TONIGHT Joe Calzaghe steps into the Planet Hollywood ring in Las Vegas against an icon of American boxing.

Joe has already conquered the world as a super middleweight king and tonight is his chance to break America as a two-weight world champion.

Forget the at times pointless alphabet titles, beat Bernard Hopkins tonight and Joe is Ring Magazine champion at two weights, fighting for the honour to be recognised as one of the top two pound-for-pound fighters on earth.

Calzaghe and Hopkins, utterly different in style, persona and background are without question two of the best in the world, Hall of Famers in waiting.

It took Calzaghe a decade to be as recognised as he deserved in Britain and in the US lingering doubts about his pedigree still exist, doubts that could be doused permanently this evening.

From Newbridge to Nevada, our boy will step into an American ring with Tom Jones leading the chorus of 10,000 proud Welshman, who simply had to be here as Joe bids to beat the best.

This is a fight five years in the making, two of the greatest and longest reigning champions of all time clashing not because they still have something to prove, but because they know this kind of contest goes a long way to cementing a legacy.

Hopkins has tried to make this about black versus white, America versus Britain, but it's nothing of the sort.

This is purely and simply about Calzaghe's desire to prove that he is the very best, that he can travel outside of Europe in the name of legacy.

Tonight, is Joe's night.