After Bernard Hopkins retained the light heavyweight world title against Winky Wright last Saturday night, he called out super middleweight champion Joe Calzaghe.
Hopkins suggested that Calzaghe leave Wales and come to the United States to challenge for his title at Yankee Stadium.
"I want [super middleweight champion] Joe Calzaghe next," Hopkins said. "Tell him to come on over here [from Wales] and we'll fight. I'll beat him, too, and then he won't be undefeated."
Nice idea, but Calzaghe has other business to attend to, namely a highly significant Nov. 3 showdown with fellow 168-pound champ Mikkel Kessler at Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.
Besides, Calzaghe said Hopkins previously has had his chance to make a fight with him and passed it up.
"Hopkins can just get in the line and wait for me because of all the messing around he has caused me," Calzaghe said. "I was all set to fight him a couple of years ago, and he doubled his financial demands after at first agreeing to the fight. If he was really that keen to fight me, he would have signed up there and then but he got cold feet and then tried to save face.
"It's convenient to call someone out when they already have a fight lined up, but right now I'm focusing on a real fight against Kessler. Once that is done I will look at Ol' Popkins, but judging by his performance against Wright there isn't much competition there for me anyway."
Calzaghe also questioned why he should have to come to the United States to fight Hopkins when his drawing power in the United Kingdom is far greater than Hopkins' is here.
For example, Calzaghe drew about 35,000 to Millennium Stadium for his April fight against Peter Manfredo Jr. and his fight with Kessler is expected to draw at least 60,000. Hopkins, however, drew just 8,626 -- far from a sellout -- to Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas for his fight with Wright.
"Why go to America and fight in front of a half empty arena? There's no atmosphere there," Calzaghe said. "Hopkins and Wright are supposed to be two of the top pound-for-pound fighters yet their fight didn't even sell out the Mandalay Bay. It drew something like 9,000 people and the majority of [tickets were] given away by the hotel and casinos. My fight with Kessler is on course to sell 60,000 tickets and my last fight against Peter Manfredo drew 35,000. Mind you, my fight against Kessler will be a real fight unlike the dancing and holding that the pair of them did. Hopkins is just a name that would look good on my record if we fought now.
"The Americans go on about me not fighting in the States but they have never questioned why Hopkins or Roy Jones have never left the comfort of their own backyard. Why should I go to America when if we do the fight in the UK we can make far more money in front of a bigger crowd? But I'm willing to go to the States if that is where the best deal is. I've defended my title in Denmark and Germany."