Jones, Whitaker To Battle

Roy Jones Jr. and Pernell Whitaker, recognized as the best pound-for-pound boxers in the world, will square off Dec. 9 at the Pensacola (Fla.) Civic Center - in a basketball game sponsored by HBO.

The event is the first of a series of goodwill and charity events to be known as “Reaching Beyond the Ring.”

Whitaker and Jones will each recruit a team from his hometown.

Peter McNeeley, his career short-circuited in 89 seconds Aug. 19, will return to his hometown of Boston and fight Oct. 27 - his first bout since losing to Mike Tyson in Las Vegas. xxxx