TODAY is the day for the big rematch that?s literally 17 years in the making.
When they go at each other?s throats at the Mandalay Bay Resort at Las Vegas Nevada today, Roy Jones Jr. and Bernard Hopkins will be fighting not for any linear weight division title, but for pride, respect and redemption.
The younger generation of boxing fans or those who came into the sport only during the Pacquiao wave, could probably care less about the outcome between two old warriors fighting way past their primes.
But for those who know the history between these two living legends, this fight still finds relevance as it finally answers a lot of questions about what could have been had they met again?even though it is a decade too late.
FOR HOPKINS. Pride, respect and redemption for Hopkins means getting revenge over the man who beat him early in his career and temporarily derailed his march to the top.
Of course, we all know that Hopkins rectified that bump on the road by later becoming the best middleweight of the modern era.
But the loss to Jones haunted him nevertheless, especially with how Roy Jones proceeded to establish a spectacular career for himself in the higher weight classes.
A victory in this rematch will validate his contention that Jones won the first fight because he ran. More importantly, a decisive win will finally settle the question as to who is the better fighter between the two.
FOR JONES. Being the victor in their first fight?pride, respect and redemption for Jones takes on a different meaning
After a brilliant career that drew comparisons to the great ?Sugar Ray? Robinson, Jones? career took a nosedive so horrible, that some people are now questioning whether he was actually that good in the first place.
To date, he has suffered 6 career losses, three of them via stoppage- the latest being a humiliating one round loss to the ordinary Danny Green.
A victory for Jones will keep his flickering career alive and hopefully salvage some of that mystique surrounding him. It will also affirm that the first win over the great
Bernard Hopkins was no fluke.
MY TAKE. The first few rounds will be competitive with Hopkins taking a page out of the Green fight and bull-rushing Jones occasionally, hoping to catch him off-guard.
If Jones weathers the storm, he will pile up points in the middle rounds with his faster hands and better ring movement.
If the fight goes the distance, expect Hopkins to take the last few rounds, which will probably make the decision in favor of Jones a controversial one.
Though Jones boasted that he would be the first one to stop the ?Executioner,? if there?s a knockout, it?s going to be courtesy of a Hopkins right hand.
BATAWANG AND JULATON. Space constraints prevented me from writing about the losses suffered by our compatriots Ana Julaton and Bert Batawang last weekend. So here?s my brief take.
I was hoping that Bert would bring something different in the second fight. After all, Solis dominated him in the first encounter. To be candid about it, Bert was quite lucky he was getting a second crack.
In my observation, the victor who completely dominates an opponent in the first fight usually gets the job done a lot quicker the next time around. And that?s exactly what happened.
Ana Julaton clearly needs more seasoning and her lack thereof was woefully in full display last Sunday.
Serena Williams er..Lisa ?Bad News? Brown had a field day with those clubbing left hands. Inexplicably, Ana could not seem to make any adjustments. Also, her offensive repertoire could sure use some fresh new additions.
But really, how much could we expect from a fighter with less than 10 fights on her resume?
LAST ROUND. It?s on a dear friend, Nini Gonzales, who celebrates her birthday today and on the wonderful Gaite family of Toledo City for being our gracious hosts during the Holy Week. Happy Easter!
