Just how good was Antonio Tarver?

[powershots]

If I remember correctly Antonio Tarver failed a few drug tests back in 2012. Look at Tarver vs Jones 1 fight and then look at the rematch when he won. Hmmm!? makes you wonder. One fight he's skinny as hell and hit Roy on the ropes with everything and Jones wasnt hurt at all. Rematch comes and he got his weight up and knocks Jones out with 1 punch.

[Rick Taylor]

If I remember correctly Antonio Tarver failed a few drug tests back in 2012. Look at Tarver vs Jones 1 fight and then look at the rematch when he won. Hmmm!? makes you wonder. One fight he's skinny as hell and hit Roy on the ropes with everything and Jones wasnt hurt at all. Rematch comes and he got his weight up and knocks Jones out with 1 punch.

roid jones has also been caught for drugs doe

[whollisboxing]

Thanks...am definitely curious how he would have done against a prime RJJ, and if that matchup would have been a problem for Roy

If we are talking about both guys facing each other at their absolute peaks, then for me that's Roy Jones circa 1997 vs Antonio Tarver circa 2004.

I'm inclined to pick Roy because Roy gutted out a win in their first fight and he was picking Tarver apart in the rematch before getting caught.

If we are talking about them facing off earlier in their careers, then the most realistic time would have been 2001-2002 (that's when Tarver first cracked the top-5 at 175 according to Ring magazine) and in that case I would pick Jones to win a tactical chess match where he pokes and prods his way to a decision.

[Boxing Goat]

And how good was RJJ when Tarver beat him?

Scale of 1-10 for each will suffice. For example you could say Tarver was 7/10, and RJJ was 6/10 in those fights, compared to what he was when he was at his peak.

I ask the question because if Loma-Teo happens, I want Teo to ask that 'excuses' question before they face off. And it made me think of that fight.

Not that Loma really made excuses, I just loved that line and want to see it used more often.

I would say Tarver was 7/10, and RJJ was 6/10 when they fought.

Prime for prime, Tarver was at his peak when he beat Jones in the rematch. Jones was a shell of himself, obviously.

[Boxing Goat]

Jones put on muscle to fight Ruiz and made the big mistake that older fighters should never do and that is dropping weight too fast, especially muscle weight, and going back down. He aged himself. He made the same mistake that Chris Byrd, Leonard, and others have by dropping weight when they are older and risking their health. When a fighter is past their prime, they should not be accelerating their decline by putting their body through such changes. Jones and Tarver were close to the same age but Jones was much older in boxing years where Tarver was still in his prime. I would give Jones a 4/10 and Tarver a 9/10.

Very good assessment

[richardt]

Yes like if SRR was a 10/10, what would you rate a prime Tarver?

I thought you meant 10 being the best that a fighter can be. SRR gets a 10, SRL gets a 9.5, Roy Jones gets a 9. Tarver not even in their league in their prime, pound for pound. Jones was a natural 160-168 tops. Prime Jones would have been too much for Tarver but a past prime Jones coupled with speeding up his deterioration due to weight loss, killed it for him. He let Tarver get into his head after the Ruiz fight and finalized his downward descent by rushing into the Tarver fight. Jones face was gaunt and his skin was grey when he fought Tarver. No moisture in his skin. He sealed it for himself. No more prime Jones after that.

[Boxing Goat]

The Jones muscle loss is a BS excuse. Jones was already ducking Tarver before he went to hwt. He even wrote a letter to IBF requesting they force Tarver to fight a second eliminator. Jones knew Tarver was his kryptonite and tried to duck him forever and had it not been for Tarver's very very big mouth, Jones would have mayweathered Tarver forever. Tarver choked in the first fight and then Roy and HBo tried to duck the rematch, HBO offered Tarver a fight with Julio Gonzalez instead of immediate rematch. Tarver said cut theBS I want Roy! Tarver screamed and yelled for months, shamed Roy, and finally Roy agreed to the rematch. And got KTFO. Brilliant display by Tarver both in and out of the ring. Tarver never got the respect he deserved. KOing Superman Roy with one shot was one of the greatest KOs in boxing history.

Nonsense. Tarver lost his chance at Jones when he lost to Eric Harding. Then Harding got smeared by Jones instead. Stop trying to rewrite history.

Regarding the weight loss issue .......it's a very known thing by now. Not only that, Roy was already 35 when he lost to Tarver. Ali was retired Parkinson's disease by that age ffs

[richardt]

roid jones has also been caught for drugs doe

Jones' mistake was buying over-the-counter Ripped Fuel at GNC back in the day when fighters were more trusting of supplements. That was the only time he tested positive before or since. And the irony is that Hall, his opponent also tested positive as well. The ones that concern me the most are the ones who test positive 2 or more times. Maybe someone can do a poll and discuss all fighters who have tested positive for anything and see which fighters have the highest poll. Big Baby Miller will probably blow up the poll with his numbers. There may have been some fighters that simply didn't know that they were taking something banned. Peterson took Tostosterone.....Vargas before the Oscar fight took steroids.....Orlando Salido took Nandralone or his body made the high number cause he went out the next day and took a certified lab test and came back negative.

[Rick Taylor]

Jones' mistake was buying over-the-counter Ripped Fuel at GNC back in the day when fighters were more trusting of supplements. That was the only time he tested positive before or since. And the irony is that Hall, his opponent also tested positive as well. The ones that concern me the most are the ones who test positive 2 or more times. Maybe someone can do a poll and discuss all fighters who have tested positive for anything and see which fighters have the highest poll. Big Baby Miller will probably blow up the poll with his numbers. There may have been some fighters that simply didn't know that they were taking something banned. Peterson took Tostosterone.....Vargas before the Oscar fight took steroids.....

good post.

jones has always been a shady character doe

[Boxing-1013]

If we are talking about both guys facing each other at their absolute peaks, then for me that's Roy Jones circa 1997 vs Antonio Tarver circa 2004.

I'm inclined to pick Roy because Roy gutted out a win in their first fight and he was picking Tarver apart in the rematch before getting caught.

If we are talking about them facing off earlier in their careers, then the most realistic time would have been 2001-2002 (that's when Tarver first cracked the top-5 at 175 according to Ring magazine) and in that case I would pick Jones to win a tactical chess match where he pokes and prods his way to a decision.

Good post, thanks.

Prime for prime, Tarver was at his peak when he beat Jones in the rematch. Jones was a shell of himself, obviously.

Agree from what I can tell

I thought you meant 10 being the best that a fighter can be. SRR gets a 10, SRL gets a 9.5, Roy Jones gets a 9. Tarver not even in their league in their prime, pound for pound. Jones was a natural 160-168 tops. Prime Jones would have been too much for Tarver but a past prime Jones coupled with speeding up his deterioration due to weight loss, killed it for him. He let Tarver get into his head after the Ruiz fight and finalized his downward descent by rushing into the Tarver fight. Jones face was gaunt and his skin was grey when he fought Tarver. No moisture in his skin. He sealed it for himself. No more prime Jones after that.

Good post