By Edward Chaykovsky
Former champion Antonio "Magic Man" Tarver (31-6, 22KOs) could easily step in the path of facing WBC heavyweight king Deontay Wilder (34-0, 33KOs) - but that fight is not in his plans. Tarver wants the king of the division, WBA/IBO/WBO/IBF champion Wladimir Klitschko.
Tarver must first defeat former cruiserweight ruler Steve Cunningham (28-7, 13KOs) on August 14th at the Prudential Center in Newark. The fight is big crossroads battle. The loser will take a big step back.
You would think Tarver and Wilder is much easier to make since both men are advised by manager Al Haymon? Tarver makes it no secret that Haymon Boxing would like to match him with Wilder. That fight is not in Tarver's future plans. He wants to target Klitschko, who likely faces Tyson Fury in the fall.
He realizes the winner of his fight with Cunningham will be a frontrunner to face Wilder before the Bronze Bomber gears up for a mandatory defense against Alexander Povetkin.
"I know they want me to fight Wilder but I got my own dream, I want to fight Klitschko because that’s the guy that’s been champions for as long as I can remember and that’s the guy that has all the credibility in the heavyweight division," Tarver told On The Ropes Boxing Radio .
"I’m always about doing the big thing and I want to be as big as I can be, and beating Klitschko makes me bigger than life. That’s my goal, I don’t know why Al wouldn’t want me to fight Klitschko."