Boxing

Hopkins hopes to set up July rematch with Jones

By Dan Rafael
ESPN.com






HOLLYWOOD, Fla. -- World light heavyweight champion Bernard Hopkins, in attendance at Saturday night's Samuel Peter-James Toney rematch at the Hard Rock resort, told ESPN.com he is in negotiations to face rival Roy Jones Jr. in a July 21 HBO PPV rematch.
Hopkins won the light heavyweight title in a virtual shutout of Antonio Tarver -- who is 2-1 against Jones -- in June, then retired.
Restless in retirement, Hopkins announced recently that he planned to return. He named Jones as one of the fighters he most wanted to face.
Jones, a former four-division champion, beat Hopkins on a decision for a vacant middleweight title in 1993, and there has been talk for several years that they eventually would meet again. However, even though they were close to a deal several times, it was never consummated.
Now, however, Hopkins thinks it will get done.
One reason a rematch might be made this time around: Jones, who turns 38 next week, doesn't have any other options for a significant fight.
"We're talking to Roy. We'd both like the fight," said Hopkins, adding that the financial split would be 60-40 in Hopkins' favor.
Hopkins said Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions, in which Hopkins is a partner, will meet with Jones next week in his hometown of Pensacola, Fla., to hammer out a deal.
Jones lost three in a row, including on brutal knockouts to Tarver and Glen Johnson, but won his comeback fight last summer when he outpointed Badi Ajamu.
If the Hopkins-Jones rematch is made, it would mark Jones' return to HBO, which fired him as an announcer in late 2005.
Hopkins said he intends to reunite with fitness guru Mackie Shilstone, who served as his conditioning coach as he moved up 15 pounds from middleweight to light heavyweight.
"I'm about 185 or 190 right now, but I will be back at 175 and be in great shape," Hopkins said.
Hopkins, who turns 42 next week, said he isn't coming back for just one fight.
"Three more," Hopkins said.
Hopkins (47-4-1, 32 KOs) said after fighting Jones (50-4, 38 KOs) he hopes super middleweight champ Joe Calzaghe will come up to light heavyweight to challenge him.
Hopkins' original HBO PPV date was July 14, but he said HBO moved it to July 21. Dan Rafael is the boxing writer for ESPN.com.

I hope Hopkins doesn't ruin his reputation. Any results from tonights fight? (No Showtime)

peters won ud

Hopkins will beat the shit out of Roy, I say TKO straight-up. Roy will pull out more than likely since he's not getting his 50%. Maybe he's finally let reality set in a bit?
I'm done with Toney. He didn't even man up to losing the fight when it was one of his worst fights ever! Dude needs to fuck off-

i wanna see mayweather vs pacman !

Mayweather is too strong for Pacquiao. I can never see this fight taking place b/c Pacman would have to go up three weight classes to fight him.

I didn't even know Hatton's fight was in Vegas, I may be trying to get some tickets to that today. Hopefully they'll be a lil easier to find then the tickets for the Cinco De Mayo fight between PBF and ODLH.

BTW...anyone know a boxing site were they state when boxing tickets will be released?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by rynmur04

Mayweather is too strong for Pacquiao. I can never see this fight taking place b/c Pacman would have to go up three weight classes to fight him.

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word ? i didnt know the weight difference was that much... but them 2 are the most exciting boxers to watch, thats why i made that statement.... mayweather vs. de la hoya dont excite me all that much to be honest....

PBF is at 147 after starting at (I think) 130. Manny will top out at 135 or so...dude started at 122 pounds. Plus, don't forget the "Mayweather being a pussy" factor; he'd never faight Pac in a million years.

hed win though right?? ^^ :P

hatton is fighting in vegas on saturday. any thoughts or care??

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Princerai

hatton is fighting in vegas on saturday. any thoughts or care??

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i was not too impressed with him after his last fight lets see if a move back down to his old weight class makes a difference or his he starting to fade

I agree with Hectis. I've been waiting for this fight to see if Hatton is going to pull away from that downside when he fought Collazo. Good night of fights though, Hatton by UD and Castillo by ko.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by rynmur04

I agree with Hectis. I've been waiting for this fight to see if Hatton is going to pull away from that downside when he fought Collazo. Good night of fights though, Hatton by UD and Castillo by ko.

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who would win out of hatton vs castillo?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by hectis

who would win out of hatton vs castillo?

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brilliant question,

ill sneak in an answer,
i reckon castillo would win cos he wud fight at welter most likely and not lightwelter that hatton prefers.

i saw hatton fight at welter, he had to work very hard. Castillo does well at welter.

general observation though.

Peace

Quote:

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Originally Posted by rynmur04

I agree with Hectis. I've been waiting for this fight to see if Hatton is going to pull away from that downside when he fought Collazo. Good night of fights though, Hatton by UD and Castillo by ko.

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Huh? Castillio won a split D, man...no KO. I pick Castillo over Hatton, for sure.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by benzo

Huh? Castillio won a split D, man...no KO. I pick Castillo over Hatton, for sure.

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Na, that's what I was guessing before the fight. check the date. Whenever Hatton and Castillo fight, I think Hatton will win. Castillo didn't look that impressive to me last week. imo

My bad dude, I misread that. You thought Hatton looked impressive? Both Castillo and Hatton were less than impressive but I think in JLC's case in was inactivity that hurt him the most. Hatton's clinching gets old to me. Peace-

Former heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko is ending a two-year retirement. Klitschko hopes to return to the ring to regain his WBC heavyweight championship. There is talk that a Oleg Maskaev-Klitschko bout could be staged in Moscow on April 21.

^^^^ Just saw that. I was hoping Vladimir would fight him, but hey hopefully it will be a good fight if it goes down.

Back to Hatton, I agree with benzo that both Hatton and Castillo looked sluggish, but Hatton knew he had the fight in the bag while he was clenching (after dominating Urango almost everyround), but Castillo went into the last round needing to win it. Anyways, I think this will be a good matchup and maybe we'll see it by summer.

Damn, Sam Peter is PISSED that Vitali is getting the title shot and not him. "I paid my sanctioning fees TWICE!!!" lol
I fully expect Castillo to emerge much better in his Hatton fight. Njoudjo was a tough fucker...

i also think castillo can take hatton. hatton is good, but not consistently "boxing serious".

this was summoned by Mayweather who called Hatton "fat" and even suggested he would come to England to fight him.

Funny how he didnt say that a year ago when Hatton was the shit after beating Kostya.

ha yea, Hatton didn't even let it get to him, saying how he can't pass a burger king without going in. any word on when castillo vs. hatton is taking place?

last week in the las vegas journal, it stated that a fight between winky wright and bernard hopkins was agreed to take place in florida over the summer. now this would be one entertaining fight, but of course nothing was signed and 100% guaranteed.

did any one see the sugar shane fight last weekend?

yes ^^^^, I liked the harris v. luzcana fight better. What was your score on that fight? I had that fight even until the bullshit deducted pt. in the 12th. As for the mosley v. collazo fight, I thought ssm was just plain out the better fighter.

Hopkins, Wright to fight at 170 pounds in July

ESPN.com news services

http://adsatt.espn.go.com/ad/sponsor...46x46-0068.jpg




Former middleweight and light heavyweight champion Bernard Hopkins is coming out of retirement to fight former junior middleweight champ Winky Wright on July 21 at 170 pounds. The site has not been determined.

http://espn.go.com/photo/2006/0712/box_g_wright_65.jpgWright

http://espn.go.com/photo/2006/0519/box_g_hopkins_65.jpgHopkins

Hopkins (47-4-1, 32 KOs) last fought against Antonio Tarver in June, dismantling him in what was at the time Hopkins' retirement fight.
Wright (51-3-1, 25 KOs) is coming off a unanimous decision over Ike Quartey and a controversial draw with middleweight champion Jermain Taylor. According to media reports the fight was signed last week and will be shown on HBO PPV.
Hopkins, 42, had said his fight against Tarver last June would be his final bout, win or lose. But having bulked up with the help of fitness guru Mackie Shilstone, Hopkins decided he still felt fit and that he still had fights left in him.
Hopkins said he originally pondered moving all the way up to heavyweight to challenge WBC champ Oleg Maskaev. When that didn't pan out, he asked Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions, to get him a fight against as big a name as possible. Bouts with super middleweight champ Joe Calzaghe, cruiserweight champ O'Neil Bell and Roy Jones Jr. were considered before the Hopkins-Wright match was made.
"At the end of the day, I think things worked out better for me. Almost everyone has Winky ranked up there among the top three or four pound-for-pound fighters. Beating him puts me right back there again, and at 42 years old, too," Hopkins said, according to the Philadelphia Daily News. "I can still compete at a high level. Time beats every athlete eventually, but it hasn't beaten me yet. I'm the Jerry Rice of boxing. My best fights are yet to come. I'm not saying I got 10 or 20 fights left in me, but I'm ready to fight the fights that matter and that need to happen."

omggg! ^^^^^
god damnn!

im gonna comment on that in a minute, i just got home and have to read into this!

ok just had dinner,

so hopkins comes back to fight winky?? thats deep! he maintains that his "mama" would be "OK" with him breaking his promise, that baffles me.

as for him fighting winky, thats bold and warrior-likish! i have total respect for him. at that age he exceeds all expectations. he whupped tarver, he might edge winky. its gon be a tight one for sure. we know winkys figting style, and bhop has been in the game so long, he would be aware of all styles.

this could be the fight of the year

97-92 for Powell over Ishe on all three cards???? They must've been in Brownsville or I was watching a different fight.

hatton vs castillo is going down i forgot the date but i seen it on espnews

Hmm..

Former heavyweight champ attempts comeback

CHESTER, W.Va. (AP) -- Former WBO heavyweight champion Tommy Morrison is staging a comeback, saying Tuesday that a positive HIV test that ended his career more than a decade ago was inaccurate.

"I'm negative and I've always been negative and that should be the end of it," Morrison said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press.

The 38-year-old will face John Castle in a four-round fight Thursday at Mountaineer Racetrack and Gaming Resort.

"The rug was yanked out from under my feet by a misdiagnosis," he said. "All I want to do is fight. ... It's unfinished business."

State Athletic Commissioner Steve Allred said Tuesday he approved Morrison's participation in the fight after reviewing medical records and consulting with the Association of Boxing Commissions' medical review committee. Allred said confidentiality laws prevent him from discussing Morrison's medical history or the records he reviewed.

West Virginia does not have mandatory blood testing for boxers.

"I assure you that West Virginia is doing due diligence to make sure everyone who steps into the ring is healthy," Allred said.

Morrison (46-3) and Castle (4-2) square off in one of seven bouts scheduled at Mountaineer.

Morrison won the WBO title in 1993 by outpointing George Foreman. He lost it later that year. Morrison, who was featured in the movie "Rocky V," also served a couple of years in an Arkansas prison on drug and weapons charges.

He announced he had human immunodeficiency virus in February 1996 and last fought in Japan that November, knocking out Marcus Rhode in the first round.

Morrison said Tuesday that he has taken several HIV tests while preparing for his comeback and all have been negative.

He has signed a contract with Top Rank promoters for at least eight fights this year.

"I have no doubt I'll be a better fighter than I ever was before," he said. "I am more relaxed. Something that comes along with age causes you to simmer a bit."

sports.yahoo.com

Quote:

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Originally Posted by check two

Hmm..

Former heavyweight champ attempts comeback

CHESTER, W.Va. (AP) -- Former WBO heavyweight champion Tommy Morrison is staging a comeback, saying Tuesday that a positive HIV test that ended his career more than a decade ago was inaccurate.

"I'm negative and I've always been negative and that should be the end of it," Morrison said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press.

The 38-year-old will face John Castle in a four-round fight Thursday at Mountaineer Racetrack and Gaming Resort.

"The rug was yanked out from under my feet by a misdiagnosis," he said. "All I want to do is fight. ... It's unfinished business."

State Athletic Commissioner Steve Allred said Tuesday he approved Morrison's participation in the fight after reviewing medical records and consulting with the Association of Boxing Commissions' medical review committee. Allred said confidentiality laws prevent him from discussing Morrison's medical history or the records he reviewed.

West Virginia does not have mandatory blood testing for boxers.

"I assure you that West Virginia is doing due diligence to make sure everyone who steps into the ring is healthy," Allred said.

Morrison (46-3) and Castle (4-2) square off in one of seven bouts scheduled at Mountaineer.

Morrison won the WBO title in 1993 by outpointing George Foreman. He lost it later that year. Morrison, who was featured in the movie "Rocky V," also served a couple of years in an Arkansas prison on drug and weapons charges.

He announced he had human immunodeficiency virus in February 1996 and last fought in Japan that November, knocking out Marcus Rhode in the first round.

Morrison said Tuesday that he has taken several HIV tests while preparing for his comeback and all have been negative.

He has signed a contract with Top Rank promoters for at least eight fights this year.

"I have no doubt I'll be a better fighter than I ever was before," he said. "I am more relaxed. Something that comes along with age causes you to simmer a bit."

sports.yahoo.com

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iif u were a boxer would u fight him?

Well, he said the first HIV test that came back positive, was a mistake. lol It took him this long to conclude that the first test was a mistake?

I can't believe Urkal's corner threw in the towel last night. I have to agree with Jim Lampley that open scoring fucks up everything. Judah vs. Cotto sounds like an interesting fight. I can see Judah pulling an upset.

Damn did this thread die? If not, what is everyone's thoughts on tommorow's fight?

hey sup?

didnt really die, it will awaken, especially after the fight!

Mexico awaits Barrera v Marquez!!

Marquez is a good counterpuncher, perhaps that may help him beat an older fighter. BUT i just have that feeling barrera will do it on by way of late(ish) KO! i really do..

what u think?

Yea, I agree that Barrera is going to win. A late rd. KO sounds convincing, but I can see Barrera even doing it in a mid rd. KO. Either way I have Barrera dominating most of the fight. Unfortunately, I'm not ordering the fight tonight, so I'm not sure if I'll get the chance to see it.

oh man, marquez did it! didnt watch the fight, so cant really judge it that much.
essentially barrera had floored him in the 7th i think, that shows what barrera can do, but hey on that night the better fighter won!

rematch?

Yo who won the fuckin fight meng??????

Just watched the replay on HBO. Yes, we definitely need a rematch between these two. It's only march, but this is the fight of the year so far. Marquez won the fight 116-111 on my scorecard. It would have been 114-112 (including the deducted pt. for hitting him on the ground) if the ref didn't miss Barrera's knockdown in the 7th. Anyways I don't think it matters, b/c Marquez was the better fighter that night imo.