Super middleweight king Joe Calzaghe says his broken hand means a September fight is more likely than July.

The WBO champion is waiting for an xray on the left hand he injured in beating Peter Manfredo Jr earlier this month.

"The doctor initially said the worst case scenario would see my career over, but it's a minor fracture at worst, it won't stop me," said Calzaghe, 35.

The Welshman says a September super fight against Jermain Taylor or Mikkel Kessler remains a strong possibility.


Arguments over dates, venues and money scuppered the chance of Calzaghe meeting one of those two in July, leaving the possibility of a bout with the WBO's mandatory challenger Denis Inkin.

"I don't need Inkin, I've only got two or three fights left and want to meet the best," said the Newbridge man, who holds a record of 43-0 (32 KOs) and is the longest reigning champion in the world.

Kessler and Taylor are two very good fighters, but the better the opponent, the better I perform

Joe Calzaghe

"I've been 10 years as champion. I want Kessler or Taylor and I'll beat them both.

"Kessler is another Jeff Lacy and I'll do to him what I did to Lacy.

"People think I am avoiding fighters but that's not true. I'll fight Kessler anywhere. At the end of the day, a ring is a ring and I'll beat him any place.

"Kessler and Taylor are two very good fighters, but the better the opponent, the better I perform.

"Sometimes you need a bit of fear and the realisation that if you don't perform to your best, then you could get beaten. They are the kind of fights I need to secure my legacy."


Kessler is a fighter who is made for Calzaghe

Promoter Frank Warren

Calzaghe's promoter Frank Warren and Kessler's handler Mogens Palle have been making offer and counter-offer through the press over the last two weeks, but could meet face to face next week.

Warren is due to fly to the States for talks with American television networks HBO and Showtime, and will try to thrash out a deal with Palle.

"We've been offered a Bernard Hopkins fight by HBO for January, but Joe wants to fight before then," said Warren.

"I offered Taylor good money [£2m] but he wanted a ridiculous amount [£5m], and I've asked HBO to try and get him to the table and see sense.

"As for Kessler, he is a fighter who is made for Calzaghe. He is upright, he likes to fight on the outside and I think that Calzaghe will do a job on him.

"Calzaghe is the guy they all have to beat, and I think he's the best British fighter I have ever worked with. I'm proud of everything he has acheived."


As far as I'm concerned, the Froch fight is now dead in the water

Promoter Frank Warren

Warren has also considered a bout with unbeaten British and Commonwealth super middleweight champion Carl Froch

"We made Froch an offer," said Warren. "I know what Calzaghe would do to Froch, it wouldn't even be a race.

"To cut a long story short, the fight didn't happen. It would have happened if someone [Froch] had believed he could do it.

"Calzaghe got much, much less when he stepped up to the plate and fought Chris Eubank all those years ago than we offered Froch.

"As far as I'm concerned, the Froch fight is now dead in the water."


http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/boxing/6592235.stm