It was ‘spot the celebrity’ on Saturday night as the stars came out for Joe Calzaghe and Bernard Hopkins as they battled for the Light Heavyweight Championship at the Thomas and Mack Centre in Las Vegas.

Both men fly out of their corners for the first round but after only one minute - Hopkins lands a left followed by a right punch straight through the middle, landing hard on the nose of Calzaghe and the Welsh man goes down to the canvas - for only the third time in his career.

“Super, Super Joe…..Super Joe Calzaghe…” the British fans sing. There’s a cut on the bridge of Calzaghe’s nose as he returns to his corner at the end of the first frame.

Mid-way through round two and a swinging left from Calzaghe, its impact can be heard clearly, lands on the face of Hopkins but the veteran doesn’t flinch from it! Seconds later and another solid right hand from Hopkins lands on the face of Calzaghe. More…

© Tom Hogan / Golden Boy Promotions

Like all fights of latter period Bernard Hopkins, last night’s greatly anticipated showdown with Joe Calzaghe at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas was an ugly, untoward bout that proved difficult to score and generated a great deal of controversy as to who actually won.

Hopkins jumped out to an early lead on the strength of his patented leaping right hand lead, which he throws with perfect timing particularly against southpaws, which had Calzaghe on the seat of his pants in round one.

Calzaghe wasn’t hurt and carried on but was clearly troubled by the type of spoiler tactics that have greatly lengthened the career of wily veteran Hopkins, who continued to slug and hold the visiting Welshman to build a commanding edge in the first half of the bout. More…

© Tom Hogan / Golden Boy Promotions

Despite the fact that Bernard Hopkins fights in an unorthodox style, known to lead with head followed by a punch, Joe Calzaghe has full confidence that referee Joe Cortez will keep things Kosher when they meet tomorrow night in The Planet Hollywood Ring at Thomas and Mack Center in a battle of Ring Magazine champions for Hopkins’ light heavyweight title. More…

© Tom Hogan/Golden Boy Promotions

Finally, it’s upon us.

A fight that has been years, not months, in the making finally takes places this Saturday at the Thomas and Mack Centre in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Its a fight at light heavyweight between two men with a combined 41 successful defences of their world titles.

Welshman Joe Calzaghe will be attempting to stop a disappointing run of results in Camp Calzaghe. After world title defeats for stablemates Gavin Rees and Enzo Maccarinelli, the undefeated World Super Middleweight Champion will be desperate not to make it third time unlucky.

Bernard Hopkins stands between Joe and a place in boxing history. A pro now for 20 years, Hopkins won the middleweight title at the third attempt, stopping Segundo Mercardo in seven back in 1995, having lost and drawn previous title attempts. More…

© Tom Hogan/Golden Boy Promotions

Joe Calzaghe’s trainer, Enzo Calzaghe:

“I can tell you right now, Bernard Hopkins will look for a disqualification rather than lose to Joe. If Hopkins’ is such a legend, he needs to prove it. He needs to fight like a man not foul like a coward.” More…

© Tom Hogan/Golden Boy Promotions

Joe Calzaghe:
“It’s my 11th year as world champion and I finally have arrived in America. Bernard was champion for nearly 11 years. I’m tremendously confident for this fight. More…

Boxing fans with broadband access can log on to hbo.com/boxing to view live streaming of the Bernard Hopkins – Joe Calzaghe mega-fight weigh-in This Friday! April 18, at 5:30 p.m. ET/ 2:30 p.m. PT. The two accomplished superstars are facing off in the light heavyweight division in one of the year’s most intriguing showdowns.

The live fight takes place on Saturday, April 19 from the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas and will be seen live on HBO at 9:45 p.m. ET/ 6:45 p.m. PT. More…

© Planet Hollywood by Denise Truscello

Joe Calzaghe, boxing’s current longest-reigning world champion, greeted hundreds of fans and media at his grand arrival at Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas today.

Calzaghe, 44-0 (32), from Newbridge, Wales, the super middleweight?champion since October 11, 1997, has successfully defended his title a division-record 21 consecutive times, fourth-best on boxing’s all time list. More…

Boxing’s quickest and deadliest gunslinger, Joe Calzaghe, is not only boxing’s current longest-reigning world champion, he is also the only active fighter in the top-five of boxing’s all-time list for consecutive successful title defenses. There isn’t a professional fighter — dead or alive — that has ever left the ring from a Joe Calzaghe showdown with anything but a loss, dating back to his pro debut in 1993, 44 bouts ago.

“Hopkins fancies himself “The Executioner” but he will be the one walking the “last mile” when he leaves his dressing room to enter the Planet Hollywood Ring with me on April 19,” said Calzaghe, after his public workout at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino this week. More…

Click for larger image © Hogan Photos

Ring Magazine light heavyweight champion Bernard Hopkins opened the doors of his training camp in Pasadena, California today and showed the media a sample of his rigorous training schedule. Hopkins, who did a full workout, was in a terrific mood and had this to say to the members of the press assembled ringside. More…

Multi-award winning artist Richard T. Slone has completed his latest painting, a pre-fight action painting of boxing champion Bernard Hopkins going toe to toe with unbeaten champion Joe Calzaghe. The two square off later this month in Las Vegas. More…

Fred Sternburg: On behalf of Golden Boy Promotions, Frank Warren, (Sports Network), and Planet Hollywood resort and casino, we’d like to welcome you to Joe Calzaghe’s Media Conference Call.

Joe’s just finishing up his last week of training in Wales before he comes over to the states and does his last two weeks of preparation for a fight that everybody has been anticipating for many, many months and appropriately it’s called Hopkins versus Calzaghe, battle of the planet. More…

© Jane Warburton / Saddo Boxing

On Saturday night at the International Arena, in Cardiff, Wales, Joe Calzaghe told Setanta reporters that he was “very excited about the fight [against Hopkins]…I’m really looking forward to it.

“I have to go over there and decisively beat him - I have to make sure it’s not a close fight and I honestly believe that I will dominate over Bernard Hopkins and that’s my plan. More…