BRITAIN'S No 1 fight promoter Frank Warren has promised Gwent's WBO world super-middleweight champion Joe Calzaghe his career-defining fight this year.

And the man back on the agenda as Warren's main target is world middleweight champion Bernard Hopkins.

Former light-heavyweight champion Antonio Tarver, who has beaten the great Roy Jones, and new WBO light-heavyweight champion Zsolt Erdei have been mentioned as possible opponents.

So have WBC supper-middleweight champion Tony Mundine and another former world light-heavyweight champion, Dariusz Michalczewski.

But Warren could not sell Erdei or Michalczewski to American TV, Mundine doesn't want the fight, and a Tarver fight would not be for a title.

That leaves Hopkins as the target, provided Calzaghe defends his title against Armenian Mger Mkrtchyan in Cardiff on February 21, and Warren is awaiting a reply to his offer.

"I would love Joe to fight Hopkins. I just hope the Hopkins v Roy Jones talks falls apart and that if he doesn't get Mike Tyson, Jones sticks to his word and retires," said Warren.

"If that happens, who is Hopkins going to fight? He won't get Oscar de la Hoya or Felix Trinidad, so that narrows his options.

"If he's realistic he'll take the money on offer from me (around $1.5m). The problem is he's never been realistic.

"Joe wants a big fight, a career-defining fight, and basically I've got to get it if he beats Mkrtchyan. I know it's been said before, but this time I will deliver."

Warren said boxing was now the biggest sport in Wales, with the national sides in rugby and football not competing on the world stage.

"In boxing Joe and Enzo Maccarinelli are world champions and several other young fighters are in line, so boxing's No 1."

Of the Mkrtchyan test, Calzaghe said: "He's no mug. It won't be a one round roll over. But he's not in my class and I'll put him away in four or five rounds," Maccarinelli defends his WBU world cruiserweight crown on the same bill against Garry Delaney.

The big puncher, yet to be taken beyond four rounds, said: "I will try to carry on from my last fight."