What Do We Really Know about Antonio?

[ProBox1]

After watching Roy Jones get knocked out by Glen Johnson, my initial thoughts were about how far Jones has fallen in this late stage of his career. The next day I thought, if Jones is this much of a shot fighter then how good is Antonio Tarver for knocking him out in two rounds? Glen Johnson was never known as a big puncher, even at 160 pounds. To see a mediocre puncher like Johnson level Jones with one of the more vicious knock outs in recent memory, makes the Tarver knock out of Jones look a little less spectacular.

Tarver was demolished a few years ago in a decision loss to Eric Harding. The Harding loss cost Tarver a shot at Roy Jones and haunted Tarver up until the time when Tarver got revenge with a knock out win over Harding. The win over Harding put him in position for a fight with Roy Jones. Since beating Jones in May of this year, Tarver has not done anything to further his career. He seems to attend plenty of fights, but has no time to make any fights. [details]

[abdiel2k3]

im tempted to hold johnson in higher regard then Tarver
i mean ofcourse tarver deserves more credit becuz he was the first to beat roy
but it was actually Glen who was the first to "BEAT" roy
tarver did it with one punch
he didnt show any sort of dominance
but glen took it to him for the whole fight
which was 4 times and a half longer then tarvers one hitter quitter
but idk id like to see these to go at it to see which is the best
so long as it aint ppv cuz i wont buy that ****

[grayfist]

We KNOW next to nothing about Tarver. We're a tad acquainted with him, but that's it! His lack of ring activity doesn't get us closer to ever knowing him. I'm tempted to think that Tarver suspects that his reign shall be short, so he's basking in the limelight as much as he could and as long as he can.

Tarver will always have the puncher's chance, that much we know. But, his having been demolished by Harding (in their first meeting) and then his having allowed Jones to win their first fight by drastically reducing his work rate in both the middle and "championship" (11th & 12th) rounds for no apparent reason, leaves a lot of space for speculations on what kind of talent and mental stuff he REALLY has when he enters the ring for the biggies.

Personally, I have Tarver in my P4P list. But if he doesn't prove any more than what he has shown in Tarver-Jones II and Tarver-Harding II, he won't be there for long. Not that I believe my list matters to Tarver and would make him lose a wink of slumber.... Ha! Ha! Ha!

[CLubberLang]

I have been trying to tell people that Tarver was not that good and it was a lucky punch for a long time. I base this fact on his 2 Harding fights if nothing more. He was beat thoroughly in the first one and was being dominated in the second one until he landed one lucky punch to turn the fight around. Just go look back at the 2nd fight and you will see how bad he looked. He has only beaten fighters that RJJ had already beat and he has no big names on his resume. If you want to be honest, Glen did beat RJJ more convincingly and he does have the better fighters on his resume. Tarver has a punch so that means he will always have a chance to be in the fight just as Tyson or any other puncher. Until he fights some better opponents, he is nothing more than a big mouth who has hoodwinked the casual fan with one lucky punch. Boxing aint like wrestling in "to be the man, you got to beat da man." Just cause you beat the best dont make you the best. you got to already be proven or keep on proving your the man. Tarver just can't do that and that is why he aint fighting anyone.

[.::|ULTIMATE|::.]

One thing i do know.. The man was scared of Roy Jones. Thats why he lost the first fight and why he abondened his fight plan in their second fight till he landed that shot that sent Jones to the Canvas.