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By Thomas Gerbasi - It’s been over nine months since his last fight against Danny Green, but Antonio Tarver has never been one to let go of past slights.
“I went into the Green fight a 5 to 1 underdog,” said an incredulous Tarver, who went to Green’s backyard of Australia last July and knocked his foe out in the ninth round. “5 to 1 underdog? The whole country could have come back right (if it would have bet on him).”
Then comes the laugh, one like no other in the boxing business. It’s probably the best part about talking to the former light heavyweight champion, a genuine and infectious bellow that only comes slightly ahead of the second best part of talking to him: his passion for the game.
Whether you agree with him or not, there is no dis*****g the fact that Tarver cares. About his craft, his legacy, about anything he puts his hands on and time into. You have to respect that.
“The passion never left,” said the 43-year old from Tampa, who is currently preparing for his Showtime main event on June 2nd against unbeaten Lateef Kayode. “It’s always been there. The passion to be champ, the passion to win, the passion to go down in history as one of the great fighters of this era. All that still drives me. I’m still winning championships. They want to put me in the same category as a Roy Jones, as a James Toney, and these characters. And it’s not even the same. I ain’t seen one of those guys winning a title or come close to winning a title of any sort in years. How can they be calling for me to retire? Are they kidding?” [Click Here To Read More]
“I went into the Green fight a 5 to 1 underdog,” said an incredulous Tarver, who went to Green’s backyard of Australia last July and knocked his foe out in the ninth round. “5 to 1 underdog? The whole country could have come back right (if it would have bet on him).”
Then comes the laugh, one like no other in the boxing business. It’s probably the best part about talking to the former light heavyweight champion, a genuine and infectious bellow that only comes slightly ahead of the second best part of talking to him: his passion for the game.
Whether you agree with him or not, there is no dis*****g the fact that Tarver cares. About his craft, his legacy, about anything he puts his hands on and time into. You have to respect that.
“The passion never left,” said the 43-year old from Tampa, who is currently preparing for his Showtime main event on June 2nd against unbeaten Lateef Kayode. “It’s always been there. The passion to be champ, the passion to win, the passion to go down in history as one of the great fighters of this era. All that still drives me. I’m still winning championships. They want to put me in the same category as a Roy Jones, as a James Toney, and these characters. And it’s not even the same. I ain’t seen one of those guys winning a title or come close to winning a title of any sort in years. How can they be calling for me to retire? Are they kidding?” [Click Here To Read More]
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