Setanta continues to snag big rights; this time landing the big fight

By Kevin Hilton

The undisputed super-middleweight champion of the world, Joe Calzaghe,
is to fight for the first time in the US on April 19. The Welshman is
moving up a weight to take on the light-heavyweight Bernard Hopkins and
the fight at the Planet Hollywood Ring in the Thomas and Mack Center,
Las Vegas will be broadcast exclusively live in the UK by Setanta
Sports.

Calzaghe is unbeaten and the contest against Hopkins is
being billed as the fight of the year. The British boxer’s last bout
was in November 2007 when he defeated Mikkel Kessler to take the
light-heavyweight crown. Setanta’s coverage will not be on a
pay-per-view basis, being available only to monthly subscribers.

Setanta’s
director of sport, Trevor East, said, “This is the biggest fight of the
year and we’re delighted we’ve got it. Calzaghe versus Hopkins comes on
the back of nine other big fights Setanta has already secured this
year.” Those other fights include Maccarinelli against Haye on March 8
and show that Setanta is moving further into areas once dominated by
other broadcasters, in the case of boxing getting in ahead of Sky
Sports and ITV