JOE Calzaghe, the Pride of Wales, will fly home tomorrow rightfully acclaimed as one of the greatest sportsmen ever to come out of Great Britain.

By vanquishing Bernard Hopkins, Calzaghe has secured his legacy as a Hall of Fame fighter on both sides of the Atlantic, perhaps the greatest pound-for-pound pugilist in the world today. 45-0.

In a fight that split opinion and at one point descended into farce, it was Calzaghe who once again proved that he is a unique, fantastic, and most of all, courageous world champion.

The greatest 12-stone fighter ever to lace a glove, Calzaghe is now also the undisputed light heavyweight champion of the world, an ambassador for boxing and for Britain.

Even at the age of 43, American Bernard Hopkins provided Calzaghe with the toughest fight of his career, but Joe overcame obstacle after obstacle to finally silence his opponent and the sceptical American public.

Screamed on by 9,000 Brits and a legion of Welshmen, Calzaghe recovered from the worst round of his glittering career (the first) - making an utterly atrocious start that would've signalled the final curtain for any other fighter on the planet.

But Calzaghe draws on reserves of skill and attrition that almost defy belief, and he made a quite remarkable recovery in clambering off the canvas in the first two minutes.

Perhaps it was the occasion, perhaps it was nerves, perhaps it was as Joe says, just a "flash knockdown", but Calzaghe was potentially down and out when Hopkins landed a tremendous right hand barely 100 seconds into the fight.

Calzaghe looked stunned. Cut for the second time in his career, knocked down for the third, just seconds after Tom Jones belted out the Welsh national anthem.

Calzaghe knew that this would be a difficult and dirty fight, Hopkins was never going to allow Joe to land 1,000 shots as he did against Jeff Lacy and Mikkel Kessler.

Hopkins has a sharp boxing brain and an even sharper forehead, Calzaghe could've walked through Glasgow burning an effigy of Billy Connolly and he'd have received fewer headbutts.

10-8 down and unable to establish any discernible rhythm or momentum in rounds two or three, Calzaghe was clearly in trouble. Was this to be it? Would Joe be remembered as a fantastic champion who left it too late to conquer the States?

Not a chance. This is Joe Calzaghe, a guy who has forgotten the concept of losing, doesn't acknowledge it and certainly doesn't do it.

Slowly but surely he began to adapt, realising that he couldn't beat Hopkins if he only matched his workrate and continued to joust on the inside.

Calzaghe began to pick his shots better and find angles - particularly coming in from the right with a straight jab - that Hopkins couldn't block.

Every shot that landed was greeted with a groundswell of noise from the British fans, although at no stage in the first half of the fight did Calzaghe hurt the old-stager.

By round eight he'd got himself back into contention and visibly, Hopkins was tiring.

Four times he ended rounds and began walking towards the wrong corner.

He began holding. And holding. And holding. Deliberately looking to use the head and to disrupt Calzaghe.

Then, in round ten, the momentum shifted massively and for many at ringside decisively.

Calzaghe caught Hopkins just above the groin - proved on the replay - and Hopkins went down poleaxed, the second time he had claimed a low blow.

Referee Joe Cortez - who proved what a fantastic official he is with a splendid, domineering display - called for time out and Hopkins writhed around on the canvas like an electrocuted eel.

Calzaghe was frustrated and implored his supporters to raise the noise level in the arena, which to a man they did.

Calzaghe was now working at a speed that Hopkins simply couldn't contend with, landing enough shots to win important rounds as he began to pull away.

At times - once in round ten and twice in the final round - Calzaghe paid the price for his front-footed, aggressive and far more cavalier approach as he was caught by Hopkins' overhand right, but this fight was yet another reminder that Joe has a fantastic chin.

"I knew I had to step it up, had to become more direct and more aggressive with how I approached him because I was playing catch-up," Calzaghe would explain afterwards.

Round 12 followed the pattern of the previous six, even though Hopkins tried vainly to rise to the occasion one last time, but Calzaghe looked at the final bell like a man who genuinely thought he'd won, Hopkins less so.

Some 14,213 held their breath, before MC Michael Buffer delivered the verdict.

Philadelphian judge Adalaide Byrd scored the contest 114-113 in Hopkins' favour, but the second score, read out 115-112 to Calzaghe by Ted Gimza, suggested all would be well for Joe's travelling army of supporters.

Chuck Giampa, the final judge, scored the contest 116-111. All of a sudden a doubt emerged. Clearly neither man had won by such a margin, and of course, Joe lost the first 10-8.

The crowd held their breath; Buffer made his announcement: "And the winner, from Newbridge Wales, Jooooooooooooooe Callllllllzaghe."

Enzo Calzaghe exploded like a firework, leaping around the ring as Joe sank to his knees in joy and relief.

An absolutely amazing night capped by yet another notch in Calzaghe's outstanding career.

Joe Calzaghe. Undefeated, undisputed, unbelievable.

l Editorial comment: Main paper, page 12