LAS VEGAS, NEV. (March 21, 2008) – JOE CALZAGHE, boxing’s current longest-reigning world champion, turns 36 on Sunday, but inasmuch as he is in the midst of training for his challenge of light heavyweight champion Bernard Hopkins, he has decided to postpone the formal celebration until April 19, in the Planet Hollywood Ring in Las Vegas. “I’m going to get myself a dog. A St. Bernard to be exact,” said Calzaghe. “And on April 19, I’m going to muzzle that St. Bernard and train him to obey all my commands. Every time I tell him to lay down, he’s going to lay down. I guarantee you that dog will be leaving the ring with his tail between his legs. I’m going to prove, once and for all, Bernard Hopkins is all bark and no bite!.”
Hopkins vs. Calzaghe “Battle of the Planet,” is presented by Golden Boy Promotions, Frank Warren’s Sports Network and the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. The 12-round light heavyweight championship fight will air live from the Planet Hollywood Ring on HBO’s World Championship Boxing, beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET / 6:45 p.m. PT.
Remaining tickets, priced at $1500, $1200, $750, $450, $350 and $250, may be purchased by calling 866-USFIGHT or online at www.planenthollywood.com.
One of the greatest middleweights of all-time, Bernard “The Executioner” Hopkins (48-4-1, 32 KOs), owned the middleweight title for over ten years before moving up to the light heavyweight division in 2006, and immediately won The Ring Magazine World Championship with a dominating 12-round decision victory over Antonio Tarver. In his last fight, on July 21, 2007, Hopkins continued his amazing run at the age of 42, outpointing Winky Wright. Now it’s on to Calzaghe. Hopkins is trained by two-time “Trainer of the Year,” Freddie Roach.
Unquestionably one of the greatest super middleweights in boxing history and currently The Ring Magazine Super Middleweight World Champion, Newbridge, Wales’ Joe Calzaghe (44-0, 32 KOs), has never tasted defeat in his pro career and has held the world super middleweight title since he defeated Chris Eubank in 1997 for the World Boxing Organization Championship. Twenty-one consecutive title defenses followed that victory — fourth-best on boxing’s all-time list — and after big wins over undefeated champions Jeff Lacy in 2006 and Mikkel Kessler in 2007 in which he added the International Boxing Federation (IBF), World Boxing Association (WBA) and World Boxing Council (WBC) championship belts to his collection, he now seeks a bigger challenge at 175 pounds where Hopkins awaits. He is trained by his father, Enzo Calzaghe, who was selected “Trainer of the Year” for 2007 by the Boxing Writers Association of America and The Ring magazine