By DHB (Oct 19, 2006) www.DoghouseBoxing.com


This past Saturday, super middleweight champion Joe Calzaghe after defeating Sakio Bika said a Hopkins bout is the one fight he wants most. In a recent interview conducted by popular Boxing Scribe Dan Rafael of ESPN.com, Hopkins made it clear he is not interested in Calzaghe, but instead is focused on fighting Heavyweight Champion, Oleg Maskaev. To face Maskaev, Hopkins is willing to come out of retirement.

Hopkins complimented Calzaghe, telling ESPN: "It's not that Calzaghe is not worthy of the fight. He is. He has become a
major player in boxing."

The dissing came however when Hopkins said fighting Calzaghe would be a step backwards and no satisfaction or gratification would come of it for Hopkins.

Hopkins further tells ESPN in regards to fighting Cazaghe: "But to me, it's going backwards. That's not a bigger fight than me beating the heavyweight champ of the world. I cannot get the satisfaction or gratification fighting Calzaghe. I would be the underdog against Maskaev, but not necessarily against Calzaghe. I just don't see that fight being as big as a Maskaev fight."

Source of Quotes: Dan Rafael, ESPN