NEWBRIDGE southpaw Joe Calzaghe admits he will need to be at his awesome best to wipe out Miguel Jimenez next month and clear a path to undisputed middleweight king Bernard Hopkins.

Promising Puerto Rican Jimenez has been named as the 11th challenger to the Welshman's WBO super-middleweight crown - as reported in later editions of yesterday's Argus.

Victory in sizzling style at Cardiff Castle on August 17 could lead to a unification showdown with WBC belt holder Hopkins at the Millennium Stadium in November after promoter Frank Warren confirmed that he's agreed terms with infamous American counterpart Don King.

The battle at the castle next month was originally meant to see Calzaghe paired with David Telesco but the American pulled out because of a contractual dispute between the two managers.

Calzaghe said: "I have seen tapes of Jimenez and he looks a real tough, hard case. "Jimenez has never been dropped or stopped in his career, which gives me that extra incentive to be the first to do it."

With Hopkins confirmed, Calzaghe is clearly pleased to have a clear target to aim at with former WBO Latino 168lbs champion Jimenez accumulating 21 wins with only one points defeat.

The champ promises it would be a great night at Cardiff with three world title bouts on the bill - including Margate's Takaloo's WBO light-middleweight assault on champion Daniel Santos (also from Puerto Rico) -but Cwmbran's Gary Lockett has been withdrawn from the Hard Knight at the castle bill.

He was originally scheduled for an eight-round comeback bout but Lockett is still recovering from a broken knuckle on his left hand.

However Newbridge-based pair Bradley Pryce and Gavin Rees are on the bill, light-welterweight Pryce's opponent confirmed as Londoner Ted Bami.