Hopkins: I would love to fight Calzaghe in New York

Hopkins, 42, was happy to continue the war of words with the Welshman that started when Calzaghe called him out for a light heavyweight showdown following his unification of the super-middleweight division at the weekend with his victory over Mikkel Kessler.

The American said: "I saw the fight with Joe Calzaghe and I heard the comments.

"Whether they are serious or not I think days will tell.

"Richard Schaefer (Golden Boy Promotion's CEO) is in casual negotiations with them but I'll take the history out of the books of the British. I would say the British are coming.

"Hopefully they will land at Yankee Stadium and I would love to repeat history and follow Joe Louis, who fought at Yankee Stadium, and the great Sugar Ray Robinson who was one round from making history at light heavyweight, which I made in beating (Antonio) Tarver.

"I think that would be a profound accomplishment in my career. That would be super-duper, a profound testimony to the legacy that I will leave behind."

Despite then mixing up Calzaghe's nationality, Hopkins claimed that aside from personal ambitions the two might have, their meeting would help to put boxing back on the map in a sporting landscape that has seen the mixed martial arts format Ultimate Fighting Championships overtake every sport but the NFL in the American market.

"You've got to understand that I will be, at the top of the year, 43 years old and to be able to fight at that magnitude an Englishman that's been dominating for many, many years, with an undefeated record - and he just happens to a southpaw which I love. I think it's the start of a comeback for boxing.

"You look at what this fight would mean to boxing, Ricky Hatton and Floyd Mayweather, what that will mean to boxing.

"In the last year I'm just happy to be a part of the Golden Boy situation, where we've put on, and other promoters too, a high value of fights that mean something.

"They mean something to fans but also to history and they're risky all the way around the board for everyone.

"So fights like this need to be made and should be made."

Earlier, Calzaghe continued his war of words with Hopkins - questioning whether he "has the balls" to fight him.

Calzaghe, today presented him with a Lonsdale belt by Prince Charles from the Welsh Sports Hall of Fame in recognition of lifetime of achievement, said: "He claims himself to be a legend but to be a legend you have to be beat the top fighters - who has he beaten?"

Calzaghe claimed Tarver was "over the hill" when he met Hopkins and said his other opponents, such as Oscar De La Hoya and Felix Trinidad, were "little men".

The 35-year-old added: "He should fight a proper fighter who will fight back. Let's see if he has the balls.

"I'm happy to go over there to fight him. I'll go to Vegas or Madison Square Garden and sort him out."

Hopkins pulled out of a 2003 fight with Calzaghe after allegedly doubling his purse demands at the 11th hour.