BoxRec News correspondent Paul Foley looks at a week's boxing press with fantastic fighters planning on fighting for one more round...

A month or so ago many were saying the three words that January 1st is renowned for. In case you don’t know what I’m talking about “happy new year.”

However in the last seven days I’ve seen a sad and sorry theme about legends of the ring that no true fight fan will be smiling about.

First up to the scales was Mexican great Eric Morales who will be returning to the ring after a two-and-a-half year layoff.

If Eric punches for pay again it could be against former WBA lightweight champion Jose Alfaro on March 27 in none other than his birthplace of Mexico. (Ticket sales in mind!)

Morales form guide hardly resembles that of a front runner with just one win in his last six fights. Compare that with his best days, 35-0 going into his 2000 clash with Marco Antonio Barrera. Four years on at their rematch Morales was 47-1.

2010 and his record hasn’t hanged much on the winning way but where it has is for worse as 48-6 reveals.

Surprisingly for me is that he’s only 33 but he aged over night through a series of tough fights. Eric will now be heavier and slower.

The man who calls himself El Terrible has made a terrible decision. I won’t be having any money on him to win another world title but I wouldn’t mind a few quid on guessing a match between Morales and Khan is on the horizon!

Maybe I shouldn’t be too hard on Morales at least he went out like a champion standing against David Diaz unto the end.

Which is a little more than can be said for the fighter at the centre of another bad round. The Guardian confirmed that Roy Jones will face Bernard Hopkins in a rematch on April 3rd some 17 years after Jones clearly outpointed him.

One time pound for pounder Roy Jones now 41 was last seen being blasted out by Australian Danny Green in under a round just before Christmas but he seems to have forgotten that one quickly including his after-fight statement of “I guess I go into retirement again” by claiming this farce is by public demand.

“We are going to give the fans what they want to see. They deserve this fight and why not supply the fans with what they demand?”

Within those few words lies the problem, fighters can only sell what the public buy.

Tickets went on sale today. Prices start at £63.

How many of us went to see Roy retire?

Let’s convince Roy the time to retire is right here right now.

My hat-trick is complete courtesy of Kevin Mitchell and the Observer who wrote “Riddick Bowe wants to fight again.”

He says his German agent can get him a fight against Cuban Juan Carlos Gomez who was beaten in nine in 2009 by Vitali Klitschko.

Mitchell had a candid idea that Bowe 42 should fight Evander Holyfield again because in the crazy game of boxing people do crazy things.

“They would both get a payday and plenty of ghouls would watch it.”

And there we have it three men whose combined age total 116. It is three fighters who all need the fans to help them slightly and it’s not in the way of buying tickets.

I think I’ve seen enough punch punishment.

Guys you were good, very good but please do throw in the towel before someone has to do it for you.

If one of these greats gets laid out I for one won't pay a penny to see it.

How about you?