Bernard Hopkins, 44, may be boxing's most notable "senior," but he's not the only one. Combat sports in general are seeing athletes push on into their mid-40s as top competitors. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

View full size photo »

Bernard Hopkins will turn 45 on January 15. One day later, his old rival Roy Jones Jr. turns 41.

And if they have their way, the two of them will meet sometime in the months after, in a rematch that has been brewing for almost 17 years.

Both have obstacles to get past on December 2. Hopkins will look to shake off some rust against tough Mexican Enrique Ornelas in Philadelphia, Hopkins' hometown where he's never lost (10-0 career). Jones will be in Australia to take on minor cruiserweight titlist Danny Green. Should both win, the papers are already signed and drawn up. They'll meet again in 2010. They fought way back in 1993, with Jones winning a decision that Hopkins considers the only legitimate loss of his career.

They are probably the two best of boxing's 40-plus contingent, but it's a demographic that is changing, and changing the way we think about athletic primes. In other sports, a lot of these late-career surges have come from the use of performance-enhancing substances. Neither Hopkins nor Jones has ever failed a post-fight drug test. The same can't be said of 41-year old James Toney, who has done so twice, but Toney, too, continues on in search of glory.

Really, we're seeing what happens with the continued evolution of training, nutrition, and strength and conditioning coaches that have made age if not nothing more than a number, then at least closer to that old cliche becoming a genuine reality.

Evander Holyfield, 47, keeps looking for another heavyweight title fight. He does so foolishly, but the Holyfield types are becoming more the exception than the rule. Even Jones, once thought to be washed up after back-to-back knockout losses to Antonio Tarver and Glen Johnson a few years back, has rebounded to spring back into legit contention at 175 pounds yet again. Fellow former heavyweight titleholder Oliver McCall, 44, continues to fight as well.

Current WBC cruiserweight titlist Giaccobe Fragomeni of Italy turned 40 in August. Light heavyweight has been chided as a Senior's Tour in boxing the last couple of years, but Glen Johnson (40) and Antonio Tarver (40) are still in the division's top ten for legitimate reasons. Tarver has given no indication that he plans to keep his career going following his second loss to Chad Dawson in May, so he might or might not be out of the conversation soon. Junior middleweight contender Verno Phillips turns 40 in just a couple of weeks.

It's a select few, and Hopkins is certainly one of a kind in boxing. He has never truly slowed down from his prime; he's not the same "Executioner" that made mincemeat of the middleweight division for 10 years, no, but he's a top pound-for-pound fighter even still.

Yet you can't help but wonder if this is going to keep becoming more and more the norm. Shane Mosley is 38 and as a welterweight, has shown no actual signs of getting slower, weaker or older. Floyd Mayweather Jr. is only 32, but has fought in such a way and is so much more than reflexes that if he wanted to, he seems like the kind of guy that could go on forever as a top boxer.

In MMA, some similar things have happened. Surely everyone has heard of Randy Couture by now, the 46-year-old UFC superstar whose career has been amazing to watch. Couture was pulling "Hopkins over Pavlik"-style beatdowns before before Bernard really knew who Pavlik was. Couture has slowed, yes, but still holds his own to say the least.

And Couture is rumored to be facing Mark Coleman at UFC 109 in February. Coleman turns 45 in December. Couture-Coleman nearly happened 11 years old, but was scrapped when Couture was injured. In some ways, Couture-Coleman and Jones-Hopkins II could mirror one another. They're both fights past their due dates, but with some intrigue in both cases, and there will be a fair number of fans looking to turn back the clock with the fighters for both of those bouts.

Fighting is still a young man's game. Scan the top fighters, and generally we're talking about guys who are 26 to 32 years of age. But the dinosaurs are getting harder and harder to kill off, and no matter how many times the younger generation of fighters keeps saying they'll retire before 35, I keep wondering whose fights we'll still be talking about coming next week in 2020.

The December 2 fight between Roy Jones Jr. and Danny Green will air on the Versus Network in the United States. Versus will also show Bernard Hopkins' return against Enrique Ornelas on the same evening. (Photo via resources2.news.com.au)

View full size photo »

Boxing fans in the United States (who don't have DirecTV) will be treated to a special two-fight night of the sweet science on the Versus Network on December 2, as the network has picked up a same-day tape delay airing of Roy Jones Jr.'s fight in Australia with Danny Green to go along with their airing of Bernard Hopkins' return to the ring. Hopkins faces Enrique Ornelas in Philadelphia.

The fights, of course, are being set up to get both Jones and Hopkins ready for a 2010 rematch.

I'm glad Versus will be picking up the Jones fight so that we aren't forced to pay PPV prices to see Jones and Green, although Danny Green is Roy's best opponent since Joe Calzaghe took him to the woodshed in 2008. But as much as I thought early on that I was all on board with Jones-Hopkins II, I think I'm starting to change my mind on that one. It seemed neat in theory, but here we are inching toward the reality of the 45-year old Hopkins and the 41-year old Jones (who both celebrate birthdays on back-to-back days in January), and it's starting to really hit home.

Like, seriously? A rematch of a 17-year old bout that wasn't even a good fight?

My mind might wind up changing again, but I also know I'm entirely not too keen on paying the $45 HBO PPV pricetag that Jones-Hopkins II will carry. It's just not a relevant enough fight, especially when I know for damn sure the undercard will stink and that frankly the fight itself will probably be a bore, too. Both of them can talk a big game about going for the KO to get 60% of the purse, but I don't think Jones has enough pop to stop Bernard, and Hopkins has never really fought for knockouts. Do 45-year old dogs learn new tricks? And even if you consider both top five at light heavyweight, which is easy to do, what's next for either after that? Overdue retirement?

I do still find it to be an intriguing style matchup, given that Bernard has struggled with quicker guys that make him work hard in recent years, but is it really that interesting? I don't know. We'll see. After all, I've already changed my mind once.

Also, the Green-Jones fight, for those wondering, is for Green's paper trinket at cruiserweight, and from what I understand they'll be fighting with a 185-pound limit.

The talk between Danny Green and Roy Jones Jr. is heating up a bit as the two inch closer to their December 2 fight in Sydney. (Photo via images.watoday.com.au)

View full size photo »

The only thing standing in the way of that long-awaited, long-overdue rematch between Roy Jones Jr. and Bernard Hopkins in 2010 is the December 2 fight between Jones and Danny Green in Sydney, Australia, and that fight is now heating up in the Aussie press.

Yesterday, Jones said he would have preferred to skip out on the bout:

''I'm in a very difficult situation. I respect Green. I know we signed and I thought maybe I should just pull out. But I can't deny Danny. This is one of the biggest fights in the history of his country. This is how it is. So I'll give him the biggest fight in his country and that will get me ready for Hopkins and the biggest fight in my country. I'd rather let the Green fight go, but I'm a man of my word. It wouldn't be fair to back out.''

Despite Roy's declaration of respect for Danny Green, the Australian wasn't so kind:

"I can see it, I have this recurring vision that I've got and haven't had this feeling for a long time. I can envisage an earlier than 12th round stoppage by myself against Roy Jones Jr. Knocking Roy Jones out is going to put me right at the top of the mountain and to beat him in the form he's in is going to make it more of an achievement. The respect's gone, it's in the past. The bloke's coming to knock me out and that's a very personal thing to do in front of my family and friends."

Jones responded:

"It all depends on how Danny comes out there. If he's going to hit me hard as hell early, because I know he's strong, he's quick, it'll piss me off and from there, there we go. Danny brings what he brings but I don't think he will see the 12th round."

Jones is also talking about being "world champion" in a fifth division, since Green will be putting up the IBO cruiserweight title he was awarded for beating Julio Cesar Dominguez on the Jones-Lacy undercard in August. The IBO title isn't really a recognized major title at all (though to be fair, I think I agree with their philosophies on ranking fighters a lot more than I do any other sanctioning body's), and it's a hollow cruiserweight title at best should he win.

For the record, Green is a former super middleweight contender and light heavyweight titlist, and I think the IBO cruiser strap was put on the line against Dominguez simply so that if and when Green-Jones came about, Jones could be fighting for a title in another division. Green weighed a shade under 180 for the fight, and I don't expect either man to come in much over their more natural 175 pounds for their December fight.

There's still been no official word on whether or not Green-Jones will be another small Jones pay-per-view in the States, as it would take place on a Wednesday in Australia, which is the day of most of the big Aussie fights. It'd seem a waste to not try and bleed some American money out of this, even though they'll both be making a good chunk of change in what should be one of the biggest fights ever on Australian soil.

The last time we saw Bernard Hopkins, he was giving Kelly Pavlik a boxing lesson. The next time we see him, he might be looking to avenge a nearly two-decades old loss to fellow legend Roy Jones Jr. (Photo via a.espncdn.com)

View full size photo »

Before anyone gets TOO excited, do remember that this has happened before. These two have agreed to fight and then the money becomes an issue and nothing happens.

But, Dan Rafael of ESPN.com reports that Roy Jones Jr. and Bernard Hopkins have agreed in principle to a 2010 rematch, a quick follow-up on Jones discussing the fight just the other day. The deal is pretty simple. They're agreeing to a 50-50 split, unless there is a knockout. In that event, 60% goes to the winner, 40% to the loser. It's incentive for them to bring it and go for the finish.

Golden Boy's Richard Schaefer and Square Ring's John Wirt hammered out the deal. The fight depends on Jones winning his December 2 bout in Australia with Danny Green, a dangerous enough fighter to beat Jones for sure, and now an even more interesting fight.

Like I said the other day, I'm happy with it. I'd LOVE if they'd not try to sell this thing on pay-per-view, but they will. Both are egomaniacs -- no offense to either of them, they've earned their opinions of themselves -- and will want plenty of money to make this happen, and it's probably the biggest fight for either of them, too. But neither of them exactly sold like hotcakes in their last PPV outings, back-to-back in October and November of 2008. Hopkins did just 195,000 buys against Kelly Pavlik and has never been a major drawing card, and Jones did 225,000 the next month against Joe Calzaghe, less than half of what HBO and the fighters/promoters were projecting.

As a pay-per-view, this looks like the Seniors Tour fight some may criticize it for being. As a World Championship Boxing event, it's very inviting, a treat for fans of both men. But if the promoters and networks feel it out and believe this can make money on PPV, they'll go there, and I'll be there to buy it. Roy still has a very loyal fanbase that has never abandoned him, and B-Hop has his fans, too. We'll see how it all shakes out from here, and this fight is no guarantee yet, but it all looks good for now.

Roy Jones Jr. says he's received an offer from Bernard Hopkins. The two would potentially fight in early 2010, a rematch of a fight that happened in 1993. (Photo via a.espncdn.com)

View full size photo »

Speaking with Ben Thompson of FightHype, Roy Jones Jr. revealed that Bernard Hopkins has agreed to a 50-50 split for a potential February rematch between the two living legends...with a wrinkle. If the fight ends in a knockout, the winner receives 60%, with the loser getting 40%.

When asked why Roy thinks Bernard supposedly changed his mind about a 50-50 split, he had this to say:

"I guess the power of the people. When people read that interview you did, I think they probably realized that it wasn't Roy holding up the fight, you know what I mean? Before they were saying Roy this and Roy that, but it ain't Roy. Roy ready to do whatever the people want to see Roy do. Roy ain't got no reason to fight Bernard. Roy ain't chasing Bernard for no reason. Somewhere he had in his head that I'm chasing him. I'm not chasing him."

Jones said a few weeks ago that he believes the public isn't interested in Hopkins fighting Tomasz Adamek or Chad Dawson, and I thought that might be interesting to look at, so we did a small poll and it turns out Roy might just be right. 344 people answered in that poll, and 216 said they'd prefer Hopkins fight Jones in a rematch for his next bout. 72 picked Dawson, 45 picked Adamek, and 11 picked the ever-dangerous Other.

And then the more I thought about it, the more I liked the fight, for both of them. Hopkins going up and winning the legit championship at cruiserweight from Adamek would be quite meaningful and yet another feather in his cap, but it's no gimme fight whatsoever, and I really do believe that poll might be the real deal. The public would rather see Jones-Hopkins II. It's two legendary names going at it in a rematch that is long overdue. There's no question Roy won the first fight, but there's also no question Hopkins got a lot better after that.

I also still believe that a fast-handed fighter that can outwork Hopkins is a guy that can beat Hopkins. Jones hasn't beaten an opponent on that level in years now, but B-Hop might still be tailor made for him, even considering that Hopkins is still universally considered a pound-for-pound top ten fighter and Jones is considered shot by most.

Jones also said he's even received a contract:

"[Golden Boy] sent a bad contract, but of course, my lawyer John Wirt is on top of that. We won't be signing that one, but we'll figure it out."

And he added that he believes the fight is being talked about for February, but that he'd fight in January. He also has no plans to scrap his December 2 fight in Australia with Danny Green.

Some people might see it as a Seniors Tour event, but I say bring on Jones-Hopkins II. There's legit dislike between them, they're talking about a very interesting way of doing the split, and I think they're two guys that genuinely want to shut the other one up after all these years.

Roy Jones Jr. and Danny Green may meet on December 2 in Sydney, Australia. The fight was tentatively scheduled for November 21. (Photo via images.watoday.com.au)

View full size photo »

The upcoming fight between Roy Jones Jr. and Australian star and fringe cruiserweight titlist Danny Green was tentatively scheduled for November 21 in Sydney, but BoxingScene.com has learned that discussions are shifting toward a Wednesday, December 2 date instead.

Australian promoters believe the fight will make more money on that date, as many big Australian fights are held mid-week. The more traditional American Saturday date in November won't really drive any American money, as this is likely to be another small Jones PPV at best.

Frankly, I welcome the idea, and would probably be more likely to buy the show if it were offered as a Wednesday night PPV here. November 21 has competition on American TV from Showtime's Super Six World Boxing Classic. Mikkel Kessler and Andre Ward square off that night. I love mid-week boxing, miss the hell out of Wednesday Night Fights (and even Tuesday Night Fights from when I was a kid), and would really dig a nice winter's eve, relaxing and watching Jones-Green, which I actually think is a somewhat interesting fight. Green's a tough dude and a win over Jones would be huge for him, and he's also not a shot bum so I couldn't keep doing that thing where even if in the back of my head I'm kind of impressed with Jones, I know up front it means very little. That's what happened with the Lacy fight.

Plus, if they all make more money this way, that's great for them. Australia has a very lively boxing scene with some great fans, and this fight should go over gangbusters down there.