Tarver is a P-U-N-K (Latest interview)

Tarver's finally talking after the fight with Bernard: GL: Now that you've had some time to reflect on the fight can you give us some thoughts on your loss to Bernard Hopkins? "Basically I'm dealing with it. When I look back on it I understand what I had to go through to make that fight happen. I'm only human, it was one of those nights where training camp pretty much got the best of me. There's an old saying about overtraining and leaving everything in the gym and this is the prime example of that happening. I thought it was just a mythical statement that old time trainers used to use but now I realize that it's true and it can happen. It was a big fight for me, a real big fight and I didn't perform up to my capabilities and talent. When you look at a ten and a half week training camp, we peaked too soon and we were unable to sustain that momentum coming into the fight. We were really heavy coming into the camp and we felt we needed a long camp. Through my ignorance I think we overestimated what it would take to get into tiptop shape and what it would take for me to peak on fight night. I think ten and a half weeks was extremely long to have a fight and work towards a climatic moment. I've never had a ten and a half week camp and I will never again train that long and hard for a fight. Looking back I realize there was no need for it because the weight came off naturally through hard work. We pretty much had three weeks to sit around and wonder what we were going to do. I had the fight on my mind for too long and I seperated myself from civilization for too long.

"The camp was grueling and when it was time for me to perform, I was lackluster, listless and lethargic. Throughout the whole fight I couldn't get into that zone that I normally fight out of. To Bernard Hopkins credit he capitalized on it and he did what he needed to do to win the fight. I take nothing away from him and you're not going to hear any silly ass excuses like we've been hearing rumblings from RJ claiming he lost the fight on purpose. I'm a stand-up guy, I've always been a stand-up guy and I basically just give Bernard Hopkins all the credit in the world. But did he beat the best Antonio Tarver that night? Of course not. Knowing that I can move on, regroup and capitalize on some of the naysayers and critics who feel I've lost a step. This is a great opportunity and a guy like myself doesn't fall down, I fall up. I know there's going to be a lot of people out there licking their chops to get a shot at The Magic Man because they think one way of the other that I've lost one of two steps or I'm not the same fighter, well I can't wait to get back to work and prove these people dead ass wrong. Like I always have. Everybody in their right mind could see that I was in tremendous shape but my body and mind were not on the same page."

"I couldn't force the issue and I tried to dig deep and find that zone that I needed to be in to be at my best but it never happened. With that I can hold my head up high and say that particular night wasn't my night. I think anybody could have beaten me that night. I felt bad, I wasn't feeling good in the ring and I never got to that spiritual moment where my instincts and natural ability take over. I was thinking throughout the whole fight and when you try to think your way through a fight you're always going to be one step behind. I'm one of those fighters who needs to be in a zone and not think and just react. My timing was off, my counter punching ability was off and my body wasn't working with me and that's because I took my body through a long hard grueling camp and it gave up on me when I needed it the most. I'm not going to beat myself up about that. I'm still a great fighter and I believe that in my heart so we will move on. I don't feel that losing to Bernard Hopkins will define my career, no I don't. I will move on and look to capture the light heavyweight championship for a fourth time, an unprecedented fourth time and I will continue to prove to the world that I am one of the best fighters out there today. As far as my confidence, it hasn't wavered one bit."

"If Bernard Hopkins and I signed to fight today I would approach the fight with the same confidence, I would go on record and predict that I'd knock him out in the fifth round and I'd bet another quarter million on it, that's just how it is. I understand what happened and I'm only human. A lot of people would give their right arm for the opportunity that I had to make a major motion picture and if I had to do it again I'd do it again."

GL: You have been able to avenge each of your previous losses via rematch. With it appearing that Hopkins is headed for retirement are you concerned you might not get the chance to rectify the situation this time?

Antonio Tarver: "I'm not concerned at all. He should ride off into the sunset off that victory because I feel a rematch will evaporate and take away from what he has right now. I don't think he's willing to gamble with that and I praise him for that. Be smart. Stay retired. I think anyone advising him who has his best interest at heart would advise him of that. Don't give a fighter like me a second chance, I've proven to everyone that has been a career mistake and it's like I said I would be as confident as I was before. Nothing would change from my tune other than I would prepare myself a little bit differently and not kill myself coming into that fight. I felt that I needed to something drastic to get in shape, get my weight down and be at my best. When I got into camp things were great and the weight came off smoothly. I was sparring ten rounds with thirty second rest and it was nothing. I was throwing punches and getting out of the way of everything, I looked beautiful. That's why I was as surprised more than anyone when I got in the ring nothing was working. If you saw a dumbfounded look on my face that was the reason why. I've never been hit with straight right hands Greg. You can go back as far as you want to go back and you'll never see someone hit me flush more than one or two times, especially with the same shot. I know I wasn't myself that night and I'm not going to hold my head down about that. I'm going to get on the horse and continue to ride. Everybody has off nights, it's just unfortunate for me that it was a big moment where I could have made something great happen. But we'll have other opportunities. I give Bernard Hopkins all the credit in the world and I'm not going to cry over spilled milk. HBO is still giving me their undivided support and I'm looking to bring the people another major fight some time in October. Let them know it's not going to be no hand picked opponent. I want to get back in there with someone credible. Hopefully one of the light heavyweights that's carrying around one of these belts so I can become four time light heavyweight champion."

GL: So we can expect you to return to HBO sometime in October?

AT: "That's what we're expecting. That's what the target date is."

GL: I spoke with Gary Shaw and he told me the Jeff Lacy talks collapsed because you were unwilling to move forward with a 50-50 split of the gate in Florida.

AT: "I was unwilling to move forward? Man listen, I let my managers and them do their job. That's the bottom line and if that's the way it is, that's the way it is. I didn't know anything about it, but my managers are working in my best interest and I trust them with my career."

GL: You mentioned fighting one of the title holders, do you have a preference amongst them?

AT: "It doesn't matter. Whoever we could sit down and structure a deal with we'll make it happen. Now I'm going to take my family Hawaii for a week, relax and chill out and by the time I get back hopefully Al Haymon will have something on the table."

GL: If Bernard Hopkins stays true to his word and retires the fight to determine the light heavyweight champion of the world would have to be the third fight with Johnson. Do you agree?

AT: "Depending on Johnson...does he have a belt?"

GL: No.

AT: "So what are we going to fight for a vacant title?"

GL: Other than the IBO title, did you hold a major sanctioning body belt heading into the Hopkins fight?

AT: "No, but I had major recognized wins."

GL: Right, but if Hopkins retires I believe the general consensus would be that the winner of a third fight between you and Johnson would be considered the champ.

AT: "I'm not going to sit here and try to make a fight. I'm bar none. If it's Glen Johnson next so be it. Whoever I have to fight to be viewed as the best light heavyweight in the world bar none, that's who it's going to be. It doesn't matter to me."