Tarver calls out Calzaghe

Discussion in 'World Boxing Forum' started by BG91, Feb 5, 2008.

  1. BG91

    BG91 Member Full Member

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    http://sports.yahoo.com/box/news?slug=txtarvercalzaghe&prov=st&type=lgns


    LONDON (TICKER) -- Antonio Tarver is adamant Joe Calzaghe will have to do more than beat Bernard Hopkins to become a true two-weight great.

    Calzaghe moves up a division in Las Vegas on April 19 to clash with ex-middleweight champion Hopkins - holder of the Ring belt after the magazine nominated him the world's best light-heavyweight in the wake of his 2006 win over Tarver.

    But brash 39-year-old American Tarver insists the true champion will emerge from the previous week's promotion in Tampa, Florida.

    There, he will challenge Sheffield's IBF title holder Clinton Woods, while WBC champion Chad Dawson defends his crown against former world title-holder Glen Johnson.

    The plan is for a showdown between the two winners to find the top man at 175 pounds.

    "We're not going to speak of Calzaghe," said Tarver - in London yesterday for a heated verbal spar with Woods - before doing just that.

    "He's a great super-middleweight champion but when he comes up to light-heavyweight, he's in uncharted waters."

    Tarver tried to dismiss his own defeat at the hands of Hopkins.

    "On my worst day, he couldn't put me out," he said. "I like Calzaghe in that fight because I think he's quick enough to get the job done against the old man."

    But he warned Calzaghe, moving up after outclassing Denmark's Mikkel Kessler to add the WBC and WBA belts to the WBO title he had held for 10 years.

    "Hopkins is crafty enough to make a good fighter look bad," Tarver said.

    Tarver, insisting he is fully focused on becoming a real-life fighting star again after taking a year out to be Rocky's final opponent in the last Sylvester Stallone boxing film, at least recognized Calzaghe might just be something special.

    But his American promoter Gary Shaw also dismissed the relevance of Calzaghe against Hopkins in the current light-heavyweight shake-up.

    Hopkins' last fight, a points victory over former middleweight holder Ronald 'Winky' Wright, was made at 170 pounds, a weight between the super-middle and light-heavy limits.

    "I'm not a believer of people making up their own weight classes in their own fights," Shaw said. "The last time I checked there was no 170-pound division in the whole of boxing and to me that's bad for boxing."

    He also claimed the Tampa fights contain the better fighters.

    "These are truly probably the four best light-heavyweights in the world - Antonio Tarver, Clinton Woods Glen Johnson, Chad Dawson," Shaw said. "Significantly, this is the biggest double-header of light-heavyweights in the world ever. It really is a great tournament and the winner will actually be the 175-pound number one in the world, bar no-one."

    Both Tarver and Shaw were dismissive of the claims of the once-great Roy Jones Jr., who has thrown out a challenge to Woods - and tipped him to beat Tarver - after climbing back into contention with his recent victory over Felix Trinidad.

    "Roy Jones, beating a Trinidad who hadn't fought for two years in his last fight, has no dance partner," Shaw said. "If Roy wants to think he is someone special again, he is going to have to fight the winner of this tournament somewhere down the line."

    "Roy Jones is washed up - he beat a welterweight," Tarver added. "I'd love to fight him but he wouldn't want to fight me because he knows it's doomsday."
     
  2. MancMexican

    MancMexican Blood & Guts Forever Full Member

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    When Tarver says he'd love to fight Roy Jones for a FOURTH time you know old milk dud has been in the sun too long
     
  3. klion22

    klion22 Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Milkdud is one delusional puppy! :lol:

    But still, Milkdud rules. :rasta
     
  4. Shaolin Box

    Shaolin Box Respect Full Member

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    Tarver needs to STFU......................

    BTW - I hope he and Jones get it on one more time.
     
  5. cpnasty

    cpnasty Fight Fan 83 Full Member

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    This dude is talking **** and he could barely beat a 60 year old Balboa
     
  6. KayEpps

    KayEpps Boxing Addict Full Member

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    All Tarver does is talk - he's just ****ing irritating.

    I want to see Dawson knock his head off.
     
  7. MancMexican

    MancMexican Blood & Guts Forever Full Member

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    the fix was in, rocky should have got the nod
     
  8. 196osh

    196osh Mendes Bros. Full Member

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    I realy do dislike that man, :-(
     
  9. cpnasty

    cpnasty Fight Fan 83 Full Member

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    Tarver is nearly 40 years old and he has less fights and wins than 24 year old Juan Diaz :-(
     
  10. KayEpps

    KayEpps Boxing Addict Full Member

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    He didn't start his career until around the age of 28.
     
  11. kandman

    kandman New Member Full Member

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    He was too busy smoking crack to get an early start on his pro career
     
  12. Shaolin Box

    Shaolin Box Respect Full Member

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    Welcome Noob! funny post!
     
  13. klion22

    klion22 Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    This content is protected


    This content is protected


    :lol:
     
  14. klion22

    klion22 Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    :lol:
     
  15. Grant1

    Grant1 Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    RJJ vs Joe/Hop

    Dawson/Johnson vs Tarver/Woods

    Winners meet and we have ONE legitimate champ.

    It would be great !!!!!!