Hopkins-Jones rematch confirmed for April 17
by Scott Christ on Jan 14, 2010 9:23 AM EST
in Boxing News Analysis
32 comments
Looks like the rumors weren't far off. Despite a first round knockout loss in December to Danny Green, Roy Jones Jr. will get another payday when he faces Bernard Hopkins in a rematch 17 years in the making. The two will meet at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas on April 17. The fight will be on pay-per-view.
60-40 nobody cares about this fight. 60-40 they don't crack 250,000 buys on pay-per-view.
Here's what Richard Schaefer had to say about this farce:
"I think there is so much at stake for these guys. This is an event they have been waiting for for 17 years. They would not let anything get in the way of getting this fight finally done. I believe very strongly that at this point in their careers, after everything they have accomplished, I think this is a well-deserved fight for these two guys to finally get it on April 17. Love 'em or hate em, they are two of the most recognized names in the sport of boxing."
There is really nothing at stake for either of these guys. There is no personal issue here anymore. It's been 17 years since they fought, and about six years since this rematch was truly desirable. They're a couple of aged boxers looking to cash out.
Hopkins, who turns 45 on Friday, knows Jones is his safest "big money" opponent. Jones, who turns 41 on Saturday, knows Hopkins is unlikely to do any real damage to him. It's really as simple as that. This fight is about absolutely nothing but money, and if their guarantees are good, then good for them. They played the system one last time, because this fight is going to bomb on pay-per-view.
If you think about this from a business standpoint, it's almost funny. The last time Hopkins and Jones were in major PPV spots, they both tanked. Hopkins' October 2008 fight with Kelly Pavlik did awful numbers, and the next month, Jones' fight with Joe Calzaghe did even worse if you compare it to expectations. With the support of the worst HBO "24/7" ever, Calzaghe-Jones was expected -- by someone, apparently -- to do about 500,000 buys. It didn't do half.
Who would look at the economy, look at where these two guys are at in their careers, factor in their last PPV performances, and say, "Hey, let's stick this on PPV. Spend some money on it, too!"
I had some mild interest in this fight before Jones lost to Danny Green, but now it's just pointless. It's a Senior Tour event. Jones has not won a significant fight since 2003, when he beat Antonio Tarver in a fight a lot of people felt he lost. That same year, he beat John Ruiz for a heavyweight trinket.
Nothing on his record since then has been impressive. He has a win over a chubby Tito Trinidad and a win over triple-shot Jeff Lacy, who couldn't even hang with Jermain Taylor a year before he fought Jones.
As for Hopkins, I kind of feel like maybe we should re-evaluate where he's really at. He clearly has no intention of taking a serious fight against a serious contender. He did not look impressive at all against Enrique Ornelas in December -- he looked like the Bernard that beat Pavlik, except a little slower and against a worse fighter. It's no great shame to suggest that at 45, he's not exactly at his best anymore.
And his insistence on fighting Jones in this rematch doesn't say to me that he wants Jones that badly, it says to me that he doesn't want anyone else that badly. There are lots of fights they could have made instead. Hopkins has been trying to excuse Jones' loss to Green since the day it happened, serving as the world's only person to call it an early stoppage.
Weeks later, Jones filed a lame protest about the hand wraps, which I'm guessing will go away without much more coming out of it. They've been trying to excuse the loss so they could convince anyone that this meaningless rematch should go ahead.
They'll also be going head-to-head with Showtime's Super Six World Boxing Classic, a double-header featuring Carl Froch v. Mikkel Kessler and Andre Ward against the winner of Sakio Bika-Allan Green.
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Barf
I really hope that Hopkins officially announces retirement after that fight so that a Dawson-Pascal match in June or so can potentially be for the Ring belt. It’s obvious that Hopkins will do anything and everything to avoid Dawson at this point. While Dawson isn’t a draw, Dawson-Hopkins probably gets more money from HBO than this dreck will make on PPV.
If he’s not going to fight the only other credible opponent left, then he should just announce that he’s done so he doesn’t continue to hold the division’s championship hostage.
Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."
lol
How the hell is Tarver still ranked ahead of Pascal at this point? I guess it couldn’t be for the Ring belt anyway, and then there would only be the possibility if Yusuf Mack beats Glen Johnson later this month.
Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."
nothing but birdbrains working at golden boy.
first they epically failed in their absurd powerplay in the pacman negotiations and thus blow (so far) the biggest fight in history and now they put on a ppv fight that is not going to generate any buzz or have anyone interested in seeing anymore. not to mention they are going head to head against a much more relevant, exciting, interesting and much better card on showtime.
"Newspapermen ask dumb questions. They look up at the sun and ask if it is shining."
-Sonny Liston
@mikefareri on twitter.
My understanding is that Hopkins dictated this one personally
GBP is just along for the ride because Hopkins owns a small piece of GBP, and it would look bad if they didn’t at least back the fight in name. But my understanding is that all of this is being dictated by Hopkins personally and not the brass at GBP.
Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."
I took a poll
Well after talking to all my buddies that regularly get together to watch the fights, and will be gettin’ together for the Super 6 telecast, not surprisingly,..not one voted to get this on PPV. Not even split 4-5 ways. Peace!!
There must be reruns
of some decade old comedy show to watch on the 17th.
Sarcasm, at work
If the price for this price on PPV isn’t $9.99, then it won’t make any money. I know that’s a cheap shot!
If you always thought what you thought, then you wouldn't think what you knew.
Correction....
If the price for this fight on PPV isn’t $9.99, then it won’t make any money. The fact that it’s going to be PPV affected my typing.
If you always thought what you thought, then you wouldn't think what you knew.
by Haans Bishop on Jan 14, 2010 12:21 PM EST up reply actions
Please
Make this a “pink slip” match a la the WWE. Loser has to retire. Forever. (Unlike wrestling.)
by AsianSensation on Jan 14, 2010 12:36 PM EST reply actions
How about the winner also has to retire?
Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."
Now that would be interesting.
If you always thought what you thought, then you wouldn't think what you knew.
by Haans Bishop on Jan 14, 2010 1:57 PM EST up reply actions
I was hoping that Marlon Wright would be the ref.
Then he’d find some way to screw up. I suggest ending the round early, letting the fighters return to their respective corners and sit only to realize his mistake and then count out both fighters. Then show Bob Arum on the big screen saying “I didn’t screw Golden Boy; Golden Boy screwed Golden Boy.”
That would be kind of entertaining.
by AsianSensation on Jan 14, 2010 2:57 PM EST up reply actions
As for Hopkins, I kind of feel like maybe we should re-evaluate where he’s really at. He clearly has no intention of taking a serious fight against a serious contender. He did not look impressive at all against Enrique Ornelas in December — he looked like the Bernard that beat Pavlik, except a little slower and against a worse fighter. It’s no great shame to suggest that at 45, he’s not exactly at his best anymore.
Hopkins is still a top flight fighter. 75% of Hopkins is about 125% of what’s out there right now.
It’s obvious that Hopkins will do anything and everything to avoid Dawson at this point. While Dawson isn’t a draw, Dawson-Hopkins probably gets more money from HBO than this dreck will make on PPV.
Come on, now. That’s an outrageous statement. I’ve seen bigger crowds at Tijuana cock fight than at either of Dawson’s Tarver fights. To say Chad is not a draw is an understatement. I haven’t heard Chad making any noise about wanting a Hopkins fight, either. Hop would take Bad Chad to school.
"This fight'll be the nastiest thing you'll ever see. I been sober for six weeks, and that makes me vicious."
-- Randall 'Tex' Cobb
To fight Hopkins, though?
They would PPV that too.
"This fight'll be the nastiest thing you'll ever see. I been sober for six weeks, and that makes me vicious."
-- Randall 'Tex' Cobb
I doubt it
HBO probably won’t pick this fight up either. I’d bet it’s an independent PPV.
But after running a few numbers, you’re probably right. Assuming it’s not produced by HBO (in which case HBO picks up a lot of the costs, but also gets a lot of the revenues), and assuming HBO would pay around $4million for Dawson-Hopkins (which feels about right to me), then this would need about 100,000 buys to make more money than would Dawson-Hopkins, plus they’re guaranteed that the live gate would be better.
Chad’s called out Hopkins a bunch of times before. He’s just given up on it by now.
Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."
The other assumption
was that they can charge $50 on the PPV. Jones’ recent PPVs have been $30, and independent GPB PPVs are usually $40, so that might not be right. It’s also assuming that there’s a crap undercard where they don’t really need to pay anyone much.
Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."
undercard guess is still:
BJ Flores-someone lame
Danny Jacobs-someone lame
Jorge Linares-someone lame
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
by Scott Christ on Jan 14, 2010 5:57 PM EST up reply actions
Commentary guess
Some guy who really loves both Jones and Hopkins and is willing to absolutely salivate over the one doing better.
"Honey i forgot to duck" - Jack Dempsey
by Drunken cutman on Jan 14, 2010 6:07 PM EST up reply actions
Col. Bob Sheridan it is
Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."
Jones, who turns 41 on Saturday, knows Hopkins is unlikely to do any real damage to him.
I think in all this Grandpa Senior Tour stuff, a certain fact is getting lost: Hopkins will utterly destroy Jones. Roy’s resistance is practically nil at this point. Calzaghe opened him up like a soda can, and now Green has overwhelmed him in one round. He’s been sparked ice cold a few times over the years. Sure, Hopkins is no brutal puncher, but I honestly don’t see Roy going 12 rounds with him here in 2010. This fight will be stopped to save him.
"This fight'll be the nastiest thing you'll ever see. I been sober for six weeks, and that makes me vicious."
-- Randall 'Tex' Cobb
You're right
but I’m not sure that Hopkins has an easy night against Dawson at all. Hopkins looked great against Pavlik who is rather slow, Dason is rather fast. Obviously that’s not enough in itself but I think that father time may be catching up with Bernard, and he only fought once last year, against low level opposition. Nothing wrong with a tune up but I’m not convinced that he isn’t going to look a lot older the next time he gets in with top opposition.
Of course he’s defied time, and me, up till this point so he probably sees no reason to stop now!
"Honey i forgot to duck" - Jack Dempsey
by Drunken cutman on Jan 14, 2010 4:56 PM EST up reply actions
And the fight will
prove nothing: that’s the real con, trying to sell any idea that this is a long awaited rematch that answers any questions out there. I wouldn’t ppv this with someone else’s money.
by Don From Prov on Jan 14, 2010 8:35 PM EST up reply actions
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on ME. This bout is like Duran-Leonard III when both guys were in there for a payday, and not for a fight. I wasted maybe $20 for that closed circuit abortion, and I sure as hell won’t support Jones-Hopkins getting a payday….especially with money out of MY pocket. Screw ’em.
it won't
It’s going to PPV. There’s no question about that. The only question is if HBO throws their hat in to produce or even distribute (as they did with Golden Boy’s Casamayor-Marquez PPV). I’m guessing they might distribute, but this will be a Golden Boy/Square Ring event.
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
by Scott Christ on Jan 14, 2010 6:20 PM EST up reply actions
Well crap...
Now I just hope it isn’t going to cost me an arm and a leg to actually watch the fight on my tv.
Just might have to stream it for free from my computer.
I reckon it's not just about the money for Hopkins.
Bernard has nothing left to prove – especially at his age. He doesn’t need a Dawson fight to define his legacy. Getting Roy back in the ring, for what is probably his final fight, would be his best case scenario. He calls his own shots, he wants RJ, good on him. And if they wanna hold it in a gym down here I’ll set it up.
"Anytime you go thirty rounds with a guy, try to kill each other, and have the utmost respect for each other, no one understands that, but guys who have been to war understand it." - Micky Ward on Arturo Gatti.
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