Though modern greats Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones Junior are all even at 1-1, no-one is calling for a deciding rubber-match. In fact, no-one really wanted to see the April 2010 rematch the two had. By this time, Jones was a seriously faded force, having been KO’d in quite disturbing fashion more than once (in fact, in his fight prior to the Hopkins return; with Danny Green stopping the once untouchable Jones in a single round up at cruiserweight) and Hopkins won a wide decision over the man who outpointed him in a world middleweight title fight way back in 1993; the revenge win really proving nothing.
But now, incredibly, the two are talking about fighting a third time.
Hopkins, 55-8-2(32) is 54 years of age (he will turn 55 in January) and he has not fought since being stopped by Joe Smith Jr. in December of 2016. Jones, 66-9(47) is 50 years of age (he will turn 51 in January) and he has not fought since winning a decision over Scott Sigmon in February of 2018. But the two are seemingly serious: they want to fight one another again.
Hopkins spoke with FightHype, and he called out Jones:
“Hey, Roy, we are one and one. You have one, I have one. Let’s break the tie,” B-Hop said whilst out in Cancun, Mexico at the WBC convention. “We can go to Russia, China or anywhere in Europe.”
Jones soon issued a reply, also in speaking with FightHype:
“We can do it any time, anywhere. You all know me, I don’t play, I stay ready. I’ve been waiting for some opportunity like this anyway so let’s get it on. Now tell me what weight so I can get down there, I know I’m bigger than him. Tell me what weight so I can start getting in that direction.”
So could this fight actually happen! It sounds crazy, but then so did Nigel Benn announcing how he was coming back (to fight Sakio Bika) – at age 55 and after 23 long years out of the ring! Nobody, it seems, can stop ageing fighters from coming back to the ring if they wish to do so. Neither Hopkins nor Jones should fight again, but if they really want to do it, it seems they will.
At a combined age of 104, or 106 if the fight takes place after next January 16th, Hopkins Vs. Jones Jr. III would surely set a world record for the two oldest former world champions to have fought. But would YOU watch the fight if it happened?
