It took seventeen years for the rematch but when it finally occurred, Bernard Hopkins won a twelve round unanimous decision over Roy Jones Jr. in a strange at times Light Heavyweight bout at The Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.

After walking out accompanied by his oown vocalist singing a boxing-themed version or I Did It My Way, Bernard Hopkins was in vintage regala donning his old school executioner mask perhaps in an attempt to intimidate Roy Jones Jr. Nevertheless, both fighters seemed ready to pounce but would not throw. Like two coiled snakes, the first round was a lot of fainting and posturing. The second, third, and fourth rounds were all similar to each other. Hopkins would spring in with a combo and tie up Roy at the end of his combo. Roy Jones simply was not active enough, not throwing many punches. Jones seemed to come alive in the fifth when he landed his best and perhaps only combo of the fight. Thus far, the fifth was Jones’ best round. Round six seemed to be an even round, both fighters had about the same level of effectivness but near the end of the round, Jones blantantly punched Hopkins in the back of the head, sending Hopkins to the canvas, sprawling in pain. The referee subsequently deducted a point away from Jones.

This fired up both fighters as they fought viciously for the last 10 seconds of the fight and even after the bell, causing chaos and members of Jones’ camp to run into the ring. Order was restored and the seventh round picked up where the last one ended. Towards the middle of the round, both fighters seemed to calm down and the chess match resumed. In round 8, Jones landed another illegal blow to the back of the head, sending Hopkins down for a short time, no point was deducted, but like before, this fired up Hopkins and he attacked Jones. In the ninth, both fighters seemed to tighten up and become hesistant to engage.

More controversy in the tenth round, Jones landed a blow which appeared to hit the belt line, but Hopkins dropped to the canvas wincing in pain. Hopkins sprung back up to his feet but was visibly tired as his output dropped noticeably. At the start of round 11, Jones finally wised up and gave

Hopkins a taste of his own medicine. Hopkins had been leading with his head the entire fight so Roy walked away and took a few seconds off due to the butt. The round, however, was mostly dominated by Hopkins

The 12th and final round, saw Hopkins charge out and land two body shorts before Jones threw any punches. The round may have went to Jones being that he lets his hands go, but the fight was fairly one sided. The judges had the fight 117-110, 117-110, 118-109 all to the winner Bernard Hopkins. Hopkins improves his hall of fame record to 51-5-1 with 32KO’s while Jones’ added his sixth loss to his stellar career to go along with 55 wins with 40 by KO. Jones’ better days are clearly behind him, but tonight he showed flashes of his old brilliance (by karen). Whats next for Hopkins, maybe more acting classes! But cagey veterans make cagey moves and Hopkinds used it to his advantage to ensure a victory.

In the co-main event, Jason Litzau met Texas native Rocky Juarez in the NABF Super Featherweight Title bout. Litzau showed tremendous footwork early as he danced around and picked off Rocky as he was coming in. As the fight progressed into the 6th and 7th rounds, Litzau seemed to tire which in turn made him stand and trade more, not a good idea. Juarez had a chance to land big shots and that he did. In the 7th round, Juarez came in with his head and clashed with Litzau face causing a huge gash. Between rounds, the Litzau camp decided they could not continue so the fight would be decided on the scorecards. One judge saw it 68-85 while the other two had it 67-66 all in favor of the champion Jason Litzau. He improves to 27-2 with 21KOS while Jaurez drops to 28-5-1.

Seeing his first action in nearly two years, Sergio “The Latin Snake” Mora, from Contender fame, met a game Calvin Green in a super middleweight battle. The first two rounds were action packed with Mora bein cut on the side of his nose by a left hook in the 1st round. Both of the fighters seemed to tire quickly which resulted in a lot of in fighting. Mora showed a different side of his skills by moving and punching WITH POWER from angles. The tactic worked and as the punches accumulated the referee saw no reason to let the fight go on. So at 1:50 in round 7, the fight was stopped. This is only Sergio’s 6 win by KO/TKO in his 24 fights, but he improves his record to 22-1-1 with 6KO’s. Green drops to 21-5-1.

The vacant NABF Light Heavyweight Title was up for grabs when undefeated Ismayl Sillakh met Daniel Judah in a scheduled 10 rounder. However the bout didn’t make it that far. Sillakh dropped Judah with a vicious hook to the body followed by a right to the head. Judah rose, only to be knocked down again by a left hook to the head. The ref Vic Drakulich stopped the fight at :49 in the second round. Sillakh improves to 12-0 with 11KO’s while Judah dropped to 23-5-1.

The next bout was for the USNBC Super Lightweight title featuring Ray Narh versus Angel Hernandez. The much taller Narh pressed Hernandez and landed huge shots which resulted in three knockdowns in the second round. Hernandez failed to get up and the referee stopped the fight at 2:59 of the second round. Taking the title and improving his record to 24-1 with 21KO’s was Narh while Hernandez dropped to 14-5.

In the pro debut of what many people feel is the next “Golden Boy”, Frankie Gomes of East Los Angeles battled Clavonne Howard in a junior welterweight battle. Gomes impressed the crowd as he stalked Howard around the ring for three rounds until referee Joe Cortez stopped the fight at 2:45 of the 3rd round after Howard was caught with some big shots. Howard drops to 2-4.

In a battle between super featherweights, Yaundale Evans kept his record clean as he dropped Juan Baltierrez at 2:08 in the second round with a right hook to the temple. Evans is now 6-0 with 4KO’s while Baltierez drops to 2-2-2 with only 1KO.

The second bout was a super middleweight battle between Buddy McGirt Jr and John Mackey. Mackey proved to be no match as he was dropped in the second round from a perfect right hook that landed on his chin at 2:58. McGirt improves to 22-2-1 with 11KO’s while Mackey dropped to 11-5-2.

In the first bout of the evening, Craig McEwan retained his undefeated middleweight record as he improved to 18-0 with 10KO’s. McEwan controlled the action from opening bell against the over matched Kris Andrews from Canada. Landing big shot after big shot, referee Joe Cortez finally stopped the fight in the 8th and final round at the time of 2:11. Andrews dropped to 15-9-2 with 4KO’s.

POST FIGHT QUOTES

RICHARD SCHAEFER, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions

“Hopkins was taken to the Southern Hills Hospital for observation immediately following the fight.

“It was a great victory for Bernard Hopkins. Seventeen years in the making. He got the win, the victory he waited for. A lot of people counted Roy out. Roy came to fight and I want to congratulate him for that.”

JOHN WIRT, CEO of Square Ring, Inc.

“Roy is going to the hospital as well. In terms of this fight, it was obviously a longstanding rivalry between two legends of our generation. It is up to Roy. I am sure he will be making that decision down the road in terms of what he wants to do with his career.”

BERNARD HOPKINS VS. ROY JONES JR.

BERNARD HOPKINS

“It was kind of rough. He’s a warrior. He’s a veteran and a good fighter. I see spots. I have been hit in the back of the head before, but in the gym with head gear on. I was toughing it out. I was seeing spots in the sixth round.

“I felt I got hit in the back of the head and my legs went and I started seeing spots. I was mad. Weeks did a helluva job. He was doing the best he could to keep us both under control.

“I wanted to keep pressing. I’m a scrappy fighter. I might not be flashy. I might not be pretty, but I am a hard core Philadelphia fighter and blue collar worker like most Americans.

“The rematch was well worth it. It was sweet revenge for me.

“I want David Haye, the heavyweight champion of the world.”

ROY JONES JR.

“Ifeel great. Even at my age I’m still in control. I want to thank god for as healthy as I am today. Pensacola in the house. Thank all I my fans for their support. I kind of got behind. I was trying to knock him out because I was behind. He is a very crafty veteran. He was hitting me behind the head.

“I was worried the first time. I knew if I was fouled too much I would have been disqualified. I wanted to give the fans what they wanted. I tried to do that tonight.”

JASON LITZAU VS. ROCKY JUAREZ

JASON LITZAU

“This is the biggest victory of my career. Rocky is a true champion. I want to thank Square Ring and Golden Boy for this opportunity. Me and Rocky gave them a helluva show. I felt like I had another 10 rounds in me. I was so calm. I was relaxed on the inside. I was going to turn it up in the later rounds. I knew Rocky was coming. I was going to turn it up in the later rounds.”

ROCKY JUAREZ

“I felt the cut was the result of a punch, not an accidental head butt. The cut was by a short left hook. By saying it was an accidental head butt, I was disappointed. I love Jason. We know each other. I am one of the best fighters in the world.

“I felt that the decision was bull. I was going to stop him at the end of the night. We never collided heads. I made sure of it. Jason knew he was going to get knocked out towards the end of the fight.

“I do not consider this losing. I did not lose this fight. I felt that this fight was taken from me. I would like a rematch. Jason should give me that rematch because he knows it was a punch. The cut was underneath his eye. Jason just backed out.”

SERGIO MORA VS. CALVIN GREEN

SERGIO MORA

“It is great to be victorious. The rust was certainly there. 19 months out of the ring took its toll. That will happen. I started really slow. By the third round I felt more like the Latin snake. By the fourth and fifth round, I got it under control. He was always trying to counter. I gave him some good body shots. He can really take a punch. I mixed it up pretty good. I am back. I am with a good promoter now, Golden Boy. I am back.

“This guy came in at the last minute. I couldn’t find any tapes on him.

I knew he was gonna be tough. I had never seen him.

“The cut didn’t bother me. I’m used to cuts. I’m used to getting lacerated.

“It took two rounds for me to get the rust off, but I was so motivated and I just want to get back in there.

“You are going to see a lot more because I am hungry. I am ready to fight the best. I am glad I got the rust off.

“I want to fight the best. Let me get another fight. I will let Richard Schaefer get me another opponent ASAP and then I will be ready.”

ISMAYL SILLAKH VS. DANIEL JUDAH

ISMAEL SILLAKH

“I respect Bernard Hopkins, but if I fought him, I would beat him.

“I am ready for a world title right now because I trained hard. I train every day twice a day. I am ready. It is my time.”

Roy Jones Jr -V- Bernard Hopkins
175* 175

Rocky Juarez -V- Jason Litzau
129 130

Sergio Mora -V- Calvin Green
161 161

Ishmayl Sillakh -V- Daniel Judah
175 175

*Jones Jr was initially 0.5 over but stripped naked and weighted exactly 175.

It’s easy to be outraged. It’s easy to be sad. It’s even easy not to care at all. But nothing will be easy Saturday night for Alton Merkerson, whom Roy Jones Jr. calls “coach” with the kind of affection a kid has for mom and dad.

Other than the piece of square canvas that Jones and Bernard Hopkins will contest, no spot at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas figures to be as difficult as the corner Merkerson will occupy.

Concern for Jones, more than confidence in his chances, has been the flashing red light, the warning sign, throughout talk preceding a rematch of a 1993 fight. Merkerson has heard it, acknowledges it and repeats it.

“My concern is the same concern that everybody else has,’’ said Merkerson, whose 22-year-old friendship with Jones started when he as an assistant U.S. Olympic coach at the infamous Seoul Games in 1988 when Jones was robbed of a gold medal.

Despite acquiring a Nevada license after passing a battery of tests that included a brain scan, the 41-year-old Jones steps through the ropes against the older, yet-seemingly ageless Hopkins, 45, stamped with anecdotal evidence that he is damaged enough to be in serious peril.

The medical tests have been criticized on at least two fronts:

· Either they failed to account for three stoppages in six years that indicate Jones has lost the reflexes he needs to defend himself.

· Or, they have been diagnosed as business as usual. To wit: Las Vegas’ struggling casino industry needs the action.

Whether it’s one or both or none of the above, the controversy has shifted the focus onto whether Jones should be fighting at all in the rematch of a forgotten bout, a Jones victory that happened when Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather, Jr. were teenagers.

The talk might prove to be a timely diversion for Jones, who has promised to knock out the heavily-favored Hopkins in what would be an upset and a role reversal. Instead of Jones, the worry would be for Hopkins. On a night not long after April Fools Day and a few hours before Easter, it’s hard to say what will happen. But the controversy is a certainty and it raises questions about whether it will influence Merkerson and perhaps referee Tony Weeks.

At the first sight of trouble, will Merkerson be quick to throw in the towel? Or Weeks quick to stop it?

Merkerson’s loyalty for Jones is as evident as it is admirable. Some trainers express their concern for a fighter in apparent decline by leaving the corner altogether. But Merkerson is always there for Jones, almost like a concerned parent.

“Yes, it’s getting close to the time where Bernard and Roy are going to give this thing up because you can’t do it forever,” Merkerson said in a conference call. “But right now, from a medical standpoint, he’s fine. I stick with Roy, and I’ve been with him for 20 years, and I’m going to continue to be with him.

“I’m not afraid to stop a fight. If in fact he was getting punished and didn’t get caught with one shot clean, I would stop the fight, and that’s what another young, inexperienced trainer probably wouldn’t do just to worry about their credibility and what people say about them. But it’s not going to be long before we give it up and do some other things, but Roy is fine right now.”

Right now is just one punch from forever wrong, however

That’s true for anybody who answers an opening bell, not just Jones or Hopkins or some other forty-something fighter. The repeated concern for Jones is that age has turned his reflexes into stone. He has become a stationary target for that disabling blow. For years, he fought with his hands down, yet his instincts, anticipation and unrivalled speed kept dancing in, out and always mere inches from harm. Through 12 rounds, the only sure bet is that those hands will fall and leave him defenseless.

Quickness might vanish, but habits rarely do.

Jones argues that Australian Danny Green’s hands were wrapped illegally before Jones suffered a first-round stoppage last December. Maybe, they were. But Jones’ protest misses the point the way punches missed him so long ago. Alter or unaltered, the relatively-unknown Green quickly and easily hit somebody that nobody could a decade ago.

Worried? You bet. There is no easy way out of that. In the end, Merkerson might be Jones’ only defense.

NOTES, ANECDOTES
· There was only one class act last Saturday in another stage of the super-middleweight tournament. It was delivered by Andre Dirrell, who was accused of acting when a desperate Arthur Abraham teed off with shot to the jaw with Dirrell on one knee after slipping on ice in Abraham’s corner. A disqualification of Abraham resulted in a victory for Dirrell, who was leading on the scorecards. The DQ was incomplete. Abraham should have been suspended. Now, it looks as if Dirrell will fight Andrew Ward, his 2004 Olympic teammate. Ward-Dirrell would re-ignite interest in the on-again, off-again tournament.

· Jose Benavidez Jr., a junior-welter-weight prospect from Phoenix, has an opponent for his fourth pro fight on April 10 at the Hard Rock in Las Vegas on a Top Rank card televised by Fox Sports Espanol. Expect Benavidez to go 4-0 against Scott Paul (5-4) of Ontario, Canada. The 17-year old Benavidez turns 18 on May 15.

· Is there an AARP convention scheduled for Las Vegas next week? Eight days after Jones-Hopkins, 47-year-old Evander Holyfield is scheduled to fight 41-year-old Francois Botha at Thomas & Mack Center. That adds up to two main events with an average age of 43-plus years.

After the initial introduction and proceedings both fighters took there turns at the dais. Jones Jnr now 41, vowed to repeat history and once again come out victorious. Commenting “I guess he is what they call my rival I don’t like it, but it is what it is, Saturday I am going to clear that up.”

For his part Hopkins maintained that Jones Jnr had run from him for 17 long years and now he will finally get the win over his old rival. At one point Hopkins in keeping with it being Easter weekend gave Jones an Easter bunny complete with Easter eggs playfully adding “He has been running like a rabbit for 17 years” Things ended dramatically when Hopkins said to Alton Merkerson (Jones Trainer) along the assembled media and fans “It is going to be up to Merkerson whether he lives or dies”

Tail of the tape

JONES JNR – V- HOPKINS

Hometown Pensacola, Fl Philadelphia, Pa
Record 54-6(40) 50-5-1(32)
Rounds Boxed 392 406
KO% 66.67 56.14%
Age 41 45
Height 5’11 6’1
Reach 74 75
Nickname The Terminator The Executioner
Titles IBF Middleweight IBF Middleweight
IBF S. Middleweight WBC Middleweight
WBC Lt Heavyweight WBA Middleweight
WBA Lt Heavyweight WBO Middleweight
IBF Lt Heavyweight
WBA Heavyweight
World title 23-3(15) 20-3-1(13) 1 No Contest
Record

Much has been said a made of two guys in the early 40’s with a combined age of 86 squaring off 17 years after there original fight. However there is still a certain intrigue as to what will happen between these two guys who appear destined to be linked forever in history like Ali-Frazier, Leonard-Hearns & Ward-Gatti etc

The odds with the Bookies have Hopkins a big favourite at -575 while Jones Jnr is +375.

Tickets are still available ranging from $750 down to $100. Also worth noting is that while it will be on HBO PPV live Saturday it will not be repeated the following week.

It is fascinating to listen to Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones Jr. They might not belong on a pound-for-pound list these days, but word-for-word they could challenge Charles Barkley. In the interview game, Hopkins and Jones are as good as anybody.

They provided an insightful double-feature a couple of days ago in a conference call about an April 3 fight. Their rematch at Las Vegas’ Mandalay Bay has generated everything from outrage to concern. The mixed response from media and fans is at least predictable and perhaps inevitable whenever legends closer to Hall of Fame induction than their primes prepare to fight.

A couple of examples:

Jones, as wise as he once was quick, acknowledged he is aware of fears some have for his well-being.

“I take my hat off to them,’’ said Jones, 41, who has been stopped three times in the last six years. “I thank them for being concerned about me, because that’s a great thing.’’

Then, there was Hopkins, funny, controversial and just as wise.

“This is not some clown reality-show where two wrestlers, two boxers, two old entertainers, two old singers square off,’’ said Hopkins, 45, who is favored to avenge a 1993 loss by decision to Jones. “This is the real deal.’’

I suspect the call will prove to be better than the fight.

It also is important for a lesson left unsaid, yet current and perilous if ignored by the best-and brightest in today’s generation. I hope Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather, Jr., were – are — listening. The Jones-Hopkins rematch should have happened a decade ago. Pacquiao-Mayweather should have happened on March 13.

For each should-have, the circumstances are different. But Jones and Hopkins can’t redo the specifics — an unresolved dispute over money – that led to a breakdown of a rich, relevant rematch that might have led to another.

“I was the undisputed middleweight and he was the undisputed light-heavyweight,’’ Hopkins said. “It would have been great.’’

It could have been one or two for the books.

But Hopkins, Jones and the sport were robbed of that opportunity by financial percentages that today are forgettable, if not petty. The real loss, perhaps, was in a percentage of fans. Nobody remembers the first fight on a dreary night at RFK Stadium in Washington D.C. on the undercard of a main event featuring a Riddick Bowe stoppage of Jesse Ferguson.

“I still remember Larry Merchant saying that if the wind wasn’t blowing in the stadium, everybody would have gone to sleep,’’ Hopkins said.

Many of them did during the years when Jones and Hopkins matured into the best of their trade. Nearly 10 years ago, they were the fight the public wanted, yet didn’t get. It would have been a rematch only in name. In fact, it would have been an awakening for a public and media increasingly turned off by boxing.

Since then, the sport has repeatedly attempted to resurrect itself. There are promising signs, but the state of the game returns to the critical list if Pacquiao-Mayweather follows the path of the Hopkins-Jones rematch.

Throughout the conference call Wednesday, I couldn’t help but imagine another call, 10 years from now, with Mayweather and Pacquiao, both forty-something and both trying to sell their first fight in 2020 with awkward explanations about why they didn’t fight in 2010.

The issue has been Mayweather’s demand and Pacquiao rejection of Olympic-style drug testing. In a few months, it might be about money, especially if Mayweather beats Shane Mosley on May 1 in front of a bigger pay-per-view audience than the announced 700,000 for Pacquiao’s victory over Joshua Clottey.

There are projections of three million for Mayweather-Mosley. Even if it is half of that at 1.5 million, Mayweather could return to the bargaining table with an argument that he deserves the lion’s share, instead of the 50-50 which had been agreed upon before talks broke down over random blood tests.

Ten years from now, that and who-knows-what-else could be hard to explain. But the lesson is there, thanks to Hopkins and Jones, whose fight is all about timing. It’s the wrong time for them, but still the right one for Pacquiao and Mayweather.

NOTES, QUOTES
· Andre Dirrell might be poised for stardom. He has tough challenge in the super-middleweight tournament Saturday against Arthur Abraham on Showtime. But Dirrell, who grew up in Flint, Mich., will have a hometown crowd and plenty of motivation against the rugged Abraham in Detroit. Dirrell, who is anxious to prove he was robbed by a decision in a loss to Carl Froch in his last outing, is versatile enough to upset Abraham.

· The annual Celebrity Fight Night, Muhammad Ali’s fund-raiser for research in the battle against Parkinson’s, raised $5 million Saturday night in Phoenix. In 16 years, the event has raised $65 million.

· Top Rank is keeping Jose Benavidez, a 17-year-old junior-welterweight from Phoenix, busy. After pushing his record to 3-0 in Dallas on March 12 — the night before Pacquiao’s victory over Clottey at Cowboys Stadium, Benavidez is scheduled for a fight on April 10 against an undetermined opponent at The Hard Rock in Las Vegas.
· And as a Golden Boy partner, Hopkins is also a promoter, but he didn’t have anything to do with the promotional label for the fight with Jones. It’s called The Rivals. “I would have named it Personal,’’ said Hopkins, who says his anger for Jones is real.

It has been 17 years in the making, but the feeling and the fire still burns deep…at least in the heart of The Executioner, Bernard Hopkins. When Hopkins met Roy Jones Jr back in 1993, and 15 pounds lighter, for the middleweight title, this was the match that would catapult the winners career into the prominent position that is seeked by all fighters. This was true to form, Roy Jones Jr, went on to dominate over the next 10 plus years, being named the Ring Magazine fighter of the decade of the ’90’s. Meanwhile, Bernard took a roundabout way to gain the recognition that he’s always wanted. Bernard went on to win a record 20 straight battles at middleweight and with his win over then champion Kelly Pavlik, seems to have found the fountain of youth while making top 5 on most pound for pound lists today. It is still very evident that Bernard wants this win to put another bow around what is a sure fire hall of fame career. “Roy has been avoiding me for 17 years now, he is afraid that I now know his game and I know what he can do. he never wanted to give me a rematch because he knew he would lose.” Hopkins went on to say, “This will not be a close match. I expect the best Jones Jr. to face me, but with his diminished skills and speed, I will end his career. This fight will end in a knockout.” Either Jones is a great bluffer or he genuienly believes he will win this fight just like he did the first time around. “He has been jealous of me and my career over the past 17 years and it shows. His anger is what will get him beat in the ring…besides me being the faster, stronger, and more skilled fighter,” Jones stated.

This is a true prize fight in the sense that the winner, (which has to win by either KO or TKO) will win 60 percent of the purse leaving the loser with 40. On April 3rd, in Las Vegas, NV, the rematch that has been nearly 20 years in the making has come to fluition. With the natural disdain and mutual dislike these two have for each other, there is no way this fight can be a snoozer. Is Hopkins too old? Have Jones’ skills left him? The world ill find out in a few months and one will emerge as perhaps the greatest fighter of the past two decades.

QUOTES FROM LOS ANGELES DEBATE FROM

THE RIVALS: HOPKINS VS. JONES II

Bernard Hopkins

“This is 2010. That was 1993. That’s 17 years I’ve been waiting for this fight. It’s personal to me and it’s important to me that I get this man in the ring and that I send him on his way to the Hall of Fame. I want to make sure that the last person he remembers is ‘The Executioner.'”

“You listen to Roy Jones and he says something I agree with. You hate to say it, but we are rivals, and you hate to say it, but it took us 17 years to get here. A lot of other things have happened in our lives in the time it took to get here, but now that it’s here, his worst nightmare has come to pass. Me.”

“This means a lot to me. This means that Roy Jones Jr. is going to have to fight me off him. When you have that mindset, you are going to have to take risks too. Roy Jones Jr. is going to have to fight to not get knocked out or fight to knock me out. That has been the motivation for 17 years.”

“I’d be a fool to think that Roy Jones Jr. is going to train to fight Bernard Hopkins, me, by laying on the beach getting a suntan. I know that that Roy Jones Jr. has something to prove to the world and I know that Roy Jones Jr. is going to come to salvage his career and change the opinion people have of him right now. I never underestimate my opponents, it’s not in my character.”

“This is going to be devastating because that’s the way I want him to remember Bernard Hopkins for the rest of his life. Any time he looks at boxing, he’s going to see that I took him to the point that he doesn’t even like boxing anymore. He won’t even let his kids go to fight anymore. The entire Jones family will leave boxing for good after April 3.”

Roy Jones Jr.

“The fight is a rivalry because as the man just said, we are two legendary future Hall of Famers. We’ve always had a debate about whose career has been the most impressive and April 3 will be the deciding factor.”

“The fight is important because, I hate to say it, but first he is my rival, and I must defeat my rival. Secondly, this is the perfect opportunity and perfect timing. The fans wanted it, and since they?? couldn’t give them the other fight they wanted??, we’re going to give them something else.”

“What I have planned is simple. I will fight to get you off me, or I will fight to knock you out, whichever one comes first. Whichever comes first, that’s what I’ll be doing. I’ll knock you out to get you off me, or go after you and knock you out. It doesn’t matter.”

“The day ‘The Executioner’ will leave the boxing ring is going to be April 3rd.”

“The man’s so jealous of me that he doesn’t even want to see my kids watch the fight. He doesn’t want to see any resemblance of me near a boxing ring because it reminds him of that 17-year nightmare he’s had to face.”

“This is probably going to be win and go home for me, because after I win, they’re going to say I’m beating up old men and I shouldn’t fight anymore.”

Oscar de la Hoya, President of Golden Boy Promotions

“These are two legends that we all must respect. It’s not one of the best relationships, but now after 17 years we’ve been able to make the fight. The fact that this rivalry is still there shows how much they wanted this fight.”

“Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones Jr. are two of the most recognized names in the sport. You’ve got the Tyson’s and Holyfield’s, and then you have the Hopkins’ and Jones’.”

“This fight is so big, that these guys made the front page of the Wall Street Journal. In all my years of fighting, I’ve never even been on the front page of the Wall Street Journal, that shows you how big this fight is.”

John Wirt, CEO of Square Ring Promotions

“There’s so much passion and emotion in this fight. These guys really just plain don’t like each other and you know that’s what a fight is all about. A lot of it’s sport but a lot of it’s just that these two guys don’t like each other.”

Naazim Richardson, Hopkins’ Trainer

“Bernard Hopkins is one of the most well prepared athletes I’ve seen in my entire life, but I know that Roy Jones Jr. is going to show up and be the best Roy Jones you’ve seen in a while.”

Alton Merkerson, Jones’ Trainer

“Both of these gentlemen are very well rounded athletes and this is going to be a very interesting fight. Don’t have any doubt in your mind about whether these men are going to be ready. They are both going to be ready and train hard. On April 3rd it’s going to be a fight.”

# # #

The Rivals: Hopkins vs. Jones II is set for Saturday, April 3 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nev. The event will be broadcast live on pay-per-view beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

Tickets priced at $750, $500, $300, $200 and $100 are on sale now at all Las Vegas Ticketmaster locations (select Smith’s Food and Drug Centers and Ritmo Latino). Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also will be available for purchase at www.mandalaybay.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

The Hopkins vs. Jones II pay-per-view telecast begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and has a suggested retail price of $49.95. The telecast will be available in HD-TV for those viewers who can receive HD. The main event will begin live immediately following the college basketball semi-finals. For Hopkins vs. Jones II fight week updates, log on to www.goldenboypromotions.com.

An exciting undercard will be announced shortly. For more information regarding the April 3 event, please visit www.goldenboypromotions.com.

Legends Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones Jr. met the media in Los Angeles to discuss their long awaited rematch that will take place April 3rd in Las Vegas

15rounds.com Claudia Bocanegra was in New York City to capture the vivid images from “The Debate” press conference to announce the long awaited rematch between legends Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones Jr.

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I ran out of excuses for Roy Jones Jr. The weight loss, the cut-man, his father, the taping of the hands in Australia. I think we heard every excuse we need at this point. Some nights he shows up and rips apart a B fighter like Lacy, and the next fight he’s dropped by a B- Aussie. What has escaped Roy as he has aged is motivation and a sincere & consistent dedication to a fight plan inside the ring. When he commits himself he still shows us flashes of the speed and power that made him the best fighter of the 1990s. And when he doesn’t commit to a plan, he ends up on his back staring at the bright lights or pointing his finger at everyone in his corner.

Roy Jones is FINISHED!! And with that said, I’m going to tell you exactly why he beats Bernard Hopkins SOUNDLY on April 3rd in Las Vegas, which just happens to be where his original fall from glory took place on May 15, 2004 at the hands of the Magic Man, Antonio Tarver, who has since done a disappearing act of his own.

I’ve spent a lot of time studying Roy Jones Jr. over the past 20 years or so and have spent a lot of time with Roy and his camp as well. I know enough about Roy Jones to write a novel, certainly enough to know that there’s no way he loses this fight. Call it a gut feeling, call it a hunch, but if you want actual reasons, I’ll give it to you. Let’s start with looking at the type of fighters who have successfully defeated Roy Jones Jr.

Antonio Tarver: He happened to catch Roy at the right time and place. Despite what any critics might say, losing 25 lbs of muscle certainly takes its toll on the body. Tarver pressured Roy in their first bout. Roy’s body was not ready to handle what Tarver threw at him, and his reflexes were slow. But he fought valiantly in the championship rounds and eeked out a well-deserved decision over Tarver. Then May 15th came. Tarver caught Roy with a beautiful and flawless left hook that Roy never saw coming. Southpaws with power have always been dangerous fighters, especially to Roy Jones, so quite simply, he just tagged him. Right place, right time, left hook. End of story.

Glenn Johnson: While Johnson is not a notoriously powerful puncher, he stalked Roy Jones Jr. like no fighter I’ve ever seen. Top that off with a solid chin and he was just too much of a challenge for a fighter whose confidence was already shaken after the Tarver knock-out. Stalking fighters with high punch out-puts and a great chin can hurt Roy Jones Jr. See the next fighter……..

Joe Calzaghe: Do I need an excuse for this? He’s a southpaw with a great chin, a ridiculously high punch output who stalks his opponents, oh, and he NEVER LOST to ANYONE, including Bernard Hopkins. I don’t think Roy needed to look at his cut man for this one, he only needed to check the Compubox numbers.

Danny Green: I don’t know what happened that night in Australia. Roy got caught by a hard-punching cruiserweight as he tried to once again re-write boxing history. Looking ahead to B-hop? Time zone difference? Padded hand wraps? No one can be sure. But then again, he wasn’t counted out either, and according to Bernard Hopkins himself, the fight was stopped prematurely, hence why April 3rd is still on.

Describing the type of fighter that can beat Roy Jones doesn’t necessarily tell you why Bernard Hopkins can’t win. So let’s break it down. Speed. Roy has it, Hopkins doesn’t. Look at recent fights. Roy still shows blazing hand speed and superior footwork when compared to Bernard Hopkins. Power. The power of Roy Jones Jr. cannot be questioned. He packed a huge punch at Middleweight and carried it all the way to the Heavyweight Division. Chin. Ok, one checkmark for Hopkins. Experience. I think we can throw ring experience out the window when you’re talking about two future first ballot halls of famers.

Roy Jones Jr. will potshot Bernard Hopkins all night long. Hopkins will not be able to get off more than one punch at a time, and his ring generalship, which includes hooking his opponent’s arm and muscling him at angles where the referee cannot see it, will be a non-factor. Roy will hit him and get out. And when you’re talking Roy Jones Jr., any one of those shots can drop you at any time.

Bernard Hopkins is an old, slow, orthodox fighter with low punch output numbers who lacks one-punch power. He does not have the tools to defeat a 60 year-old Roy Jones Jr. When trying to predict the outcome of a sporting event, it is sometimes best to look at common opponents. I see that on May 22nd, 1993, they fought a common opponent. Roy defeated that guy via easy decision. You can expect the same on April 3, 2010.

Although Roy Jones Jr. did not last a round when he was stopped by Danny Green in Australia, Jones will get his (at one time) much anticipated rematch with fellow legend Bernard Hopkins according to espn.com

The fight likely will be April 17 at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer, Hopkins’ promoter, said.

“We worked very hard to keep this fight alive and we got it signed on Wednesday,” said John Wirt, the CEO of Square Ring, Jones’ promotional company. “We’re ecstatic that the fight was made and we’re looking forward to a great event. There’s been a long-standing rivalry between two of the preeminent boxers of our generation. This fight will establish once and for all who is the better fighter between Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones Jr. This is the fight Roy always wanted.”

“The interesting thing is the conversations never died down,” Schaefer said. “Even after Bernard won and Roy lost, the talks continued and different options were evaluated. But I just felt from talking to Bernard and from the conversations I had with John that they really wanted to fight each other.

“I think there is so much at stake for these guys. This is an event they have been waiting for for 17 years. They would not let anything get in the way of getting this fight finally done. I believe very strongly that at this point in their careers, after everything they have accomplished, I think this is a well-deserved fight for these two guys to finally get it on April 17. Love ‘em or hate em, they are two of the most recognized names in the sport of boxing.”

“The only thing I can say about the structure of the deal is that there is still a substantial financial benefit to the guy who wins by knockout,” Schaefer said.

“Those who write Roy Jones off are making a mistake because he will come in motivated more than ever because this is a personal showdown between these guys,” Schaefer said. “They were waiting a long time for this fight and here it is. Bernard, at this point in his career, keeps on defying mother time. For Bernard, after all the accomplishments, for him to get up for a fight, he also needs that personal motivation, and he will have it against Roy Jones.

“Those two guys, after all the talking and the build up, and the ups and downs and the cheers and disappointments, finally, they are going to meet again. Bernard won’t be judging Roy on his last performance. He knows that would be a big mistake. I think they will both come at their best because of how important this is to both of them.”