After being voted BBC Sports Personality of the Year and unifying the super-middleweight division, Joe Calzaghe’s year could get even better as hopes rise that he can finally nail down a fight against Bernard Hopkins.

Frank Warren and Golden Boy Promotions, Hopkins handlers, are in on-going talks about staging the fight in 2008.

It would give Calzaghe the opportunity to avenge Ricky Hatton’s defeat at the weekend - against Floyd Mayweather - in a second great battle between Britain and America.

And if he defeated Hopkins, it would confirm his legacy as one of the greatest fighters of all time.

Calzaghe was in Las Vegas over the weekend to support Hatton, and became involved in a slanging match with the former middleweight king and current light-heavyweight number one at the MGM Grand.

But if Warren has his way, Calzaghe and Hopkins will get it on for real next year.

“Both boxers want the fight, I want the fight, the fans want the fight and HBO want the fight, so there’s no reason for it not to happen.” Said Warren. “Joe is flying back this week and I’ll be sitting down with him to discuss things, and we’ll move on from there.”

Calzaghe added: “Coming face to face with Hopkins over the weekend made me want the fight even more. He can talk a good fight but he can’t beat me. I’ll go to America and take the fight, no problem at all. Bernard’s a great fighter, but he’s not as good as me.

“2007 has been a fantastic year for me, what with beating Kessler and then winning the BBC award on Sunday night. I’ve got my fingers crossed that 2008 will be even better, with a fight against Hopkins, and a win that will finally show everyone in America that I deserve all the praise I get.”

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