NEW YORK, Feb 1 – Seventeen years after losing his first fight with Roy Jones Jr, Bernard Hopkins (pic) is to finally get his chance for revenge in April.
The non-title fight, at an as yet unspecified weight, will take place in Las Vegas on April 3, promoters said on Monday.
Hopkins (50-5-1, 32 knockouts) and Jones (54-6, 40 knockouts) have not met since a May 22, 1993 IBF middleweight title bout in Washington, where Jones claimed a unanimous decision.
“A rematch with Roy has been in the back of my mind for a long time and it’s finally going to happen,” long-time middleweight champion Hopkins, 45, who successfully moved up to light-heavyweight in his 40s, said in a statement.
A rematch had long be spoken of but after Jones suffered a first round knock-out defeat by Australian Danny Green in December, there were fears it would not take place.
Jones, 41, who has held world titles in four divisions from middleweight to heavyweight, was confident of repeating his victory over Hopkins.
“Now I can finally terminate the Executioner (Hopkins’ nickname) once and for all,” said Jones, who has lost five of his last 10 bouts. – Reuters
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