Calzaghe on the brink of greatness

JOE CALZAGHE is ready to shine in the neon glow of the Las Vegas Strip in the early hours of tomorrow morning and score a victory which will elevate him to a pantheon inhabited by some of the very best to have laced on gloves.

If Calzaghe beats Bernard Hopkins at the Thomas & Mack Center he will reign supreme as a champion unbeaten in 45 fights and the legitimate world number one at two different weights at once.

And it will crown on a career which began 15 years ago on the undercard of Lennox Lewis’ world heavyweight title win over Frank Bruno, and which has been blighted by criticism no fighter of his talent deserves to endure.