Antonio Tarver returns on Feb. 24

Word is that Antonio Tarver will return on Feb. 24 against an unnamed opponent. Not sure if it's on HBO or the venue as of yet. I personally don't think he can rebound to become a champion again. I've seen for many years a mental flaw in Tarver that was reminiscent of what I had seen in Zab Judah. In the first fight with Harding, you could see Tarver break down and quit in his mind. In the first Jones fight, he gave away the fight because he doesn't have that IT factor. He kept it together for the 2 rounds with Jones in the rematch, but when he hit the wall in the third fight, he again looked to bail out as a sitting duck to Jones' power shots, that Jones never came with. Against Hopkins, he totally caved mentally, he lacks true character in the ring. After what Hopkins did to him, no one will ever show him the respect they did before that in the ring. I don't think he can ever recover.

Comments (17)

EasyE

A lot of guys be having them off-type nights as of late, huh? I dont know. Not anyone i can name off the top of my head at the moment. Regardless, Tarver IS a good fighter, and he definitly could be competitive with Hopkins on an "on" night IMO.

19y ago

BmoreBrawler

where is this "word"? Boxrec says nothing about a future fight for tarver.

19y ago

jspivey

Personally I've never seen anything special about Tarver besides a hard left punch. To me it looked he got old in the 3rd Jones fight.If Had his head straight and got off he could've stopped Tarver( I hade my fingers crossed in round 5). I wait to see how he looks in Feb. before I say if he's done or not.

19y ago

eazy_mas

"So called" is right, granted he kicked an aging, less competitive, mentally defeated Roy Jones' ass and in his mind, he's the best. He's overly cocky for his skill range, good all around solid fighter but nothing in even the lower rankings of greatness. Roy Jones and Tarver are the same age. As for mentality and thing like that Tarver started late. That is a disadvange because many boxer start young and there relex and boxing ablitiy becomes inate. you gotta give creidt for Tarver for the thing he accomplished, even if he i not a fighter in the ring his is fighter outside the ring. for me Tarver should retire after getting the LHW title. or by end of 2007

19y ago

Hitman932

Tarver is fighting Thomas "Hitman" Hearns on Feb. 24. everyone better pray that you are joking cause the last thing i want to see if my favorite fighter of all time dead on the canvas which is a possibility having seen hearns last fight

19y ago

ringer

The Hitman is a legend, this is a good comeback fight for the so called Legend Killer. "So called" is right, granted he kicked an aging, less competitive, mentally defeated Roy Jones' ass and in his mind, he's the best. He's overly cocky for his skill range, good all around solid fighter but nothing in even the lower rankings of greatness.

19y ago

freedom213

He didn't say it nobody did but he had to come back down from 220 i believe to 175 and it affected him badly as much as when he was doing the rocky movie and hasn't had that much time to focus on training and that's why he lost so BADLY to hopkins not saying if tarver didn't do the movie and had to loose weight hopkins wou;d've lost but it would've been a bit closer imo let's wait and see what happens TARVER IS DONE! THE BEATING HE TOOK BOTH PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY WILL SHOW THE NEXT TIME HE TRIES TO STEP UP IN COMPETITION. HIS LAST ENTERTAINING FIGHT WILL PROBABLY BE IN THE LAST BAD ROCKY MOVIE.

19y ago

Dorian

19y ago

loui_ludwig

If he does that, I would boycott any further stuff from Tarver again. The Hitman is a legend, this is a good comeback fight for the so called Legend Killer.

19y ago

Mr_Ryan

Tarver can definitly become champ at 175 again. The division is weak. I really do think he had an off night against Bhop. Tarver could be competitive against Hopkins. A lot of guys be having them off-type nights as of late, huh?

19y ago

EasyE

Tarver can definitly become champ at 175 again. The division is weak. I really do think he had an off night against Bhop. Tarver could be competitive against Hopkins.

19y ago

Mr_Ryan

Tarver is fighting Thomas "Hitman" Hearns on Feb. 24. If he does that, I would boycott any further stuff from Tarver again.

19y ago

loui_ludwig

Tarver is fighting Thomas "Hitman" Hearns on Feb. 24.

19y ago

hugh_grant

Let Joe Calzaghe be his next opponent. Tarver has never really looked hard to me. If i got in the ring he would kick my butt, but looking at his face he doesnt scare me. Soft looking boy.,

19y ago

macman

Would love to see him in against Paul Briggs, & think it is a fight that may happen. Stateside TV now apparently interested in pushing Briggs after the 2nd Adamek fight, & Tarver would be perfect exposure, which also sees if he has the goods against an experienced top guy.

19y ago

Mr_Ryan

I think he can rebound if he really wants to and i hope he doese I dunno, he's already had his mental makeup exposed of late, he's very vulnerable to my eyes now.

19y ago

Dorian

I think he can rebound if he really wants to and i hope he doese

19y ago