By Ben Dirs in Manchester

Joe Calzaghe is now unbeaten in 42 fights

Joe Calzaghe is ready to fight Bernard Hopkins in America following his brutal world title clash with Sakio Bika.

He made his 19th super middleweight defence against the Cameroonian in Manchester and is now one short of Hopkins' 20 defences at middleweight.

"People think I'm a home boy, but I'll fight Bernard Hopkins in his own garden," the Welshman said.

"Hopkins is the sort of fighter I'd get up for. I need those big name fights to bring out the best in me."

Interview: Joe Calzaghe

Promoter Frank Warren confirmed he is lining up a date for Calzaghe across the Atlantic in February or March.

However, with the 41-year-old Hopkins talking about challenging WBC heavyweight champion Oleg Maskaev, Denmark's Mikkel Kessler would appear to be a more realistic option.

It's definitely the path I'd like to see him take Lennox Lewis advises Calzaghe to fight in America

Kessler demolished Germany's Markus Beyer inside three rounds in Copenhagen on Saturday to add the WBC crown to his WBA belt.

And with Calzaghe in possession of the IBF and WBO titles, a fight between the two would be a rare four-belt unification bout.

"I would be glad to fight Joe under the right financial conditions," Kessler said.

"I would go to England or he could come to Denmark. I will beat him in either place.

"Floyd Mayweather is boxing's best pound-for-pound fighter and I am the second best fighter in the sport. I think I demonstrated that to some people on Saturday."

Warren added: "Kessler, Hopkins and (Jermain) Taylor are names on the list and we will talk to HBO and come up with one of those names for Joe's fight in February. "Kessler would be a great unification match and we have the possibility of Hopkins. It would be a fantastic fight and, who knows, it could be history in the making."

A fight with WBC and WBO middleweight champion Taylor looks the least likely option for Calzaghe.

The 28-year-old Arkansas fighter, who beat Hopkins twice last year, already slated to defend his titles in December.

Meanwhile, Britain's former heavyweight king Lennox Lewis, commentating on the Calzaghe-Bika fight for American TV network HBO, has urged the Welshman to head Stateside.

"It's definitely the path I'd like to see him take," said Lewis. "They're clamouring for him over there."