Although preserving his unbeaten record and becoming a two-weight world champion is fully in his focus, Calzaghe says that only knocking out Hopkins will suffice.

The 43-year-old will not even present the toughest challenge of Calzaghe's career according to the Welshman, and he aims to prove that in style in Vegas.

"I don't just want to win this fight. That will not be good enough for me," said Calzaghe. "I want to knock this guy out.

"The extra seven pounds in weight has given me much more power. I used to throw 1,000 punches. I'm going to get it down to 500 but cause more damage to that face of his.

"If I fight my fight, he has got no chance. He wouldn't have had a chance 10 years ago. In my opinion, this will not even be the hardest fight of my career."

Calzaghe is the big name in Vegas this week, but he says he is fully focused on the fight and will not be distracted by the bright lights.

Insisting that he did not need to fight in America, Calzaghe says it proves his desire to leave a lasting legacy that he will fight outside his comfort zone of 50,000 home fans at the Millennium Stadium to fight Hopkins in his home country.

"It's cool seeing my name in lights but I don't think about it much," Calzaghe added.

"At the end of the day I wanted to come here because Hopkins wouldn't come to Wales and I wanted to prove what I'm about. I didn't need to come to Vegas. I could have filled the Millennium Stadium with voluntary defences.

"I never really thought about fighting here when I was younger. I suppose it would have been a little bit disappointing if I had never got my chance to come to Las Vegas and fight.

"Maybe after my career is finished I will reflect on my 11 years as champion and the whole Vegas thing and maybe I'll appreciate it more. But for now a ring's a ring and it doesn't matter where it is."

Hopkins' defensive style has brought him criticism throughout his career, while at 43 he has been labelled too old, with Enzo Calzaghe presenting him with a walking stick this week.

Calzaghe's promoter Frank Warren though hopes the veteran will come out fighting on Saturday, with his role as a sporting legend on the line.

"I'm confident Bernard will come to fight," said Warren. "Legends don't fight on the back foot.

"He says he's a legend so he's got to prove it by fighting the right way in the ring."