Mr.Freeze
09-02-2008, 04:13 PM
Bernard Hopkins and Joe Calzaghe,
fighters with a combined 43 wins in world championship bouts met Thursday in London to confirm that on Saturday, April 19, in the Planet
Hollywood (PH) Ring in Las Vegas, Nevada, in a rare contest between linear champions, light heavyweight champion Hopkins will defend his
title against Calzaghe, the undisputed super middleweight champion, in a 12-round bout for Hopkins’ Ring Magazine Light Heavyweight World Championship to determine the true premier champion of this era.
Tickets for this epic battle go on sale today.
Hopkins vs. Calzaghe “Battle of the Planet” is presented by Golden Boy Promotions, Frank Warren’s Sports Network and Planet Hollywood
Resort & Casino and will take place in the PH Ring at the Thomas & Mack Center on Saturday, April 19. Tickets, priced at $1500, $1200,
$450, $350 and $250, are on sale and may be purchased by calling 866-USFIGHT or online at planethollywood.com. The match-up will air
live on HBO’s World Championship Boxing beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET / 6:45 p.m. PT.
“I respect what Joe Calzaghe has accomplished in this game over the years, but he will be stepping into a different realm on April 19th,” said Hopkins today in London. “All Joe’s other American opponents had to go to Wales or England—let’s see how Joe performs in the United States—the USA is the stamp of approval. There’s old Poppy Hopkins standing at the gate of America waiting for Joe to bring the
key to try and open the door.”
“This will be Bernard’s last fight—I am going to be a legend after this fight. I’m going over there to win and you will see an awesome
performance,” said Calzaghe at today’s press conference in London.
“I’ve trained like a challenger every single fight, that’s why I have been a champion for ten years. I’ll be in the best shape, enough to
do 15, 20 rounds. You haven't seen Hopkins flat out on his back yet—you will in the PH Ring on April 19.”
“This is a match we’ve all been waiting years to see, and finally, the time is right for Hopkins and Calzaghe to meet,” said Oscar de la Hoya, President of Golden Boy Promotions. “Hopkins holds the record for most middleweight title defenses and Calzaghe holds the record
for most defenses at super middleweight and no one today comes close to either of them when it comes to longevity at the elite level.
This is the only logical Super Fight for both of them and fans are going to love this match-up.”
“Joe Calzaghe has conquered every obstacle put in front of him over the last 14 years and with no more challenges left for him at super
middleweight this was the only fight he wanted,” said Frank Warren of Sports Network. “I’m pleased that we were able to work together with Golden Boy Promotions to bring this mega-fight to boxing fans and to see once and for all who the better fighter is - Hopkins or
Calzaghe.”
fighters with a combined 43 wins in world championship bouts met Thursday in London to confirm that on Saturday, April 19, in the Planet
Hollywood (PH) Ring in Las Vegas, Nevada, in a rare contest between linear champions, light heavyweight champion Hopkins will defend his
title against Calzaghe, the undisputed super middleweight champion, in a 12-round bout for Hopkins’ Ring Magazine Light Heavyweight World Championship to determine the true premier champion of this era.
Tickets for this epic battle go on sale today.
Hopkins vs. Calzaghe “Battle of the Planet” is presented by Golden Boy Promotions, Frank Warren’s Sports Network and Planet Hollywood
Resort & Casino and will take place in the PH Ring at the Thomas & Mack Center on Saturday, April 19. Tickets, priced at $1500, $1200,
$450, $350 and $250, are on sale and may be purchased by calling 866-USFIGHT or online at planethollywood.com. The match-up will air
live on HBO’s World Championship Boxing beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET / 6:45 p.m. PT.
“I respect what Joe Calzaghe has accomplished in this game over the years, but he will be stepping into a different realm on April 19th,” said Hopkins today in London. “All Joe’s other American opponents had to go to Wales or England—let’s see how Joe performs in the United States—the USA is the stamp of approval. There’s old Poppy Hopkins standing at the gate of America waiting for Joe to bring the
key to try and open the door.”
“This will be Bernard’s last fight—I am going to be a legend after this fight. I’m going over there to win and you will see an awesome
performance,” said Calzaghe at today’s press conference in London.
“I’ve trained like a challenger every single fight, that’s why I have been a champion for ten years. I’ll be in the best shape, enough to
do 15, 20 rounds. You haven't seen Hopkins flat out on his back yet—you will in the PH Ring on April 19.”
“This is a match we’ve all been waiting years to see, and finally, the time is right for Hopkins and Calzaghe to meet,” said Oscar de la Hoya, President of Golden Boy Promotions. “Hopkins holds the record for most middleweight title defenses and Calzaghe holds the record
for most defenses at super middleweight and no one today comes close to either of them when it comes to longevity at the elite level.
This is the only logical Super Fight for both of them and fans are going to love this match-up.”
“Joe Calzaghe has conquered every obstacle put in front of him over the last 14 years and with no more challenges left for him at super
middleweight this was the only fight he wanted,” said Frank Warren of Sports Network. “I’m pleased that we were able to work together with Golden Boy Promotions to bring this mega-fight to boxing fans and to see once and for all who the better fighter is - Hopkins or
Calzaghe.”