By Bob Velin, USA TODAY
They are a combined 86 years of age and have 116 pro fights between them.
They both have Hall of Fame résumés, and both are Hall of Fame trash-talkers.
They met in the ring once, long ago, when both were young and hungry.
Now, 17 years later, Roy Jones Jr. and Bernard Hopkins, well past their primes, are finally realizing a rematch. They will meet in a 12-round, non-title light-heavyweight bout Saturday night at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas (HBO pay-per-view, 9 p.m. ET).
The 17-year span between fights is believed to be the second-longest in modern boxing history, behind Larry Holmes-Mike Weaver (1979 and 2000).
Jones, 41, is 5-5 in his last 10 fights, and has been knocked out three times, including a first-round TKO by Australian Danny Green in Sydney in December.
Hopkins, 45, has been far more successful after age 40, having won four of his last five fights, including wins against champions and former champions such as Antonio Tarver, Kelly Pavlik and Winky Wright. His only loss, a split decision, was to now-retired undefeated super middleweight champion Joe Calzaghe.
Hopkins credits his success to a strict diet and workout regimen supervised by noted personal trainer Mackie Shilstone, who has also worked with Jones.
"It's all about the person's style, lifestyle, the way he takes care of himself, and last but not least, genetics," Hopkins says. "I always come in shape."
Hopkins likes to say he does things his own way, not the way most others do it.
Thus he will have a friend, New York children's apparel magnate and part owner of the New Jersey Nets, Artie Rabin, sing Frank Sinatra's My Way as Hopkins enters the ring Saturday. Rabin will have help from Elvis Presley's old backup singers, the Sweet Inspirations.
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