ACCORDING to my promoter Frank Warren, an announcement will be made early next week to confirm details of my next fight.

You already know the opponent, American light heavyweight Bernard Hopkins; the top rated light heavyweight fighter in the world.

The rest of the details are to be confirmed and I have to be a bit cagey, particularly as I was a few days off with what I said last week.

As I understood it when I wrote the column last week we would be fighting on April 12, but I can now reveal it will be a week later on Saturday, April 19.

The venue is decided and it is one of the mega casinos in Las Vegas, but I am not at liberty to divulge which one I am afraid.

Hopkins, from what I have read, wanted to fight in New York, bearing in mind he's an East Coast man himself (from Philadelphia).

It's a burning ambition of mine to fight in America and every time I have been to New York I have really enjoyed myself.

I fancy a fight in Madison Square Garden, it's a real Mecca for sport and my Italian heritage would go down well in NY.

However, this next fight will be in Vegas and I am pleased because I have really got a feel for the place.

When I went over to watch the Ricky Hatton v Floyd Mayweather fight I had a great time, it's such a unique place.

I was well received wherever I went and no one puts on a show like they do in Vegas, it's something else.

The atmosphere will be electric and no longer will people talk about me not going over to America, which will be nice Obviously once everything is announced I will talk more about my plans ahead of the fight, but I know for definite how tough it is going to be.

It's not that I think Hopkins is brilliant, but fighting in someone else's backyard is always a tough prospect.

Ultimately I am going to be facing a former great and it will be a fight refereed by an American with probably three American judges.

For me that is why Hopkins never showed any willingness to come to Britain.

He knows that he needs everything stacked in his favour and his only chance is that I will struggle, bearing in mind I am known by some over there as a stay at home' fighter.

He's in for a rude awakening.

As he well knows, it is not easy to be a champion for ten years, you can't have that kind of reign unless you work unbelievably hard.

That is what I will do before this fight, nothing will be left to chance, I won't underestimate him at his old age and I will make sure I am in brilliant shape.

Bernard Hopkins has NEVER faced anyone as good as me and he's not going to know what hit him.

After becoming undisputed champion the next year is the real icing on the cake for me, probably my last as a professional boxer.

I have stayed at the top because of my commitment, dedication and focus and I am not going to stop now.

If I retire at the end of this year having beaten Hopkins and A.N Other top name American fighter then I think that will mean greatness.

That is what I want more than anything, for people to look back on my career and to say that I was one of the very best.

I have seen Roy Jones Jr is the latest to call me out and I couldn't help but smile.

Only a couple of years ago I was desperate to fight the likes of Jones and Hopkins, but they weren't interested in putting their reputations on the line against some Welshman who wouldn't sell tickets in America.

I guess times have changed!

Jones is the latest in a big line of fighters who wants to get it on and I wouldn't rule it in or out at this stage.

My focus is totally on Hopkins, but after that who knows?

Jermain Taylor, Roy Jones, Kelly Pavlik, it could be any of them.

Money talks at the end of the day and I am in no rush to make a decision.

The shoe is on the other foot now and it's sweet.

I am back in training as of this week, I took a holiday to Dubai last week and while we had a good time, it rained for six days and I was far from happy!