Objectively, how good is Antonio Tarver?

[Guest]

Note that I'm saying "objectively".

Because the fact is, I really don't know. I've seen just half a dozen Tarver fights (his last six, basically) and I've seen the guy beat a severely faded Roy Jones (arguably) three times. I've also seen him have two close fights (again, you can argue he won both) with Glen Johnson, a solid if unremarkable pro who's rep was, like Tarver's, boosted by KOing and old Roy.

Both seemed to flatter Tarver, in a smoke and mirrors kind of way, then last week he gets hopelessly outclassed (though possibly weight drained, ironically) by a blown-up middleweight. Tarver was P4P top ten(ish), and it wasn't even close.

So just how good is the guy?

[JuicyJuice]

The pre-2000 Tarver was a far better fighter than the guy who beat up a ridiculously faded Jones Jr and the average journeyman Glen Johnson. He had a good right jab and counter left uppercut.

Tarver was a very good amateur, beat Jirov in 1995 at World Games if I'm not mistaken (Jirov was THE GOODS in his amateur career), and he was robbed against Roy Jones Jr in the final of the 1982 Sunshine State Games before becoming a crack head (seeing Jones Jr at the Olympics in 1988 inspired Tarver to start boxing again).

Guy had tools, but is very, very old now.. and was over-rated like **** these last two or three years.

[Super_Lightweight]

Tarver showed some skills vs an aged Montell Griffin, and was a pretty good fighter when he beat Eric Harding in the rematch. Harding was good back then and Tarver did take something out of Harding's career.

Tarver's success was mainly based on 3 things...his power, his height, and his southpaw stance. He could never be a great fighter because he relied too much on his southpaw stance to win. It wasn't his mental prowess or pure boxing ability that made him successful.

Overall, I'd rate Tarver a B- fighter. He just had good timing, as you alluded to. Realistically, just looking at his fights with Roy, it's plain to see that Roy would have defeated him easily in Roy's prime. Harding gave Roy more trouble than Tarver ever would've had Tarver met Roy at RJJ's peak.

But Tarver right now is an aged fighter, who has suffered his own weight-loss issues, ironically. Not as bad as Roy, but still enough to effect him. Tarver will not make the HOF is my prediction.

[JuicyJuice]

Realistically, just looking at his fights with Roy, it's plain to see that Roy would have defeated him easily in Roy's prime

Well, Jones Jr's prime was 154-168 (175 was just the icing on the cake). So you can't really say.

[Super_Lightweight]

Sure I can. Roy didn't have to be a full-fledged 175 guy to beat Tarver. In Roy's prime at 168 he could have moved up in weight and defeated any best version of Antonio Tarver. Roy was so fast and herky jerky that ol' ******* wouldn't know what the hell to do.

[Azteca]

in my opinion, one of the weakest lhw champs of the last 20 years. tarver is the same guy who got his ass handed to him twice by harding before landing a lucky punch and had a lower punch output then a 37 year old journeyman, glen johnson.

[Evil_Meat]

He's good, but by no means excellent. His performance wasn't good against Hopkins, and the loss of weight allowed him to be pushed around by Hopkins. If Tarver puts on a good performance he can be pretty good, but nothing more.

[scap]

Antonio Tarver is a good fighter and thats it...anything anyone wants to say beyond that is where you get into the "overrated" talk.

Watch Tarver fight a faded Reggie Johnson and tell me he is anything more then a good fighter (in Juyjuy's opinion this was Toney T's prime)?

Watch Tarver fight Harding...nothing special right?

Watch Tarver fight Harding a second time and you realize why he is good...he can punch and you do have to be careful...but also if you watch that fight you realize he has serious limitations...did anyone give him a round before he caught Harding coming in? He was shut out and caught Eric, Eric never being realy hurt before just refuse to take a knee and he got iced.

Tarver is a good fighter but certainly not great and even more importantly no ****ing legend, the boxing world was right when they were reluctant to embrace his talent!

[armani_model]

Tarver is pants, he beat an old Jones who didnt have the heart anymore..and that is it...

end of thread please...

[DIEGO DA HITMAN]

Tarver was overrated, and I'll admit, I bought it to an extent. I knew the guy was pushing 40, and that his claim to fame was beating a washed up Roy Jones. I don't look at Glen Johnson as a "journeyman" first off, but only a very good fighter. I thought Tarver would beat the older, smaller (so I thought) Hopkins, and boy was I wrong. I thought he could then try to cement his legacy as one of the best LHW's of this era. Once again, I was wrong. I knew he was overrated, but damn!!! He is a very good fighter, but no more than that. There is talk of Tarver-Lacy. I am a Jeff Lacy fan, but he was exposed badly against Calzaghe. If this fight goes down, the loser of the bout is going to fall off the face of the earth, or become the next William Joppy. The winner gains virtually nothing. Lacy would have much more to gain than Tarver, though. At this point of Tarver's career, he has already done his best in-ring work, and will fade into oblivion. Karma's a mother****er, huh Antonio? This couldn't have happened to a more arrogant *******, and I'm lovin' every minute of it.