Joe Calzaghe has started a war of words with fellow world champion Ricky Hatton.
The Welshman, who defends his WBO super-middleweight belt against Evans Ashira on Saturday, claims the fuss surrounding the Hitman's win over Kostya Tszyu was "a joke".
He also claims he is Britain's best fighter, even though Hatton is ranked the undisputed light-welterweight king and Calzaghe's divisional dominance is under threat from IBF champion Jeff Lacy.
"Ricky Hatton's a good fighter, but I'm a better one," he said. "He had a good win over Tszyu but the media hype surrounding it was a joke.
"Eight years I've been defending the title, he's just won it. Let's see if he is still a champion in four years, let alone eight."
The remarks will drive a further wedge between Frank Warren's Sports Network, who still promote Calzaghe, and Hatton who is facing a legal battle to break free from his long-time promoter.
The two fighters often appeared together to publicise Sports Network, but their careers have headed in different directions with Hatton now keen to crack America following his sensational summer success over Tszyu.
Calzaghe has the chance to prove his point against African Warrior Ashira in Cardiff on Saturday, when he needs to pull out an impressive performance and kickstart his career.
A late withdrawal from an all-British showdown with Brian Magee in March did the Welshman's reputation no good, while he struggled to overcome both Mger Mkrtchian and Kabary Salem in 2004.
He made amends with an impressive win over Mario Veit in Germany in May, but needs to dismiss Ashira to secure a November unification bout with Lacy, following the American's ruthless demolition of Robin Reid.
Ashira comes to the Cardiff International Arena with an impressive record of just one defeat in 25 fights, although his only previous world title tilt ended in a second-round stoppage at the hands of Maselino Masoe, when they met for the vacant WBA bauble.
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Why's Calzaghe bitching about Hatton's win over Kostya Tszyu?... Sounds like sour g****s to me!
The Welshman, who defends his WBO super-middleweight belt against Evans Ashira on Saturday, claims the fuss surrounding the Hitman's win over Kostya Tszyu was "a joke".
He also claims he is Britain's best fighter, even though Hatton is ranked the undisputed light-welterweight king and Calzaghe's divisional dominance is under threat from IBF champion Jeff Lacy.
"Ricky Hatton's a good fighter, but I'm a better one," he said. "He had a good win over Tszyu but the media hype surrounding it was a joke.
"Eight years I've been defending the title, he's just won it. Let's see if he is still a champion in four years, let alone eight."
The remarks will drive a further wedge between Frank Warren's Sports Network, who still promote Calzaghe, and Hatton who is facing a legal battle to break free from his long-time promoter.
The two fighters often appeared together to publicise Sports Network, but their careers have headed in different directions with Hatton now keen to crack America following his sensational summer success over Tszyu.
Calzaghe has the chance to prove his point against African Warrior Ashira in Cardiff on Saturday, when he needs to pull out an impressive performance and kickstart his career.
A late withdrawal from an all-British showdown with Brian Magee in March did the Welshman's reputation no good, while he struggled to overcome both Mger Mkrtchian and Kabary Salem in 2004.
He made amends with an impressive win over Mario Veit in Germany in May, but needs to dismiss Ashira to secure a November unification bout with Lacy, following the American's ruthless demolition of Robin Reid.
Ashira comes to the Cardiff International Arena with an impressive record of just one defeat in 25 fights, although his only previous world title tilt ended in a second-round stoppage at the hands of Maselino Masoe, when they met for the vacant WBA bauble.
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Why's Calzaghe bitching about Hatton's win over Kostya Tszyu?... Sounds like sour g****s to me!
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