Calzaghe must first defeat American challenger Thomas Tate in Newcastle next month, but his next fight could then be the biggest of his career.

"This is brilliant news and is just the incentive I need to put on a top performance against Thomas Tate," Calzaghe said.

"I have been chasing a super-fight against the likes of Hopkins for a long time.

"I want to prove that not only am I the best super-middle but also the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world."

World Boxing Organisation super-middleweight champion Calzaghe has long wanted a lucrative fight against one of the big American names.

Roy Jones Jr has made encouraging noises but done little else to suggest he will ever test himself against the Newbridge fighter.

But Hopkins - the World Boxing Council, World Boxing Association and International Boxing Federation middleweight champ - appears to have at least looked seriously at a match-up.

Calzaghe revealed that his promoter, Frank Warren, met with opposite number Don King in London on Monday to negotiate the details of a fight to take place next year.

Both camps are confident that the fight will take place next summer, with Cardiff's 72,500-seater Millennium Stadium the favoured venue.

However, for the Calzaghe v Hopkins fight to take place, both have to come through title defences first.

Welshman Calzaghe makes his 12th defence against Tate on 14 December at the Telewest Arena in Newcastle.