Calzaghe hints at Jones swansong

Calzaghe's last hurrah against Jones is likely to be in Las Vegas

Joe Calzaghe says his planned autumn super-fight with American legend Roy Jones will probably be his last.

And the Welshman confirmed that his last hurrah was likely to be in the United States for "business reasons".

Super-middleweight and light-heavyweight king Calzaghe said: "What a perfect way to finish, fighting one of the greats of this generation.

"I'd love my last fight to be in Cardiff but it comes down to business and what the TV companies want."

Calzaghe, 36, stepped up to light-heavyweight to beat Bernard Hopkins on a spilt points decision to win the prestigious Ring magazine belt in April.

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Calzaghe's victory in Las Vegas on his American debut was an impressive introduction into boxing's most lucrative market.

The stylish southpaw climbed off the canvas to defeat Hopkins with a trademark display of work-rate, hand speed and heart to consolidate his universal recognition as one of world boxing's top pound-for-pound superstars.

Calzaghe now wants to further establish himself as a 'legend killer' by going toe-to-toe with former four-weight world champion Jones.

The 39-year-old American and Calzaghe have both stated they want the fight despite middleweight king Kelly Pavlik's emergence as a credible opponent.

Calzaghe's promoter Frank Warren confirmed negotiations are still on-going but the Welshman is hoping for a £5m November showdown.

"It'll be the fight of my life," Calzaghe told BBC Radio Wales.

"I haven't started training yet but once a date is confirmed I'll get back down to business.

"Fighting the greatest fighter of the 1990s would be the perfect way to finish off my career. But he'll be fighting the greatest fighter of the millennium.

"This is a case of famous last words but I think that'll probably be it for me so my message to my fans is enjoy it now because after this year, it'll be the end.

"The best night of my life was beating Chris Eubank for the vacant WBO super-middleweight title in 1997 but the proudest moment of my career was becoming undisputed champion by beating Mikkel Kessler in Cardiff last year."

Calzaghe has held his WBO super-middleweight crown for almost 11 years and is the longest-reigning current world champion.

The Newbridge southpaw ruled out fighting rising star Pavlik, the WBC and WBO middleweight champion, despite Warren admitting last week that "it would be a great fight".

Pavlik's third round defeat of Calzaghe's stable-mate Gary Lockett in Atlantic City on 7 June seemed to have set up a huge transatlantic clash between two unbeaten heroes.

But Calzaghe, unbeaten in 45 fights since his professional debut in 1993, insisted: "Pavlik is a very good fighter and looked impressive against Gary but I'm in a different league.

"Kelly is just establishing himself and is not as big a star as Roy Jones, he's a legend.

"Pavlik's got the world at his feet at middleweight or super-middleweight and will want to build his unbeaten record, rather than stepping up at least one weight category to face me.

"Me and Roy Jones wouldn't just be a fight, but a spectacular event."