By Mark Vester
Former champion Antonio Tarver has shredded the ring record of IBO cruiserweight champion Danny Green. Tarver challenges Green for the title at Sydney's Entertainment Centre on July 20. Tarver questions Green's opponents as a cruiserweight, like Manny Siaca, Paul Briggs and even Roy Jones Jr. Of course Tarver leaves himself open to the critics, as being 42-years-old and having only one fight in the last two years - most experts believes he is past his best.
Tarver feels he still has enough left to beat Green, but he doesn't want the judges to decide the victory. He wants to end the fight with a knockout to prevent any possibility of the judges stealing away a possible decision win.
"Danny Green was a helluva super-middleweight and a good light-heavyweight, but cruiserweight? Come on," Tarver said to the Western Australian. "Instead of 'the Green Machine' they should be calling him 'the Garbageman' because all he’s doing is feasting on has-beens."
"A lot of people said it was sad to see what I did to Roy Jones back in 2004 when I took his chin and removed him from the elite level, but it was sadder to see him propped up for Danny Green five years later just so he could have a big name on his resume. He's attempting to do the same with me but the difference is I'm no Roy Jones Jr. He picked the wrong guy. This is a fight he should have never taken. I’m coming to Australia with a sense of urgency, knowing that I have to take it out of the judges' hands. In order to secure victory, I have to knock him out."