BBC Sportboxing

Hopkins and Calzaghe came face-to-face at the Hatton-Mayweather weigh-in and the sparks flew, as Calzaghe had intended.

Hopkins, nicknamed "The Executioner", told Calzaghe he would "never lose to a white person", before Calzaghe shot back, "he will not beat me throwing 12 punches a round".

Hopkins was a former undisputed middleweight champion, had made 20 defences stretching back to 1995 and had won 48 of 53 fights.