Tarver Not Ready To Walk Away
Published: Jun 9, 2007
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TAMPA - Light heavyweight Antonio Tarver of Tampa could walk away from boxing today knowing he accomplished more in his career than anyone ever imagined.
Tarver ran through the toughest opponents in his division during his prime, eventually backing Roy Jones Jr. into a fight. After a controversial loss in their first meeting, Tarver threw a left hook in the rematch that knocked Jones to the canvas and gave him a shocking second-round victory by technical knockout. Tarver then defeated Jones by unanimous decision in their third meeting, solidifying his reputation as the best pound-for-pound fighter in boxing.
He eventually became a millionaire. Tarver co-starred in the "Rocky Balboa" movie, which was released in 2006. He married Denise Booth earlier this year, and at 38 years old, Tarver's career has been undeniably successful.
As Tarver (24-4) climbs back into the ring to face Elvir Muriqi (34-3) for the vacant IBO title tonight at 10 in Hartford, Conn., on Showtime, however, his resume remains empty internally.
"When I got into this game, it was never about money, the fame and all that. I just wanted to be the best," Tarver said. "This is why I am giving back to boxing because boxing needs me. I know when I am at my best, I am one of the most electrifying fighters out there. I am what the game has been missing."
Tarver missed an opportunity to capitalize on his ascending popularity when he fought Bernard Hopkins last year.
A win against Hopkins, who is one of the top fighters all-time, would have cemented Tarver's rise to the top, and fulfilled his goal to transcend boxing. Instead, Tarver was defeated by unanimous decision in a lopsided fight on June 10, 2006, which led to his one-year layoff.
Tarver struggled to explain his disappointing performance, but recently said he believed someone drugged him.
"It is a great possibility. The stakes were high. When you look at that fight, which I have not seen the fight in its entirety, everybody that knows me knew that something was terribly wrong from when I walked from the dressing room to the ring. Something was wrong all day," Tarver said. "It is a possibility, but I cannot say that my preparation was any different than it has been. I have always been committed, dedicated and a hard worker. So when you look at those assets, then you have to say something else happened for me to fight so flat, so lifeless, so emotionless, so unspirited in one of the biggest fights of my career.
"Something definitely happened and something was terribly wrong. I wish I would have had a blood test right after the fight. Normally, they do drug test you after the fight. I do not know if there is any possibility of going back and getting that urinalysis and examining it to see what happened. Mentally, I was beat out of the game - could not get focused, could not get up for the fight - and that is just not like me."
As a result, Tarver departed with trainer Buddy McGirt and reunited with Jimmy Williams, his former trainer.
Williams, 79, groomed Tarver from an amateur to the professional ranks, but they bitterly separated after a loss to Eric Hardin in 2000. They did not speak for years, but now have buried the past and are working toward reestablishing Tarver's dominance.
"We talked for a while and decided to finish what we stared, and that's Tarver being the best," Williams said. "McGirt came in when the money was mad, but I was never there for the money. I wasn't there for the money because I was there when he [Tarver] was broke.
"I've been doing this for years. I can lead or follow, but I'm not looking for the glory. I just want a win. Sometimes other people want it all, but the most important person to me is Tarver and his team."
Tarver's main focus is to dominate boxing once again and return as arguably the sport's most charismatic and entertaining personality.
If Tarver can do that, it will be bigger than any of his previous accomplishments.
"I am going to take Elvir Muriqi on a magic carpet ride, but when it is all said and done, he is going to be able to shake his head and say that he was able to be in the ring with one of the best fighters in history, one of the best fighters that ever donned the gloves in the light heavyweight division," Tarver said. "When I step away from the game, they are going to know Antonio Tarver was the best light heavyweight ever - ever - in the game of boxing."
Reporter Anwar S. Richardson can be reached at (813)259-8425 or arichardson@tampatrib.com.
