BOXING

• Hopkins-Jones to meet April 3 in long-awaited rematch

  
  

  New York, NY (Sports Network) - Two of the generation's best pound-for-pound boxers, Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones Jr., are set to tangle in a rematch on April 3, albeit 17 years after the two first met in the prime of their careers.

  The hyped rematch was originally announced last September but stipulated that Hopkins and Jones win tune-up fights in December. While Hopkins took care of Enrique Ornelas in a unanimous decision, Jones was TKO'd in the first round by IBO cruiserweight champion Danny Green.

  Nevertheless, the two agreed to a bout that will likely pale in comparison to their battle on May 5, 1993, when Jones (54-6, 40 KOs) defeated Hopkins (50-5-1, 32 KOs) in a unanimous decision for the middleweight title.

  Hopkins, now 45, recovered from that loss and held the middleweight crown for over a decade.

  The Philadelphia native had 20 successful title defenses, including knockout wins over Felix Trinidad and Oscar de la Hoya, before losing two razor close decisions to Jermain Taylor. "The Executioner" is 4-1 since those fights, which includes handing Kelly Pavlik his first ever loss in October 2008.

  "A rematch with Roy has been in the back of my mind for a long time and it's finally going to happen," said Hopkins. "I have accomplished a lot in my career since that night in Washington, DC in 1993, and I am going to end this thing between me and Roy once and for all." Jones -- a former middleweight, super middleweight, light heavyweight and heavyweight champ -- has lost five of his last 10 fights.

  Still, the 41-year-old is confident in his abilities.

  "We're giving the fans what they want to see. They deserve this fight and why not supply the fans with what they demand?" Jones said. "Now I can finally terminate the Executioner once and for all. My new nickname for this fight will be - The Terminator."

  02/01 18:56:14 ET