BERNARD HOPKINS has revealed that a contract to fight Welshman Joe Calzaghe in April will be signed "by the middle of next week at the latest".
A "super fight" between the two has been on the cards for a number of months and gathered pace at Ricky Hatton's fight with Floyd Mayweather in Las Vegas last month when the pair added to the hype by squaring up at the weigh-in.
Hopkins, 42, is
widely regarded as the best light-heavyweight in the world, while the undisputed super-middleweight champion Calzaghe has reigned supreme for the past 10 years.
Hopkins also revealed that the fight will take place at either the Mandalay Bay or MGM Grand hotel in Las Vegas and is scheduled for April 11 or 12.
"It's another year and another chapter and I'm looking to start it off with a big bang sometime in the spring," Hopkins told www.boxingtalk.com.
"I believe the date is the 11th or the 12th of April.
"I know I'm just looking to make it happen. I don't believe anything is signed yet. I got a letter from Arnold Joseph and Richard Schaefer (from Hopkins' promoter, Golden Boy Promotions] saying that we have an oral agreement. I could say oral agreements have stood up for the last five years of my career."
Hopkins admitted that he had expected a deal to have been agreed by today, but remains confident it will be concluded by next week.
"They expressed to me that we have a deal and I'm expecting an official confirmation no later than Monday," he added.
"I was hoping to hear something yesterday or today, but I'm expecting things to be wrapped up by the middle of next week at the latest."
