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Calzaghe wins Sugar Ray's seal of approval

16/10/2006

Boxing legend Sugar Ray Leonard believes Joe Calzaghe can establish himself as one of the sport's all-time greats after seeing the Welsh super-middleweight champion make a 19th successive title defence on Saturday.

Calzaghe, 34, had to dig deep to beat Australian-based challenger Sakio Bika at Manchester's MEN Arena via a unanimous points decision and he is now just six defences away from heavyweight great Joe Louis' all-time record.

Leonard, who was a dominant force during the 70s and 80s, is adamant that Calzaghe should take on former undisputed world middleweight champion Bernard Hopkins if he is to finally win over the American audience.

Earlier this year Hopkins, 41, defied his age and the bookies to destroy Antonio Tarver to claim the IBO light-heavyweight title and Leonard admitted: "It would be great for Joe to beat Hopkins and hit that kind of global acceptance."

Commenting on himself possibly facing a man dubbed 'The Executioner', Calzaghe added: "Hopkins would be the number-one choice because of what he did to Tarver. It would be good to fight a top-line American in America."

However, a more likely bout for Calzaghe could be a unification match-up against rival world champion Mikkel Kessler, who currently holds the WBC and WBA versions of the 12 stone belts.

Promoter Frank Warren is said to be in talks with the German's camp and Calzaghe added: "He holds two belts and I hold two belts so that's a fight I'm definitely interested in."

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