Hopkins vows to execute Calzaghe plan

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At a Times Square press conference to promote their light-middleweight fight at the Thomas and Mack Centre, 'The Executioner' Hopkins was in a sombre mood as he addressed the media with a black hood over his head, saying: "I feel in an executioner mood. I'm going to punish him and punish him slowly."

When the press conference was over and the two men staged the traditional face-off for the cameras, Hopkins, 43, repeatedly told undefeated super-middleweight champion Calzaghe: "You had better be willing to die."

Calzaghe, 35, who is facing his first fight in America in a 17-year professional career, later laughed off the episode - just as he had done to Hopkins' claim during a previous confrontation in Las Vegas before Christmas that he would "never lose to a white boy".

"He's doing what he has to do to psyche himself up," the Welshman said.

"I'm enjoying it. This is a new phase for me, first fight in the States. I came to watch the (Ricky) Hatton fight and saw the support he had and that's the only thing missing from my career - a big name, someone like Hopkins, and all the bull that surrounds it.

"He can be the bad guy now, but I'm going to be the bad guy come April 19. I've been through all this before."

"I've been undefeated 17 years, so nothing intimidates me. When it comes down to it, you've got two fighters in the ring, and no matter what's said the best fighter will win and I see nothing in Bernard Hopkins that can beat me.

"I would have beaten him at his peak and I'll beat him now."