By Mark Vester

Boxing scribe Dan Rafael reports that HBO has reserved July 14 as a pay-per-view return date for Bernard Hopkins (47-4-1, 32 KOs).

The date gives the middleweight great enough time to lock down a top opponent. Hopkins turns 42 on January 15, and still has WBC heavyweight champion Oleg Maskaev at the top of his list of opponents he wants to face.

Taking into account all of the hurdles to make a fight with Maskaev, Hopkins gave Rafael the hitlist of fighters he wants to face, in the order of his preference, are WBO super middleweight champ Joe Calzaghe (at the light heavyweight limit), rival Roy Jones Jr. and recognized cruiserweight champion O'Neil Bell.