There has been a great deal of chatter about the relevancy (or perceived lack thereof) of another fight between Hopkins and Jones at this late stage in their careers. The first matchup between the two pugilists occurred 17 years ago with Jones winning by unanimous decision. Banter of a possible rematch continued throughout the next several years, but Hopkins and Jones were never able to come to an agreement over the purse-split.
At 45 years of age, Bernard “The Executioner” Hopkins (50-5-1, 32 KOs) seems to have discovered the surreptitious fountain of youth. Despite his age, he remains in peak physical condition and his perseverance is unquestionable. Hopkins made history with the longest-ever reign as Middleweight World Champion, and a total of 20 title defenses. He is also the oldest boxer to ever hold the Middleweight title. Hopkins, who is currently ranked as No. 4 on Ring Magazine’s pound for pound list, is still taken very seriously by the boxing public. Notably, on Oct. 18, 2008, he reigned victorious over the undefeated and much younger Kelly “Ghost” Pavlik by UD. On Dec. 12, 2009 he beat Enrique Ornelas, also by UD.
At 41 years old, Roy Jones Jr. (54-6, 40 KOs) has long been considered one of the most entertaining boxers in the sport. He looked unbelievable in his Aug. 15, 2009 bout against Jeff “Left Hook “Lacy. Jones was in peak condition and his hands appeared to be as quick as ever. After taking a great deal of punishment, Lacy retired on the stool before Rnd. 10. Jones’s following fight on Dec. 2 resulted in a first round loss by TKO at the hands of Danny Green of Australia. Inevitably, when a great, older boxer suffers such a dramatic loss, the boxing public is quick to write him off as a finished fighter.
However, don’t be too quick to dismiss Jones based on what happened in Australia. In an interview with 8CN’s Brad Cooney, Jones talked about how illegal hand wraps may have contributed to his defeat. An appeal has been made and a hearing is pending. (You can find a link to 8CN’s interview with Jones at the bottom of this page.) Jones was caught behind the ear with a shot that sent him to the mat. This type of punch is difficult to recover from because of the effect it has on the recipient’s equilibrium. Jones managed to beat the count, but the fight was stopped shortly thereafter. Going down due to a shot behind the ear from an excessively wrapped right hand is not unassailable evidence that a fighter is washed up.
While it is likely that both men are nearing the end of their undeniably brilliant careers, they still have some fight left in them. What’s the point of another Jones-Hopkins battle? The point is that it’s a fight that fans of both fighters still want to see. The fact that these two seasoned pugilists have maintained such huge followings of loyal fans is enough to make the fight significant.
Roy Jones Jr. is a former pound for pound king whose unorthodox style, exciting and amusing ring antics, and lightning-quick hands make him a pleasure to behold. The accomplishments of Bernard Hopkins are momentous, to say the least. Both men are well deserving of the accolades that have been bestowed upon them throughout the years.
The fight is being billed as “The Rivals: Hopkins vs. Jones II.” It will air on HBO PPV on April 3, 2010 from the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.
