By Mark Vester
According to promoter Frank Warren's recent column in The Sun , IBO/IBF light heavyweight champion Antonio Tarver is the third option for Joe Calzaghe's next fight in November, believed by many to be the final bout of his career. The other two front-runners are WBC/WBO middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik and former four-division champion Roy Jones Jr.
Warren was quick to squash rumors of Jones negotiating with Tarver for a fourth meeting, and said the Florida fighter was very much in the running for Calzaghe.
"It was reported this week Roy Jones was in talks with Antonio Tarver — but Jones is still very much in the frame for going in with Calzaghe later this year," Warren said. "WBC middleweight champ Kelly Pavlik, Tarver and Jones are all in and around the weight — and Joe will make a decision in the next few weeks."
Don King recently flew over to the UK, representing Jones, to hold talks with Warren in order to put together a fight with Calzaghe. Warren will hold talks with promoter Bob Arum during the first week of June to see if a deal can be made for Pavlik to move up in weight to take the fight. Pavlik would still have to beat Gary Lockett on June 7 if he wants to stay in the running for Calzaghe.
Warren also had some words for Calzaghe's UK rival, unbeaten Carl Froch, who once again called Calzaghe out last weekend on national television. Froch is the mandatory challenger to Calzaghe's WBC version of the super middleweight title.
"Carl Froch easily beat Albert Rybacki on the Witter under-card — then called for a Joe Calzaghe fight. But just like Witter, Froch is trying to build his legacy off someone else’s name," Warren said. "He must be insane if he thinks beating an unheard of 37-year-old with limited experience puts him on a par with Joe — undisputed world No 1 at two different weights."
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