By Dean Berman: Bernard Hopkins has a message to Roy Jones Jr. that the two can break the 1-1 tie they have by facing each other in a rubber match in Russia. Hopkins believes that his win over Jones in 2010 was a bitter pill for him to swallow, and he’s having nightmares still about the defeat. If that’s the case, then Jones is having additional nightmares about his losses to other fighters.
Jones beat Hopkins in 1993 while the two were in their prime. In 2009, Hopkins defeated Jones in a rematch by a 12 round decision.
Former two division world champion Hopkins (55-8,-2, 32 KOs) says he’ll meet Jones halfway in terms of weight. If Hopkins asks Jones to take too much weight off, he could wind up with him being weight drained. That would be a terrible fight. Their last fight in 2010 was horrible to watch, as Jones could no longer pull the trigger on his punches.
Jones (66-9, 47 KOs) spent the last six years of his career fighting at cruiserweight, so he would need to drop down a little to face B-Hop. Hopkins finished his career at light heavyweight.
This week the two former superstar fighters have been calling each other out. Jones, 50, let Hopkins know that he’s ready to fight him but he just wants him to tell him what weight he wants to meet at.
Hopkins tells Roy Jones Jr – “we can settle the rubber match
“RJ, rooster man. Whether he’s rooster man or RJ,” said Bernard Hopkins to Fighthub about Roy Jones Jr. “I’m going to pluck his feathers if he’s rooster, and I’m going to change his R to a JR., because he is a Jr. We can settle the rubber match. I think it was a great idea that was brought to me by some high powered people in Russia. Legitimate people, as my team researched. If Roy is serious, and can meet me halfway to where he is now. I don’t care where he’s at. If I’ve got to go up, I’ll go up halfway. He’s got to come down, and we’ve got to do what we’ve got to do.
“We’ll settle the score in the rubber match, and guess what I’ll call it? ‘The rubber match,’ because he’s always having nightmares of me redeeming myself 10+ years ago. He really didn’t like that. If their serious like I heard, then the next couple of weeks leading up to 2020, stay tuned. There will be more information to determine the credibility to tell whether this is a promotional stunt whether it’s serious,” said Hopkins.
Hopkins says he’s weighing a solid 185 pounds right now. He hasn’t done any sparring or shadow boxing inside the ring since his last fight against Joe Smith Jr. in December 2016. Hopkins was knocked out of the ring by a punch from Smith in the 8th round, and he was too hurt to get back in. For his part, Jones fought last year in February in defeating journeyman Scott Sigmon by a one-sided 10 round decision.
Hopkins hasn’t spoken to his team yet about Jones
“To be honest, I haven’t even spoken to my team yet, which is Golden Boy, because it’s really fresh,” said Hopkins. “Behind the scenes things happen, as you know. Whatever it is that I can get my hands on his body, and prove that I am the same fighter that wanted that fight years ago and got it. But the rubber match will seal the deal. Why would you want to go to a nursing home in 10 to 20 years from now knowing that we’re 1-1? We’re a draw right now.
“I’d rather you watch us wherever that’s going to be rather than watching us in a nursing home with our canes, smacking each other, and they’re trying to break us up and put us in our room. That’s a possibility. So would you really want to see us in that condition – two grumpy men – or would you rather see us at a senior citizen prom. A senior citizen gets another 20 years added. I’m 54, and I believe Roy Jones is 52,” said Hopkins.
I don’t know if you can say that a third fight between Hopkins and Jones will seal the deal or not. It proves nothing for either guy. The winner of the fight will only show which old timer has more left at his age. What we do know is when the two in their prime, Jones completely outclassed Hopkins in beating him by a 12 round decision. Although the judges scored the fight for Jones 116-112 x 3, you can argue that Hopkins didn’t win one round. This writer watched the fight again, and to give Hopkins any rounds of the fight would be a huge stretch. He was beaten to the punch all night long, and embarrassed by Jones.
Hopkins is still thinking it over
“Yeah, I’m entertaining the conversation and the possibility,” said Hopkins. “But like I said, let’s see the days lead to months and the closing out of 2019. I’m always training. That’s all that matters. Everything else is muscle memory. Once a fighter always a fighter. Have I been hit since my last fight? No. Have I been in the ring shadow boxing and hitting the pads? No. But have I been living a lifestyle that I preached around the world?
“Yes. So there’s no detoxing of the things I stayed away from during the 20+ years of my career. Right now I’m weighing 185 pounds. A tight 185. Some would say you don’t look that heavy, but I am. All muscle. I won’t be on a vegan diet if that fight come to fruition. So stay tuned. Just imagine 8 weeks of camp for a 54-year-old, who’s really not 54 health-wise but numbers wise, I am what I am,” said Hopkins.
There’s not much for Hopkins to decide. If there’s someone that is willing to pay both guys good money to fight in a trilogy match, Hopkins will likely grab the fight with both hands. It’s unclear how they would show the fight to U.S audiences. If it’s on pay-per-view, it probably won’t be successful, but you never know. A lot of boxing fans are excited at the prospects of watching Youtube celebrities KSI and Logan Paul fight each other. If fans are willing to watch non-boxers flail away at each other, then Jones vs. Hopkins III would be a great fight.
