Boxing News: "I want Calzaghe" - Hopkins

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Bernard Hopkins has set his sights on a showdown with WBO super middleweight champion Joe Calzaghe after defeating Winky Wright in Las Vegas.
42-year-old Hopkins retained his IBO light heavyweight title by a unanimous decision at the Mandalay Bay and then threw out a challenge to 168 pounds champion Calzaghe, who meets Mikkel Kessler in Wales on November 3 to unify the division.

Hopkins (48-4-1, 32 KOs) has won his last two fights at this weight after inflicting a first defeat since December 1999 on Wright and winning a decision against Antonio Tarver in June 2006.

Judges Dave Moretti and Glenn Trowbridge scored the fight, 117-111, while judge Glenn Hamada had it 116-112 for the winner.

A headbutt by Hopkins in the third round left a significant cut over the left eye of Wright, whose wound began to bleed at a significant rate. And afterwards Wright accused his opponent of dirty tactics.

The referee briefly stopped the match and warned Hopkins as Wright was treated by the ringside doctor. Hopkins, however, insisted the incident was an accident.

Hopkins was to earn three million US dollars for this fight.

So what next? Will he move back down a weight? I don't think Calzage will move up. This should be interesting. It's good to see Hopkins still has some fight in him and is going after quality opposition.

Boxing: Fight News - Winky Wright Vs Bernard Hopkins

Winky Wright Vs Bernard Hopkins meet in Las Vegas on Saturday night. The Mandalay Bay hosts a fight between the finest boxing technicians of their generation.

Winky won the WBO light-middleweight title in 1996 and began his rise to world prominence, which culminated in victories over Shane Mosley in 2004 and Felix Trinidad in 2005.

Hopkins, seven years Wright's senior, boasted a record-breaking stint as middleweight world champion before being controversially beaten by rising star Jermain Taylor.

However, he recovered in style last year to beat former light-heavyweight world champion (and Rocky Balboa movie star) Antonio Tarver despite a jump of two weight divisions.

Wright, for so long a 154lb fighter, is making an even bigger jump to take on Hopkins at a 170lb catch-weight. This fight is the latest in a growing, welcome trend whereby top fighters shun 'alphabet' titles and opt to make meaningful fights against top opponents.

Winky is the favorite here, but this should be a great battle with the bigger man Hopkins eager to prove his legacy.