JUST hours to go until the biggest fight of the year between Joe Calzaghe and Bernard Hopkins and it must be blog time.
Yesterday saw the official big fight weigh-in and it was a truly thrilling event, but I will get to that later.
On Wednesday evening Enzo Maccarinelli arrived in Las Vegas and that was a red letter day for most of the British journalists, since then Enzo has been the life and soul of the party.
The Swansea cruiserweight has been in top class form, generous and obliging with fans - posing for an endless amount of pictures - and with energy that is seemingly endless.
Unfortunately since Enzo has arrived most of our schedules have become increasingly nocturnal (that's not his fault, he's just had a galvanising effect). I can testify that Vegas truly is a town that never sleeps.
It's been interesting to witness the transformation in Sin City as the week has progressed.
At the start of the week the media centre in the Planet Hollywood hotel was almost exclusively filled with British journalists, now it is packed to the rafters with American writers and broadcasters.
The opposite is true though of Vegas as a whole.
The Welsh invasion has been loud, proud and well behaved, many American's commenting on how nice these British visitors are (I can't stress enough that they just don't understand the concept of Wales as a country). Oh and despite rumours to the contrary, I understand the Thomas and Mack Center will be full to its 18,500 capacity tonight.
Planet Hollywood are hyping up the appearance of several big name celebrities for the fight, including Bruce Willis, Sly Stallone, Chris Tucker, Simon Cowell, Pete Sampras, Catherine Zeta Jones and erm, Cat Deeley.
Michael J Fox was at the weigh-in and as a huge fan of his it was upsetting to see the degree in which Parkinson's disease has affected him. However, he was in good form and was no doubt buoyed after accepting a request for a photograph with former Argus man Pete Shuttleworth!
In addition to the celebs, every boxer you can possibly think of is currently in Vegas (even Iron Mike Tyson). I saw Floyd Mayweather this afternoon (doing a training session with Amir Khan) and David Haye was on the table next to us over dinner, amid rumours he's being targeted by Golden Boy Promotions.
Speaking of big name celebrities, here is one designed purely and simply to aggravate a few people in the Argus office.
I bored everyone to tears telling them that I had been interviewed for HBO's big fight preview show (screened all week), which by the way was their highest rating boxing show ever.
Well to further annoy my bored colleagues I can tell them that I have been stopped and recognised several times by people who watched the show.
It's been a big thrill.
I won't mention it again though, for fear of boring you and my colleagues out here!
And so to the weigh-in. From the second I walked into the huge arena hosting the event, I was utterly transfixed.
I watched from the front with Calzaghe stable member Harry Miles and it was a fantastic, nerve-tingling spectacle.
At least 3,000 Calzaghe fans - with several prominent Cardiff, Swansea and Newport County flags flying - cranked up the atmosphere as both fighters weighed in at 173lbs.
The two fighters indulged in the usual head touching stand-off and Hopkins warned he would "bust Calzaghe's heart." Joe seemed focused and incredibly pumped up, he snarled and postured with supreme confidence and launched a torrent of threats at Hopkins. Utterly compelling.
The event was finished off superbly by a stand up comedy performance from Gwent's own Rod Woodward, son of Karl Woodward, the doyen of Welsh sports journalism.
Featuring his character Mario De Niro, Woodward had a large audience in hysterics, he clearly has a very bright future ahead.
Purists will be pleased to know that traditions will be adhered to on fight night, the national anthems will be sang and Michael Buffer will be on announcing duty.
Buffer recently had a tumour removed from his throat and confessed he thought his career might be over, so it's great to see him looking so well.
Let's get ready to rumble.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article