Sports

HOPKINS’ FIGHT COULD GET ‘UGLY’

LAS VEGAS – “I’ll never lose to a white boy. I’ll never lose to a white boy.” That’s how Bernard Hopkins began his psychological warfare with Joe Calzaghe. It came during an impromptu meeting in the media center during the Floyd Mayweather-Ricky Hatton fight here last December.

The taunt came after Calzaghe had chastised Hopkins for his back-to-back losses to Jermain Taylor, prompting Hopkins to shout the racial retaliation. Apparently, it is acceptable to lose to Taylor, a fellow African-American. But losing to Calzaghe, a pale-skinned Welshman, means a loss of street cred.

In essence, Hopkins has backed himself into a corner for tonight’s light heavyweight showdown at the Thomas & Mack Center (HBO, 10 p.m. ET). But this bout, scheduled for 12 rounds, is hardly as black and white as it may seem.

Calzaghe is the betting favorite. He is unbeaten in 44 fights with 32 wins by knockout. He has been the reigning 168-pound champion for 10 years, making 21 titles defenses. At age 36, he is seven years younger than Hopkins and his relentless punching style and continuous movement has helped him dominate previously unbeaten opponents in Jeff Lacey and Mikkel Kessler.

“I 100 percent feel there’s no way he can beat me,” Calzaghe said of Hopkins. “He can’t outbox me and he can’t outfight me.”

Calzaghe, a southpaw, has a right to be confident, but he would wise to be wary of Hopkins, one of the savviest boxers to ever step foot in a ring. It’s the intangibles that favor Hopkins, the long-time middleweight champ. This will be Calzaghe’s first fight ever fight on America soil and it will be Calzaghe’s first at light heavyweight. Both weighed in at 173 yesterday.

Look for Hopkins’ head and elbows to be additional weapons. Hopkins will need to inflict that kind of damage on Calzaghe in order for the Philadelphia native to have a chance to win. The uglier the fight, the better it will be for Hopkins.

PREDICTION: Calzaghe by decision.

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Long Island native Matt Serra defends his UFC welterweight title tonight against former champion Georges St-Pierre in a pay-per-view bout from Montreal.

george.willis@nypost.com