Top middleweight Jermain Taylor plans to give up his titles next month and step up a division to seek a meeting with Joe Calzaghe.

WBC and WBO boss Taylor, twice a victor over the legendary Bernard Hopkins, defends against US-based Ugandan Kassim Ouma on December 9. He insists it will be his last fight at 11st 6lb.

'It's all but impossible for me to do that weight now,' said Taylor. 'As I age and fill out, it's not going to happen.'

And he is in no doubt over who he wants to face up at super-middleweight.

'Calzaghe is a fight I would love, because he's supposed to be the man there,' said Taylor.

Talks between Frank Warren and Taylor's man, Lou di Bella, when Warren and Calzaghe visited New York recently, made significant headway and it seems likely that Taylor will be in the other corner when the Newbridge southpaw makes his US debut next summer.

First, of course, Calzaghe puts his WBO and IBF belts on the line in March, almost certainly against 'Contender' star Peter Manfredo, Jr.