Bigger upset at the time: Rahman-Lewis or Tarver-Jones?

Yep.


The Doghouse Boxing Team Rings in with their Predictions for Jones vs Tarver II

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Compiled by Anthony Cocks (May 13, 2004)

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Jones Jr Vs Tarver
This Saturday night HBO pay-per-view televises the highly anticipated rematch between light-heavyweight kingpin and pound-for-pound great Roy Jones, JR. and his arch-nemesis Antonio Tarver. When these two last met in the ring on November 8, 2003, Tarver stretched Jones, JR. to the limit before losing a debatable majority decision. Tarver claims the judges got it wrong, while RJJ insists the decision was just. Will the second time around be repeat or revenge? Read on to find out who the esteemed Doghouse Boxing scribes believe is going to win and why…

Krishen S. Rangi: Jones made a mistake taking this rematch. Tarver is almost as talented as Jones, JR., and his physical advantages are clear. He would have won the last fight if he had done anything in the middle of the ring. Just as well, he gained the only thing he needs to beat RJJ: confidence. I'll take Tarver 8 rounds to 4.

Ed Ludwig: This will in no way be anything like the first fight. I'm expecting Antonio Tarver to come out with all guns blazing and after a couple of rounds his pace will slow down and Roy Jones, JR. will systematically pick him apart. I have nothing against Tarver, but in my opinion he has not done anything to convince me he can win this fight. He had a great opportunity the first time around and blew it and with Jones, JR. back down to a comfortable weight with the proper time to train I expect him to win easily by a ninth round stoppage. Tarver is a good fighter, but nowhere as good as he thinks. When Tarver gets to the big stage with millions of people watching on Saturday night it will be lights out for the Magic Man!

Orlando Rios Jr: Tarver won't make the same mistake twice, and I also don't expect Roy Jones, JR. to play the rope-a-dope again. It's going to be a good fight, and I'm leaning towards RJJ. But I'll go with Tarver. He looks like the hungrier fighter. My pick, Tarver by decision.

Juan Angel Zurita: Was Jones, JR. bothered by the weight issues last time? Or is Tarver just an aging Jones’ kryptonite? Was it a combination of both? A lot of questions will be answered in this one. I slightly lean towards Jones, JR. as I feel the first fight wasn’t totally a fluke for Tarver. Jones via decision in another close one.

Epifanio M. Almeda: Jones over Tarver by KO in a mid-round. Roy will not be slowed down by weight loss this time and his speed and power will make the difference. It will be a rout this time.

Wayne Richardson: Jones.

"Bad" Brad Berkwitt: In their first meeting, Tarver blew his only chance to beat a dehydrated and spent Roy Jones, JR. who in fact, did struggle because of his weight loss. Had Tarver stuck to his game plan that he used in rounds 1 and 2, he would have beaten RJJ in my opinion. But as the old saying goes, "That was then and this is now." RJJ has never been quieter prior to a fight and this time around, look for a Montell Griffin replay because he is pissed by all the smack talk Tarver has been doing. RJJ by knockout within in three rounds.

Jason Petock: I'm taking Tarver by decision... but now what happens and what I predict are two different things.

Martin Wade: This is not Ali/Frazier, it will end up more like Ali/Terrell with Jones dragging out the punishment. Jones by unanimous decision.

Aaron Imholte: Don't think well see a fight as close as the last one, Roy was struggling to come down in weight after his time spent in the 190's. He is comfortable with his weight this time around and he'll answer the questions left after the first fight, primarily using his great speed and counter punching outpointing Tarver in a unanimous decision.

Vito Trabucco: I'm going out on a limb with this one. I'm going with Tarver scoring an upset decision. I don't see the fight being that much different than the first one. A close one up until the end. I do feel that Tarver will be more aggressive this time. Enough to score the win.

Jason Unpingco: I am going with Roy Jones, JR. by a unanimous decision. I think Roy's experience and pride is going to drive him to another level of performance against Tarver, who gave him an extremely tough first fight.

Sean Newman: Tarver fought an excellent fight against a not-so excellent Roy Jones, JR. last time, and even that was not enough to get the win. This time, Jones will be in better shape and issue a one-sided beating to Tarver before finally taking him out in the late rounds.

Rick Caldwell: Cutting weight is hard. The people who claim that Roy's weight loss was no excuse for his lack of energy have never cut that much weight. It's very taxing on the body, and it showed in his performance.... and he still won. In short, Roy by brutal KO in under 4 rounds. Tarver is great, but Roy is a God.

Brent Hedtke: Tarver fought the fight of his life in the first fight with Jones. Jones on the other hand, fought one of the more lackluster fights of his career and still came out victorious. Jones will be motivated and in much better shape this time and will stop Tarver in the 7th round.

Joe Trabucco: No one expected Antonio Tarver to put up the fight that he did, the last time these two met. Especially Roy Jones, JR. He won't be surprised, again. Jones KO10.

Tom Gray: Jones wins by unanimous decision and leaves no doubt as to who the better man is. I can't see Roy stopping Antonio, but you never know!

Anthony Cocks: Jones won't have an easy night with Tarver, who will hang tough regardless of the beating Roy puts on him. I expect the early rounds to be close before Jones pulls away down the stretch. Too fast, too furious. UD to the Jones boy, 116-112.

Friends of Doghouse Boxing ring in with their fight predictions

Former WBA Heavyweight Champion of the World, Mike Weaver: Tarver blew his chance to beat Roy the first time in a fight that he was hindered by the weight loss. This time around, RJJ wins by a convincing decision.

Former WBA Heavyweight Champion of the World, James “Bonecrusher” Smith: I think even though Tarver’s knowledge and boxing skills are good, RJJ will be up for this fight and in good condition. RJJ by unanimous decision.

Former WBA and IBF Junior Welterweight Champion, Aaron “The Hawk” Pryor: I am going with Antonio Tarver because he will be coming into the fight with more guns than Roy. They've fought before and Tarver knows what he has to do to beat Jones. Tarver by decision.

WBA Welterweight Champion, Jose Antonio Rivera: Roy will feel Tarver out in the early rounds and then I think he will systematically start picking him apart. Tarver let his best chance of beating Roy get away in the first fight. RJJ by late round TKO

Former IBF Super Middleweight Champion, Charles “The Hatchet” Brewer: I'm predicting a victory for Antonio. He is deserving of it, but it will be no easy task. If he wants it, he's going to have go out and prove to Roy that he's the man. I'm expecting to see a very technical match up with few explosions happening. However, if this match up takes the route of the previous one, I'm sure a fight will break out. Tarver by decision.

Former two time world light heavyweight challenger, Vonzell Johnson: Being an ex-fighter, I know how losing weight especially 15 or more pounds in a short period of time can take its toll on your body, and this was quite evident in their first fight. RJJ was not even 70% in that fight. Now that he has had the time to lose the weight properly, he will win this fight. He will knock Tarver out within 8 rounds if Tarver doesn’t run or fight scared like he did last time. Jones will win either way it goes whether a KO or decision.

** Three Doghouse Boxing Message Board Posters and very knowledgeable boxing fans rang in with their picks:

briandayglo: RJJ will be in much better shape this time around strength wise and stamina wise . I believe Tarver will come out very confident and win some early rounds. But I see this fight going the distance with RJJ pulling it out in dominant fashion. Tarver’s going to eat a lot of jabs and body shots through the course of the fight and he's going to look very frustrated Roy Jones, JR. by UD.

Icecoldmalik: I like RJJ in this rematch and he will handle Tarver with ease this time around. Roy looks like he is in excellent shape and in the first fight, Tarver threw a lot of arm punches which explains why he wasn't able to KO or knock down a less than stellar RJJ. Roy seems to be taking this fight more seriously as well. I am going with RJJ by second round stoppage.

Bollocks1984: RJJ will be back to normal this time around. Tarver's defensive style will give him a few problems, because he won't fall for RJJ's feints. However, RJJ will be too quick for him, and we might even see Tarver knocked down a couple of times. I don't think they will be bad ones, but just will surprise him. In the end, RJJ by a comfortable decision.

 

The first fight was. The rematch was much closer. The New York Times reported that they even fell to 7-2 after some late money came in on Tarver.

https://www.gainesville.com/article/LK/20040515/News/604159160/GS

https://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/17/sports/boxing-jones-s-loss-shocks-and-shakes-up-sport.html