Calzaghe says making 168lbs is increasingly difficult

"I've always done my own dieting but an expert knows more about supplements and vitamins," said Calzaghe in his column for the South Wales Argus.

"As you get older it doesn't get any easier to shed the weight so it made sense and it's made me feel stronger."

Calzaghe will be making the 16th defence of his WBO super middleweight title at Belfast's Kings Hall.

The problem for Magee is that I believe he still fights a bit like an amateur. Joe Calzaghe

Magee will have the backing of a fervent local support, but Calzaghe says he remains confident.

"Magee's a decent fighter with good all-round skills, but against Robin Reid he was caught with a few good shots and he does seem very upright," said the champion.

"The problem for him is that I believe he still fights a bit like an amateur. I will catch him and when I do I'm convinced he'll go."

Should he beat Magee, Calzaghe says he is prepared to travel to Germany to face Mario Veit after the latter's promoters won the purse bid for a rematch between the two.

It wasn't that long ago he was calling me out, but now that he has won the title he's running chicken and won't speak to me Joe Calzaghe on Clinton Woods

"If they are happy to pay me a lot of money for the privilege of knocking out their best fighter again in his own country, so be it," said the Welshman.

Calzaghe would prefer to move up for a title shot at light heavyweight, but says he is frustrated that new IBF champion Clinton Woods does not want to meet him.

"It wasn't that long ago he [Woods] was calling me out, but now that he has won the title he's running chicken and won't speak to me," said Calzaghe.

"They tried to get him to talk to me on the telephone after his title win [over Rico Hoye], but his management wouldn't take the call.

"I was going to congratulate him for putting on a good performance. I was impressed. But my name's not Rico Hoye and if I ever get the opportunity to fight Woods I'll smash him to bits."