Calzaghe shows the damage from his Sakio Bika encounter

Calzaghe retained his WBO and IBF super middleweight belts with a unanimous points win over Bika on Saturday.

But the Welshman was concerned he had not shown the same quality displayed in demolishing previous victim Jeff Lacy.

"It shows versatility. It shows you are an all-round boxer and fighter," said former five-weight champion Leonard.

The veteran of epic fights against the likes of Roberto Duran, Thomas "Hit Man" Hearns and Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Leonard sympathised with Calzaghe after Saturday's fight.

Like the 34-year-old Welshman, Leonard was lauded for his boxing skills but says that the boxing public still appreciate a good battle.

"These things happen. I had the same sort of fight with Duran the first time," Leonard added.

It would be great for Joe Calzaghe to beat Bernard Hopkins and hit that kind of global acceptance Sugar Ray Leonard

"Duran took me out of my game and I found myself fighting a different fight, standing toe to toe with Duran and trying to take him out.

"I got back to the corner and they told me to box but I wasn't hearing anything.

"When I fought Duran that way I was given more praise than if I had out-boxed him and beaten him."

Calzaghe's win over Bika, in which he was cut for the first time in his career after a clash of heads, was broadcast in North America on HBO.

Promoter Frank Warren is eager to crack the lucrative US market and has been trying to raise Calzaghe's profile on the other side of the Atlantic.

Calzaghe could yet stay in Europe for his next fight, with Danish WBA and WBC champion Mikkel Kessler an enticing match-up.

But Calzaghe would like to lure Bernard Hopkins out of retirement and into a fight in the American's back-yard,

Hopkins retired after beating former world light-heavyweight champion Antonio Tarver in June.

But Leonard says a contest between "The Executioner" and Calzaghe would build on the win over Hopkins' compatriot Lacy.

"It would be great for Joe to beat Hopkins and hit that kind of global acceptance," Leonard said.

"Lacy was pretty much on his way to being the superstar in boxing, so it was a huge win when Joe beat him. It had a huge impact in the States.

"In my era there was more pride involved in being champion. There are too many sanctioning bodies and it sometimes dilutes what a world champion is.