According to Richard Schaefer of Golden Boy promotions, Bernard Hopkins is still looking for a rematch against Roy Jones.
The pair had agreed to meet in March if both got past tune up fights in December. Hopkins of course won a one sided decision, but Jones was knocked out in a single round against little known IBO champion Danny Green.
Green, while a decent fighter, is not well known outside his native Australia, and Jones was expected to get past him easily to set up a rematch with Hopkins that dates all the way back from 1993, a fight which Jones won.
Maybe that loss hurt Hopkins pride, or maybe he just wants to avenge the loss on his record, but hes still looking for the fight apparently. Despite the fact that Jones should obviously have retired some time ago and is well past his best, the executioner is still looking to add Jones name to his already gaudily long record.
By all accounts the pair don’t like each other, but this aside there is little reason for Hopkins to want the fight now. While Hopkins is still seemingly able to fight like he did when he was 25, the same can’t be said for Jones, and a victory for Hopkins here would be essentially meaningless. Both fighters are already future fall of famers and both have won accolades and titles enough that a single win shouldn’t matter.
The fight that makes more sense, Hopkins relieving Danny Green of his title, has apparently been looked at and isn’t an option for the moment. The purse split couldn’t be resolved, and the television money was another sticking point between the two fighters. Green, after beating a washed up Roy Jones, believes he should get everything 50/50, obviously forgetting that he has a pretty meaningless title and that the only reason Hopkins would fight him is because he beat Jones, which at this stage is a small claim to fame.
Hopkins would be much better served chasing one of the more recognized champions given he can make several weights should the mood take him. If Jones can string together a few wins then by all means Hopkins should take revenge for his loss the last time out, and make no mistake, he would win if the two fought again today. But really Jones should retire and Hopkins should move on to other quarry, perhaps a rematch with Kelly Pavlik somewhere down the line would make for another good fight for both.
