By Mark Vester

As noted on BoxingScene.com several weeks ago, the Tampa Tribune reports that former super middleweight champion Jeff Lacy (23-1, 17KOs) is still refusing to fight IBO light heavyweight champ Antonio Tarver (26-4, 19KOs) as long as promoter Gary Shaw is involved.

The two fighters were scheduled to collide in the headliner position of a Showtime televised event on April 12 at the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa, Florida. Shaw promoted Lacy for a better part of his career, but the two had a bad falling out in 2006. Lacy has since signed with Golden Boy Promotions. He told the paper that as long as Shaw is involved with the promotion of the show, he refuses to take part in anything that will make his former promoter any money.

"That fight's not something I'm looking forward to, being that Antonio Tarver has signed for two fights with Gary Shaw," Lacy said. "It would be kind of stupid for me to fire someone and turn around and fight somebody that is represented by him and make Shaw more money."

Tarver claims to have no deal with Shaw, and says Lacy is just scared to make the fight and using excuses to avoid him. While no numbers were revealed, Tarver told the paper Lacy was offered the largest purse of his career for the fight, even more than he made for his 2006 loss to Joe Calzaghe. Tarver promised to appear in the main event on April 12 against Lacy or a suitable replacement.

"It's like pulling a guy to the guillotine; he don't want to go," Tarver said. "It's all about economics, man. This is the biggest fight for the biggest money for Jeff Lacy. In his career right now, there's not one fight that's promised to him. He's got to roll the dice. He's got to go for it. It's time for him to step up or step aside. Regardless, I'm going to be there, live and in color on April 12. Hopefully it'll be Jeff Lacy, but you can't make anyone fight."

According to Shaw, Lacy's grudge and refusal to fight Tarver is only hurting his own career.

"I don't know what's eating Jeff. I feel badly for him," Shaw said. "I think it's a wonderful opportunity for him. He doesn't have to talk to me, he doesn't have to eat with me, he doesn't have to shake my hand. His own promoter will introduce him at the press conferences. It's not about me. It shouldn't be about me. It should be about him and the fight."

The co-feature bout is already signed, with WBC light heavyweight champ Chad Dawson (25-0, 17KOs) defending against Glen Johnson (46-11-2, 31KOs). Should both Tarver and Dawson win, the two of them are expected to fight at a later date in the year.

Send News Tips and Comments To Mark Vester @ boxingscene@hotmail.com