AMERICAN boxing greats Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones Jr are to have a rematch – 17 years after their first bout. The non-title fight, at an as yet unspecified weight, will take place in Las Vegas on April 3.

“A rematch has been in the back of my mind for a long time and it’s finally going to happen,” said Hopkins, 45, who lost to Jones when they met in 1993.

Jones, 41, has lost five of his last 10 bouts, including a first-round knockout by Danny Green in December.

Despite the defeat by Australian Green, which left a rematch with Hopkins in doubt, Jones is confident of repeating the 1993 victory over his rival, which gave him the vacant IBF middleweight title.

“Now I can finally terminate the Executioner once and for all,” said Jones, who has held world titles in four divisions from middleweight to heavyweight.

Former world middleweight and light-heavyweight champion Hopkins had set his sights on a heavyweight world title clash with Britain’s David Haye after making a winning return to the ring in December.

The veteran, whose career record reads 50 wins, 32 knockouts, five defeats and one draw, recorded a unanimous points decision against Enrique Ornelas in Philadelphia and following the fight claimed he would become heavyweight champion in 2010.

Haye, meanwhile, faces a mandatory defence against former WBA champion John Ruiz in Manchester on April 3 and is more likely to line up a WBC title fight with champion Vitali Klitschko for later in 2010. (BBC Sport)