Mandalay Bay will be the site Saturday night for the long overdue rematch between Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones Jr. The two met the first time May 22, 1993 in Washington, DC at RFK Stadium. By the way, the Redskins were still playing their games there at that time. The then unbeaten Jones captured the vacant IBF Middleweight Championship with a unanimous 12 round decision over Hopkins in what was a very tactical fight fought by both fighters, especially Bernard, who was not really fighting in his ‘executioner’ mode.

Jones simply was a bit better at the time. A bit better because he was the faster man, the quicker man and the better all around athlete. I remember having many conversations following this fight saying to anyone who would listen at the time that Bernard may have lost the fight with Jones but he would go on to become the greater fighter. That has proven to be correct, but it would take about 11 years for people to really discover this.

When Antonio Tarver knocked out Jones with one thunderous punch in 2004 in their rematch, we finally saw a glaring flaw in Jones exposed; his inability to take a punch. If there were any question marks about this being a fluke, Jones next fight would prove that although blessed with some brilliant stuff, an iron clad beard was not included, as he was knocked out cold by Glen Johnson who is not a big puncher. The knockout was scary as Jones laid motionless for what seemed like forever on that canvas in Memphis.

It was almost surreal that the seemingly invincible Jones, who had captured the Heavyweight Title from John Ruiz the prior year, was KO’ed in back to back fights. Jones is going into this fight coming off a first round knockout loss to Danny Green just four months ago. Nasty and ominous stuff for the once great fighter from Pensacola, Florida who thrilled us with his skills much like Manny Pacquiao is doing these days.

Roy was riding that Pacman kind of run and then???. What happened was somewhere along the way Jones lost a bit of his tremendous reflexes thus leaving him susceptible to actually being hit, and presto no chin or at least a weak one.

As for Hopkins, all during the time of Jones being pound for pound best of that time, Bernard was becoming one of the best of anytime winning the Middleweight Crown and successfully defending it a record 20 times, then stepping up to Light Heavyweight winning a title there and recently pulling of the upset over Kelly Pavlik.

I will spare you breaking the fight down and dissecting these two as you already know them well. I will just tell you what I said 17 years ago following Jones defeating Hopkins. I said Hopkins, because of his over all boxing skill and ring guile, would go on to become the better fighter. Now that both of these guys are old guys, Jones 41 and Hopkins at 45, the real skills of the sweet science will be exposed. Roy can no longer rely on the brilliant speed, quickness and reflexes. He is just a shell of the fighter of 17 years ago.

Although Bernard is now in his mid 40’s rather than late 20’s, he actually is a better fighter today than then, and a bigger one. Bernard who is not and never has been a big puncher will break Roy down and stop him in round 9. Hopefully Jones, who I have known a long time being a Florida guy, will retire before he gets hurt.

On the same night as Hopkins vs Jones, across the pond, David Haye makes his first defense of his WBA Heavyweight title against former 2-time Heavyweight Champ John Ruiz, who as mentioned earlier lost his Heavyweight Title to Jones in March of 2003. Haye captured his crown over the Giant Nicolay Valuev with a close decision five months ago in Germany. Ruiz lost twice to the Valuev, both were razor close and controversial, but that has been the case with nearly every Ruiz major win or loss, with the exception of David Tua blasting him out in about 17 seconds back in 1996.

Ruiz will make it tough on Haye just as he has with the likes of Evander Holyfield, Andrew Golota, James Toney, Hasim Rahman, and basically everyone. Ruiz, because of his holding, grabbing, scuffling, and whatever else he can get away with, can give you fits, and he has so much more experience against quality opposition than does Haye, who has only recently moved up to the Heavyweight division.

What Haye should have done was study what Roy did to Ruiz. Yes Roy Jones. Jones totally frustrated and baffled Ruiz with speed, agility, and movement, something Haye is totally capable of doing. Haye is still a work in progress, but if he is patient and just uses his athleticism and youth, (Haye is 29, Ruiz is 38), he should be able to out box and out point Johnny, but it will definitely be ugly at times, at least if Ruiz can help it.

I have mentioned a lot about age here with Hopkins vs. Jones both being past 40. On April 10, here in Las Vegas, it will be 47 year old former Undisputed Heavyweight Champ Evander Holyfield taking on 41 year old Francois Botha. Now help me do the math if you add up the ages of Hopkins vs. Jones, Holyfield vs. Botha, you come up with 174 years WOW. I guess we are all getting old.

One other thing that is getting older too is my TV show In This Corner, which is celebrating its Sixth Anniversary on the air today. I would like to thank all the networks that have carried us over the years starting with Empire Sports Network, The America One Network, Sportsnet NY, Comcast Sportsnet Chicago, Comcast Sportsnet South, Comcast Sportsnet California, Comcast Local Michigan, Altitude Sports and Sportstime Ohio. We couldn’t have done without these great networks that provided you with the only Boxing Interview Show in the Country!

Remember to keep your hands up and chin down.