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Boxing

Hopkins-Calzaghe nearly agreed

05/01/2008

American star Bernard Hopkins expects a deal to fight supermiddleweight king Joe Calzaghe to be signed early next week.

Hopkins and Calzaghe have been embroiled in a war of words over past few months and the pair almost came to blows during the weigh-in for the Floyd Mayweather- Ricky Hatton fight.

"I got a letter from Arnold Joseph and Richard Schaefer [from Hopkins' promoter, Golden Boy Promotions] saying that we have an oral agreement. I could say oral agreements have stood up for the last five years of my career," said Hopkins.

"They expressed to me that we have a deal and I'm expecting an official confirmation no later than Monday.

"I was hoping to hear something yesterday or today, but I'm expecting things to be wrapped up by the middle of next week at the latest."

The 42-year-old revealed that Mandalay Bay or the MGM Grand in Las Vegas are the most likely destination with the fight taking place on either April 11th or 12th.

Calzaghe has been world champion at supermiddleweight for over a decade, but it is thought he will have to go up to lightheavyweight to face Hopkins, who himself has had only two fights at that weight.