By James Slater: Although they went 1-1 in a lengthy, yet not too exciting rivalry, there is no debate that Bernard Hopkins has aged considerably better than has Roy Jones Junior. The two met as young middleweights way back in 1993, with R.J winning a fairly wide unanimous decision. It was a long 17-years before the two all-time greats met again; with “The Executioner” prevailing via an ugly 12-round UD this time around.
That rematch fight took place thirteen months ago, and since then 42-year-old Jones has been absent from the ring. Hopkins, four years older at 46, has done far better; even if he has engaged in one fight only since the “revenge” win over the once sublime Jones – holding the best light-heavyweight out there in Jean Pascal to a controversial draw last December.
Tomorrow night, in countries many miles from one another, the two ageing yet still celebrated legends will again attempt to defy Father Time – Hopkins in a return match with Ring magazine 175-pound king Pascal, Jones in a non-title but highly risky match with once-beaten cruiserweight contender Denis Lebedev. The consensus says Hopkins, 51-5-2(32) has a far better chance of success than does the 54-7(40) Jones; a fighter who has been winless in three of his last five.
Russia’s 31-year-old Lebedev, 21-1(16) and a southpaw, is massively hungry for a second world title shot and he feels a crushing win over a legend will steer him towards one. This means bad news for a Jones who, after being iced inside a round by Australia’s Danny Green, boasts a 0-1 record as a cruiser. Make no mistake, it will be a huge upset if Jones wins tomorrow night in Moscow, even if few fans outside of the city are truly interested in the scheduled 12-rounder.
To the fear of many fans – those who remember how awesome Jones was in his prime especially – Lebedev will score a brutal, quick, embarrassing KO on Saturday night; thus hammering the final nail into the coffin of a once sensational career. Indeed, it would take a brave man to put any serious cash on a Jones win. But what of the Hopkins fight?
“The Executioner” has a real chance to come home from Canada having made boxing history. If the 46-year-old can topple Pascal, he will smash beloved heavyweight hero George Foreman’s record as the oldest man to have ever won a world title. The fans (and the odds-makers) seem to be giving Hopkins a slight edge over Pascal, feeling as they do that ’Nard will come through yet again. But is the Philly folk hero pushing his luck by even taking this fight?
Jones has seemingly long since stopped worrying about pushing his luck, but Hopkins has thus far either gotten away with doing the same or he’s defied all logic due to how he is in possession of the most ageless skills seen since the days of the late Archie Moore. But even “Ageless Archie” ran out of miracles eventually.
Should both Jones and Hopkins be sat at home or in the TV studio today, reflecting on their past glories as they give their expert opinion on the best gladiators of today? After all, both men enjoy highly respected positions as experts/pundits. It’s not as if either guy would be lost from boxing if they hung up the gloves, is it?
For my money – and it will be an admittedly sad day if my money is headed in the right direction – BOTH living legends will lose tomorrow and so will their fans.
With Jones, as faded as he is, it can only be hoped he comes out without being too badly hurt. With Hopkins, after he loses a wide decision (maybe, dare I say it: a KO loss!?) it is to be hoped he resists the idea of a third fight or of continuing on for other fights.
Two greats who have been so closely linked for so long will, in my opinion, both be bested by age tomorrow night.
Look for Jones to be KO’d inside seven-rounds, and Hopkins to either lose a wide decision or be stopped late on.