golden Boy Promotions will promote the fight in conjunction with veteran British promoter Frank Warren.
Tickets will go on sale Feb. 6 at the Thomas & Mack box office, through Planet Hollywood's Web site and at UNLVTickets.com.
Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or (702) 387-2913.
