BOXING: JONES, HOPKINS SET FOR ONE LAST HURRAH.

Byline: Robert Morales Staff Writer

Roy Jones Jr. and Bernard Hopkins are nearing the end of their spectacular careers, and they will try to culminate them with a bang when they fight each other March 11 in either Memphis, Atlanta, Chicago or Washington D.C.

Richard Schaefer, CEO of Oscar De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions, said the deal was finalized Friday morning and both fighters have signed. Hopkins, who has fought virtually his entire career at middleweight, will move up to light heavyweight, Jones' most recent weight class.

This is a long-awaited rematch. Jones won a unanimous decision over Hopkins on May 22, 1993, to win the vacant International Boxing Federation middleweight championship.

That fight took place at RFK Stadium in Washington D.C.

The rematch will be available on HBO pay-per-view. The site could be announced as early as next week, but almost certainly during the first week of January.

``We have been negotiating for this fight,'' Schaefer said. ``Bernard Hopkins was in L.A. (Thursday) and we were able to finalize the deal.''

This will probably be the last bout for each fighter.

``It's sort of like the final chapter for both of these guys,'' Schaefer said. ``Jones is the only guy to really beat Bernard with no controversy. One guy, Bernard, went on to make a record 20 middleweight title defenses. The other, Jones, went on to win the heavyweight championship.

``Both have become legends.''

Hopkins (46-4-1, 32 KOs) is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions, and is a partner in the company.

Hopkins, 40, of Philadelphia, is coming off consecutive decision losses to Jermain Taylor after having made the aforementioned 20 middleweight title defenses in succession. His first loss to Taylor was very controversial, but the second fight could have gone either way.

Jones, 36, of Pensacola, Fla., is 49-4 with 38 knockouts. He has won world championships in the middleweight, super middleweight, light heavyweight and heavyweight divisions.

After making 11 light heavyweight title defenses, Jones moved up in weight and took the World Boxing Association heavyweight belt from John Ruiz via lopsided decision in March 2003.

Jones moved back down to light heavyweight and won a controversial majority decision over Antonio Tarver in November 2003. Tarver got revenge by knocking out Jones in the second round in May 2004.

Jones' career continued to slide when he was knocked out in the ninth round by Glen Johnson in September 2004. And in a third fight with Tarver in October, Jones lost a unanimous decision.

Robert Morales, [phone], Ext. 2213

robert.morales(at)sgvn.com

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo:

(1 -- 2) Twelve years after their first meeting Roy Jones Jr. (left) and Bernard Hopkins will fight again March 11. This may be their last fight.

Photos by Getty Images