Setanta Sports to screen the biggest boxing fight of 2008

Exclusively live coverage of Calzaghe vs. Hopkins from Las Vegas -Not available via pay per view. £9.99 a month. No annual contract required.

[ClickPress, Wed Feb 20 2008] Setanta Sports has again demonstrated its commitment to boxing by announcing they have the exclusive broadcast rights for the fight of 2008 - Joe Calzaghe’s light-heavyweight contest against Bernard Hopkins on Saturday, April 19th from the Planet Hollywood Ring at the Thomas and Mack Center, Las Vegas.

The much-anticipated ‘super-fight’ will see the unbeaten Welshman fight in the USA for the first time. Calzaghe will also be stepping up a weight after his recent victory over Mikkel Kessler in November 2007, when he became undisputed super-middleweight champion, a fight shown exclusively live on Setanta Sports.

Hopkins, 43, is the former undisputed middleweight champion and the first boxer to ever unify the titles of all four major sanctioning bodies - WBO, WBA, WBC and IBF - when he defeated Oscar De La Hoya on September 18, 2004. Hopkins moved up to light heavyweight in June 2006 and last fought in July 2007 when he defeated Ronald "Winky" Wright. He and Calzaghe squared up at the MGM Grand hotel in December at the weigh-in for Ricky Hatton v Floyd Mayweather, sowing the seeds for another big British-US clash.

Setanta’s Director of Sport, Trevor East, commented: “This is the biggest fight of the year and we’re delighted that we’ve got it. Calzaghe vs. Hopkins comes on the back of nine other big fights Setanta has already secured this year, including Maccarinelli vs. Haye on March 8th, proving that Setanta Sports really is the home of boxing in 2008.”

Calzaghe vs. Hopkins is NOT available on a pay-per-view basis, but only to subscribers to Setanta Sports at £9.99 a month, with no annual contract required.

Existing Setanta customers will receive Calzaghe vs. Hopkins as part of their monthly subscription, reinforcing Setanta’s position as a non pay-per-view broadcaster of premium sports.

Setanta Sports is available for £9.99 a month to satellite viewers, via a Freeview box or integrated digital TV with a viewing card slot and on BT Vision and Tiscali. Virgin Media XL pack subscribers can see Setanta for no additional charge, whilst M and L pack subscribers can add the Setanta Sports Pack for just £9.99 per month.


For information on how to subscribe, go to: setanta.com or call 08712 10 20 30. Virgin Media, BT Vision and Tiscali customers should contact their operator.

For more information: Call James Matheson or Richard Tompkins at braben on 020 7566 2990 or email james@braben.co.uk / richardt@braben.co.uk

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