Taylor eyes Calzaghe bout

Taylor: Must beat Pavlik

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Joe Calzaghe, currently eyeing up a summer '08 superfight with Bernard Hopkins, could have an alternative option in Jermain Taylor.

The former middleweight champion, who defeated Hopkins twice in 2005, will take on Kelly Pavlik in February in a super-middleweight rematch of their clash in September.

And should Taylor avenge that defeat, promoter Lou DiBella admits Calzaghe will be an attractive proposition for 'Bad Intentions'.

"It's hard to look past this fight but knowing Jermain, if he beats Pavlik, Joe would be the fight he would want," DiBella said.

"Joe is the best and Jermain has always reached out for the best so knowing that he will never fight at middleweight again, if he succeeds in this rematch I would be very surprised if he didn't say 'Go pursue Calzaghe'.

"At this point in time I think anyone who knows boxing knows that the second best fighter in the world is Calzaghe and that's only because Floyd Mayweather is out there.

"I think Calzaghe has had a tremendous year and has stamped his status as one of the great super-middleweights of all time.

"So if I know Jermain and he beats Pavlik, that's where he sends me looking."

However, DiBella may have to wait his turn with Calzaghe's promoter Frank Warren confident of sealing a match-up with Hopkins in New York next year.