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Hatton backs "complete package" Calzaghe to beat Hopkins

14/04/2008

Ricky Hatton has backed Joe Calzaghe to defeat Bernard Hopkins in Las Vegas this weekend.

Hatton, who was knocked out by Floyd Mayweather in December, told the BBC that he expected his fellow Brit to produce a different result against Hopkins on his debut fight in the US on Sunday.

"Joe can't do any wrong in my eyes - as a boxer he's the complete package," said Hatton.

"Whether the fight be in Wales or America, Joe is just the better man."

Calzaghe, 36, is undefeated in 44 fights and is having to step up to the light-heavyweight division to fight the 43 year-old Hopkins.

And former heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis has said that the fact the fight is the Welshman's debut in the US may become a factor.

"It is an advantage for Hopkins and an issue for Calzaghe because he has never travelled [to America] for a fight," Lewis said.

"Now he actually has to travel, get readjusted, stay for quite a while in a brand new environment. That has to have some kind of effect on you.

"All of a sudden the whole world is focused on you. You are not at home any more, your fans are travelling. Some boxers can adjust and some boxers can't, we are going to have to see whether he can make the adjustment or not."

The fight will be Calzaghe's first in Las Vegas, having fought the majority of his career fights in his native Wales, but he maintains watching Hatton's bout against Mayweather last year inspired him.

"Seeing Ricky getting thousands of fans on the other side of the world was incredible and gave me a real buzz," he said.

"I wanted to get a bit of that before I retired because it is the only thing missing from my record."

Calzaghe will take on Hopkins at the Thomas & Mack Centre during the early hours of Sunday morning.