Manfredo is well known to the US television audience

Manfredo's trainer Freddie Roach says the fight is on in Britain in March.

Warren - who manages IBF and WBO super middleweight champion Calzaghe - says talks are ongoing between the camps.

"We would welcome a fight between Joe and Manfredo and I'm happy about the interest, but to say a deal is done is wrong and harmful to talks," he said.

"There is no signed deal and nothing to sign at this point. We hope to work it out, we are in talks with Manfredo's representatives as well as television networks in the UK and the US."

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Manfredo's main claim to fame is a runners-up spot in the first series of TV series "The Contender".

Warren has been looking for a US fighter who is well-known to the American audience to take on Calzaghe in a planned show in Cardiff in March.

If the Welshman wins, Warren says a "mega fight" will follow in the summer, perhaps against Jermain Taylor in the USA.

Rhode Islander Manfredo, 25, has a record of 26-3 (12 KOs) to pit against 34-year-old Calzaghe's 42-0 (31 KOs) resum�.

Calzaghe would be a strong favourite against Manfredo

He lost a five-round decision to Alfonso Gomez in the heat stages of the $1m Sugar Ray Leonard-backed Contender series, but got the chance to score a revenge win when another competitor pulled out due to illness.

Manfredo, known as "The Pride of Providence", was outpointed by Sergio Mora in the final of the hit show, a result that was repeated in a rematch in October last year.

But since then he has scored a third-round win over super middleweight stalwart Scott Pemberton and a 10th-round stoppage of previously unbeaten Joey Spina.

Calzaghe would be a hot favourite to win a potential bout with Manfredo, and an impressive showing on US TV would boost his hopes of securing a planned mega-fight.

But Roach says he is confident of an upset.

"Peter's going to shock a lot of people by out-boxing Calzaghe," said the trainer.