LOS ANGELES – A boxing legend will look to add an exclamation point to end his professional career with the same style, speed and slickness that has defined him in the ring for nearly three decades, as 51-year-old, two-division former world champion and Future Hall of Hamer Bernard “The Executioner” Hopkins (55-7-2, 32 KOs) prepares to square off against hard-hitting Light Heavyweight contender Joe Smith, Jr. (21-1, 18 KOs) in a 12-round fight from Los Angeles’ iconic Fabulous Forum. The bout will take place Saturday, December 17 and will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing®.

Tickets for the fight – named, “The Final One” -- will go on sale Monday, October 24th at 10:00 a.m. PT.

Hopkins’ resume reads like a Hall-of-Fame induction ballot. Between holding the record for the record number of title defenses as middleweight champion of the world (20) and moving up to light heavyweight to capture multiple belts in that division, Hopkins fought and defeated a who’s who of boxing world champions throughout his remarkable 28-year career.

Roy Jones, Jr., John David “Action” Jackson, Glen “Road Warrior” Johnson, Felix “Tito” Trinidad, Antonio “Magic Man” Tarver, Kelly “The Ghost” Pavlik, Jean Pascal, Chad “Bad” Dawson, and Golden Boy Promotions business partner Oscar De La Hoya all tasted defeat at the hands of the executioner.

Joe Smith Jr., who was born in 1989, nearly three years after Hopkins had his first fight, is coming off the victory of his career, delivering a brutal first-round knockout of established contender Andrzej Fonfara in June and earning the WBC International Light Heavyweight Championship. The belt will not be at stake in this fight.

Golden Boy Promotions is currently working on a new co-main event, as an injury to Orlando “Siri” Salido’s back has forced him off the card. Golden Boy will announced the co-main and full card in the coming weeks.

Hopkins vs. Smith is a 12-round light heavyweight battle presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Star Boxing and sponsored by Cerveza Tecate, BORN BOLD and Casa Mexico Tequila. The event will be televised live on HBO’s flagship series beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Tickets priced at $205, 105, $75, $50, and $25, not including applicable service charges and taxes, with a total ticket limit of 12 per person are on sale.  To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000.  Tickets also will be available for purchase at www.fabulousforum.com or www.ticketmaster.com.