Frank Warren says Joe Calzaghe will earn his place as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world if he wins his world super-middleweight title unification fight with Mikkel Kessler in the early hours of Sunday.

The Welshman's promoter insists Calzaghe's talent and longevity as champion lift him above the likes of welterweight Floyd Mayweather, of the United States, and super-featherweight Manny Pacquiao, of the Philippines.

"We are not only going to find out who is the best super-middleweight in the world but in my opinion we are also going to find out who is the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world," Warren said. "This is two unbeaten guys fighting each other at the top of their game, so the winner has got be regarded as one of, if not the best fighter in the world today.

"I'm not the biggest Mayweather fan and Pacquaio has a couple of losses on his record. Joe has got that boxing brain, those fast hands, that tremendous work-rate and the will to win."

Calzaghe and Kessler met at a sparky head-to-head at the Hilton Hotel in Cardiff today. Calzaghe bobbed and weaved in front of his opponent and appeared particularly relaxed as he contemplated by far the biggest fight of his career at the age of 35. "Most fighters are coming to the end of the road at the age of 35 but I've not had that many wars and I would hammer the Joe Calzaghe of five years ago," Calzaghe said. "I'm so relaxed because I know this is my fight,"

Kessler has won all 39 of his professional fights to date and holds the WBC and WBA versions of the title, but Warren is particularly bullish about Calzaghe's chances. "I've been involved with him for a long time now when he's had his bad nights and when he's looked brilliant," Warren said. "I have seen him before every one of his fights and I can tell you I have never seen him so confident and so relaxed. This is not hype - I know this guy believes he will win this fight more than any fight I have ever been involved with."

Meanwhile, Carl Froch, the British and Commonwealth super-middleweight champion, has launched an unlikely charm offensive in a bid to raise the prospect of a domestic showdown against Calzaghe.

The unbeaten Nottingham fighter - who defends his title against Robin Reid in his home city next week - has long derided the Welshman for his refusal to accept his repeated challenges.

But Froch has conceded that Calzaghe deserves to rank among the best British fighters of all time. "Joe's record as champion has to make him one of the best because there is not a lot more than he could have done," Froch said. "It would be easy for me to slag him off but he is a great fighter.

"Obviously the way things work in boxing you have got to goad your opponents and try to touch a nerve. But I have got a lot of respect for Calzaghe and everything he has achieved."

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