‘Rampage’ Jackson, Roy Jones Jr. Targeted for PPV Boxing Bout in 2013

A source with knowledge of the matchup verified the planned booking with Sherdog.com on Thursday. An exact date for the confrontation and the corresponding weight class could not be immediately confirmed, but the fight is expected to be announced next week during Spike TV’s broadcast of Bellator 97. MMAJunkie.com first reported the bout.

Jackson, 35, signed with Bellator last month with plans to also join the TNA Wrestling roster in a deal akin to Muhammad Lawal’s. “Rampage” exited the UFC earlier this year amid complaints about his treatment from the Zuffa-owned organization, which he joined in 2007. Jackson won the UFC light heavyweight title that same year by knocking out Chuck Liddell but relinquished the belt in 2008 to Forrest Griffin. More recently, Jackson departed the UFC on the heels of three straight losses, dropping a January decision to Glover Teixeira in his final fight with the promotion.

Jones, 44, is regarded by many as one of the finest fighters in the history of boxing and was long linked to a potential matchup with former UFC middleweight king Anderson Silva. The 44-year-old began his boxing career in 1989 and went on to win world titles at 160, 168 and 175 pounds before winning the WBA heavyweight championship from John Ruiz in 2003. The Florida native won 49 of his first 50 fights but has gone just 7-7 in his last 14 fights. Jones did win his last two contests, however, winning the UBO cruiserweight belt in 2011 before besting Polish talent Pawel Glazewski last year.