Antonio Tarver to Make Ring Return As a Heavyweight -- FanHouse

By Lem Satterfield, FanHouse

Former light heavyweight (175 pounds) world champion, Antonio Tarver, said that he plans to return to the ring soon -- but as a heavyweight.

"I definitely wanted to move up to cruiserweight [200 pounds,] where there was one guy in particular that I wanted to fight. So I feel that if I'm going to stay in the game of boxing and give it my all, then I've got to set big goals for myself. And as you see, I'm looking a little full right now," said Tarver, a 6-foot-2 southpaw who will turn 42 in November.

"So I'm going to put on some muscle and the champ is going heavyweight," said Tarver, who will target the Klitschko brothers, WBO and IBF king Wladimir (54-3, 48 KOs), WBC champ, Vitali (39-2, 37 KOs), and, WBA titlist, David Haye (24-1, 22 KOs). "So, to the Klitschkos and to David Haye, be on the look out, because I'm coming."

The 41-year-old Tarver (27-6, 19 knockouts) made his announcement following Saturday night's unanimous decision by WBA super middleweight (168 pounds) champion, Andre Ward (22-0, 13 KOs) over Allan Green (29-2, 20 KOs) that was televised on Showtime from The Oracle Arena, in Oakland, Calif.

A Showtime boxing color commentator, Tarver has lost his last two bouts, respectively, to Chad Dawson by unanimous decision in October of 2008, and, May of 2009.

Among the biggest victories for Tarver are those over Roy Jones, against whom he is 2-1, with one second-round knockout victory.

Source: boxing.fanhouse.com

Exclusive Interview: Antonio Tarver

By G. Leon, BoxingTalk.com

GL: Can you give us some thoughts on your Super Six experience?

Antonio Tarver: "It was a helluva an experience to be so close to the action working with Gus Johnson and Al Bernstein, who I feel is one of the most knowledgeable commentators in the game today. I'm very happy to be a part of this historical moment with the Super Six and all of the fighters involved."

GL: What are your thoughts on the fights and how they played out?

Antonio Tarver: "Personally I felt Dirrell did enough to win the fight. He landed the cleaner shots and he was busier. I feel he shouldn't have moved so much, he should have held his ground more. He had the speed, elusiveness and defense to stand his ground and counter Froch instead of moving and running so much. Once it got late in the fight he got a little sloppy and allowed Froch to do some things. As a champion, I would have never been awarded a decision that was that close. I don't care if I was fighting in Orlando, Florida. Looking at my history, if I got decisions like that I'd be 33-2 right now. Sometimes you have to go take the champions belt, but I think Dirrell did well and showed he belonged in the Super Six. Sometimes losing makes you a better fighter, so hopefully he goes back to work and tightens it all up. I personally think he needs a more experienced trainer to get rid of some of those amatuerish things he does. He fought like a great amatuer the other night. I think he needs some fine-tuning to become a better professional fighter." READ MORE

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Video: Super Six Tournament with Al Bernstein and Antonio Tarver

By BoxingNewsWorld.blogspot.com

Jones-Hopkins: It might not be too late for a good show

By William Dettloff, The RING

To many, it’s no big news that Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones have finally come to terms for a rematch to their May 1993 middleweight title fight.

If it had come in, say, 2003, before Jones was sent snoring deep into the night by Antonio Tarver and then Glen Johnson, and when Hopkins was still younger than Methuselah, its reception almost certainly would have been universally positive. READ MORE
 

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Hopkins & Jones Jr (Photo by TheBlueCorner.Wordpress.com)