Antonio Tarver

Infobox_Boxer


name = Antonio Tarver
nationality = American
realname = Antonio Deon Tarver
nickname = Magic Man
weight = Light heavyweight
birth_date = birth date and age|1968|11|21
birth_place = Orlando, Florida, United States
home = Tampa, Florida
style = Southpaw
total = 31
wins = 27
KO = 19
losses = 4
draws = 0
no contests = 0

Antonio Deon Tarver (born November 21, 1968), nicknamed the "Magic Man", is a professional boxer from Orlando, Florida, who is the former Ring light heavyweight champion and current IBF and IBO light heavyweight champion. He stands at 6' 2" and was the first man to beat Roy Jones Jr (Aside from a disputed loss to Montell Griffin, via disqualification). He built an impressive amateur career, including winning a bronze medal while representing the United States at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games. He captured the world title at the 1995 World Amateur Boxing Championships in Berlin, just two months after having triumphed at the Pan American Games in Mar del Plata. In 2006, Tarver starred as Mason "The Line" Dixon, the heavyweight division champion in the film "Rocky Balboa". Additionally, Tarver played in the Main Event at the 2007 World Series of Poker. [Tilly, Jennifer. [http://www.usatoday.com/sports/2007-07-08-1894055204_x.htm Day 3 of the main event of the World Series of Poker] , "USA Today". Published July 8, 2007.]

Professional career

Early years

Tarver made his professional debut at the age of 28 on February 18, 1997, with a second-round knockout of Joaquin Garcia at the legendary "Blue Horizon" in Philadelphia.

Tarver won his first 10 fights, eight by knockout, before stepping up his level of competition. After taking most of his first 10 fights in either his native Florida or at the "Blue Horizon", for his 11th fight he met veteran Rocky Gannon in Chester, West Virginia, on August 30, 1998. Tarver knocked out Gannon in the second round.

On February 29, 2000, Tarver fought Ernest Mateen, who had previously fought and lost to James Toney, over whom he proceeded to score a first-round knockout in Las Vegas.

Later that year, Tarver suffered his first loss when he was knocked down in the 11th round by Eric Harding, en route to a unanimous decision on June 23 in Biloxi, Mississippi.

However, he rebounded from this defeat with six straight wins, including a knockout of Harding in round five of their rematch.

Winning the light heavyweight titles

On April 26, 2003, Tarver received his first world title shot, when he faced former world champion Montel Griffin for the IBF and WBC world light-heavyweight titles that had been vacated by Roy Jones Jr., who had gone on to beat John Ruiz for the WBA world heavyweight title the previous month. After dropping Griffin in the first and last rounds, Tarver was crowned world Light Heavyweight champion after winning a unanimous decision.

Tarver vs. Jones I & II

Next, Roy Jones Jr. decided against defending his heavyweight title and instead announced his plan to return and take back the Light Heavyweight belts. Given little chance of winning, Tarver surprised fan and expert alike by taking Jones the distance and losing the fight by a close majority decision on November 8, 2003, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Because some of those that saw the fight thought that Tarver had actually done enough to win the fight, a small but well-publicized controversy ensued, leading to the pair's second fight.

Because of Jones's proven ability to adjust to opponents' styles during rematches, experts did not believe Tarver would pose much of a threat in the second fight on May 15, 2004 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Nevertheless, Tarver produced the upset and recovered the world titles by knocking Jones out in the second round. In the eyes of most observers, it wasn't as shocking that Tarver had beaten Roy Jones Jr. as it was that he had knocked him out; in fifty previous fights, Roy Jones Jr. had been sent to the floor only once, and he had never lost a fight by knockout.

In addition to the surprising result, Tarver-Jones II will also be remembered as the "No Excuse Fight" as a result of Tarver's memorable comments in the middle of the ring just prior to the match. When referee Jay Nady asked if the fighters had any questions, Tarver surprised everyone (though he had told his trainer, James (Buddy) McGirt, he would do this) by replying: "I have a question." Then, looking straight at Jones, asked, "You got any excuses tonight, Roy?"

Rise in popularity

Tarver became a mainstream celebrity after his rematch win over Jones, making appearances at late-night shows, appearing on the cover of both Ring and KO Magazine, being spotted by television cameras as a spectator at various boxing fights, and co-hosting ESPN's "Friday Night Fights" for one telecast.

Tarver vs. Johnson I & II

Later in 2004, the WBC decided to strip Tarver of the world title after he decided against fighting their mandatory challenger, instead choosing to fight IBF world champion Glencoffe Johnson December 18 in Temecula, California. Interestingly, Johnson himself had been stripped of his IBF world championship before the bout with Tarver for the same reason. Both fighters were celebrated for their decision to fight each other rather than bow to the pressure from what has become known as "The Alphabet Soup" sanctioning bodies (WBC, WBA and IBF). Instead, Tarver and Johnson, who most believed to be the top two fighters in the Light-Heavyweight division, fought each other. Ring Magazine announced that the winner would be declared its recognized champion.

Tarver, considered a favorite to win the fight, suffered an upset loss to Johnson by way of a split decision in a fight that he did not appear to be in top shape for.

However, he avenged the loss six months later with a unanimous decision over Johnson at the FedEx Forum in Memphis, Tennessee. After out-boxing and out-working the aggressive Johnson, Tarver won the bout handily and regained The Ring championship.

Rubber match against Jones

In their third fight, Tarver won a unanimous decision over Roy Jones Jr. on October 1, 2005 in Tampa, Florida, almost knocking Jones out in the 11th round, but also finding himself in trouble at times during the fight.

Tarver vs. Hopkins

On June 10, 2006, Tarver faced former Undisputed Middleweight Champion Bernard Hopkins for Tarver's Light-Heavyweight title at The Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ. Hopkins, a 3-to-1 underdog, dominated the fight winning via unanimous decision. The fight was scored 118-109 by all three judges. Tarver was knocked down in the 5th round. As a result of a clause in the fight contract, Tarver was forced to pay $250,000 to a charity of Hopkins' choice since he did not knock Hopkins out before the fifth round. Hopkins announced his retirement immediately following the fight. Tarver's record would now stand at 24 wins and 4 losses, with 18 wins coming by way of knockout.

After the Hopkins fight, Tarver decided to take the remainder of 2006 off.

Return to the ring

Tarver returned to the ring nearly one year after his loss to Hopkins, defeating Albanian-fighter Elvir Muriqi on June 9, 2007 by way of a majority decision capturing the IBO light heavyweight championship in the process. His next fight, held at Foxwoods Resort Casino on December 1, 2007, Tarver registered a win over Danny Santiago by way of a 4th round TKO.Tarver then captured the IBF title by hammering and outpounting a one-dimensional Clinton Woods.

Rocky Balboa

Tarver starred as heavyweight champion Mason "The Line" Dixon in the 2006 film "Rocky Balboa". In the film, the current, unpopular champion Dixon fights former champion Rocky Balboa, who decides to come out of retirement. Dixon wins the match by split decision, and after breaking his hand in the second round of the bout but still managing to stand toe to toe with Rocky for the full 10 rounds, proves to doubters that he has the heart of a champion. The DVD of the movie offers an alternate ending, in which Rocky wins the split decision. Dixon's record before the fight is 33-0-0.Also on the DVD, the film's writer and director, Sylvester Stallone, wanted to cast a real boxer in the role of Dixon, as he thought it would be easier to teach a boxer how to act than to teach an actor how to box convincingly.

Philanthropy

Tarver has recently adopted the Royal Theater Academy Boys & Girls Club in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Club is the only all performing arts Boys & Girls Club in the country. After making an appearance there he was impressed with the outstanding performances of the youth.

Amateur career

*1993 and 1995 United States amateur Light Heavyweight champion.
*1994 National Golden Gloves Light Heavyweight champion
*Won the Light Heavyweight bronze medal for the United States at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. His results were:
*Defeated Dmitri Vybornov (Russia) 5-2
*Defeated David Kowah (Sierra Leone) RSC 1 (2:43)
*Defeated Enrique Flores (Mexico) RSC 3 (1:54)
*Lost to Vassiliy Jirov (Kazakhstan) 9-15

See also

* List of WBC world champions
* Rocky Balboa

References

External links

* [http://www.Antonio-Tarver.com/ Official Antonio Tarver website]
* [http://boxing.about.com/od/records/a/tarver.htm Antonio Tarver Fight-by-Fight Career Record]
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