jimmy
04-17-2008, 01:09 AM
Calzaghe plots Hopkins KO23:40, Apr 16 2008
Joe Calzaghe came face to face with Bernard Hopkins in Las Vegas on Wednesday and vowed he would not be satisfied unless he handed the former middleweight great the first stoppage defeat of his career.
Calzaghe went nose-to-nose with his rival for the obligatory pre-fight photocall and is clearly oozing confidence ahead of a fight which could make him undisputed number one at two different weights.
The Welshman is determined to put on a show against Hopkins and insisted: "I don't just want to win this fight. That will not be good enough for me. I want to knock this guy out."
He added: "The extra seven pounds in weight has given me much more power. I used to throw 1,000 punches. I'm going to get it down to 500 but cause more damage to that face of his.
"If I fight my fight, he has got no chance. He wouldn't have had a chance 10 years ago. In my opinion, this will not be even be the hardest fight of my career."
Hopkins, who followed Calzaghe into the ring for a brief media workout, said one of his own motivations for this fight is to gain the acceptance of the Welshman's estimated 10,000 travelling fans.
And having witnessed at first hand the booing of the national anthems which blighted the final build-up to the Hatton-Mayweather clash, Hopkins clearly feels he has a point to prove.
Hopkins said: "The only difference he brings is the British crowd. I'm looking for them to motivate me just like Felix Trinidad's fans did in New York. After a while they got used to what they were seeing and were saying my name."
Of a possible repeat of the anthem situation, Hopkins continued: "I'm already motivated but it will be very disrespectful to make me put more punishment on him.
"It would add another log to the fire, but it won't get me to the point where anger could over-ride smartness. I will stick to the plan and to beat him easily will be the biggest revenge to make them apologise."
Joe Calzaghe came face to face with Bernard Hopkins in Las Vegas on Wednesday and vowed he would not be satisfied unless he handed the former middleweight great the first stoppage defeat of his career.
Calzaghe went nose-to-nose with his rival for the obligatory pre-fight photocall and is clearly oozing confidence ahead of a fight which could make him undisputed number one at two different weights.
The Welshman is determined to put on a show against Hopkins and insisted: "I don't just want to win this fight. That will not be good enough for me. I want to knock this guy out."
He added: "The extra seven pounds in weight has given me much more power. I used to throw 1,000 punches. I'm going to get it down to 500 but cause more damage to that face of his.
"If I fight my fight, he has got no chance. He wouldn't have had a chance 10 years ago. In my opinion, this will not be even be the hardest fight of my career."
Hopkins, who followed Calzaghe into the ring for a brief media workout, said one of his own motivations for this fight is to gain the acceptance of the Welshman's estimated 10,000 travelling fans.
And having witnessed at first hand the booing of the national anthems which blighted the final build-up to the Hatton-Mayweather clash, Hopkins clearly feels he has a point to prove.
Hopkins said: "The only difference he brings is the British crowd. I'm looking for them to motivate me just like Felix Trinidad's fans did in New York. After a while they got used to what they were seeing and were saying my name."
Of a possible repeat of the anthem situation, Hopkins continued: "I'm already motivated but it will be very disrespectful to make me put more punishment on him.
"It would add another log to the fire, but it won't get me to the point where anger could over-ride smartness. I will stick to the plan and to beat him easily will be the biggest revenge to make them apologise."