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Last Updated: Friday, 10 June, 2005, 11:45 GMT 12:45 UK
Calzaghe keen on Hatton link-up
Joe Calzaghe would welcome heading a double-bill with Ricky Hatton
Welsh WBO super middleweight king Joe Calzaghe is excited by talk of a mega bill at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium that would include Ricky Hatton.

American Diego Corrales has challenged light welterweight champion Hatton to face him on the same card as Calzaghe's next fight with IBF holder Jeff Lacy.

"I'd love to be involved in that," Calzaghe told the South Wales Argus.

"It would be fantastic and it would arguably be the biggest night in British boxing history."

WBC and WBO lightweight holder Corrales - who would step up a weight to face IBF and WBU champ Hatton - has the same promoter, Gary Shaw, as Lacy.

Shaw has revealed he is already in talks to hold the super-fight in Cardiff in November, which could see 60,000 fans packed into the Millennium Stadium.

"Two British world title holders on the same bill, absolutely massive and a dream come true for me," Calzaghe said.

"I've always said it was my ambition to fight in front of a massive home crowd at the Millennium Stadium.

"There was some talk of a fight against Bernard Hopkins there a couple of years ago, but it never came off so I'll be hoping Frank Warren can make it happen.

"I thought Lacy would want to wait until the new year before facing me, but if this comes off in November it means my proposed warm-up fight in August/September would obviously be shelved."

Warren promotes both Calzaghe and Hatton and, like his counterpart Shaw, is affiliated with US pay-per-view network Showtime, removing any commercial stumbling block.

Hatton can take his pick of opponents after his sensational win over Kostya Tszyu last weekend.

The rest of the light welterweight division - including Miguel Cotto, Arturo Gatti, Vivian Harris and fellow Brit Junior Witter - are all keen to face Hatton, while former lightweight king Floyd Mayweather has also called him out.

Any of these opponents promises a mouth-watering match-up, while Lacy promises to provide Calzaghe with the quality opposition he has craved for so long.

But Lacy first faces a tricky test against Hatton's fellow Mancunian Robin Reid this summer.

"There is the small matter of Lacy disposing of Robin Reid first on 6 August and that is not a foregone conclusion because Reid can still be pretty useful," Calzaghe added.

Calzaghe and Hatton were due to fight on the same bill in June 2004, but the Welshman was forced to withdraw from his proposed light heavyweight debut against Glen Johnson because of injury.

The promotion had already been beset with problems on Hatton's side, as first negotiations with Sharmba Mitchell broke down, then opponent Antonio Mesquita pulled out.

However, the signs are now much more encouraging that things can go more smoothly this time around.




JOE CALZAGHE

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