Fox Sports 1: Antonio Tarver vs. Mike Sheppard & Thomas Williams vs. Yusaf Mack RBR

:good

He is very much a specialist, IMO. His headhunting leaves a lot to be desired and his jab in particular has yet to develop the way you would like to see a very athletically gifted boxer-puncher prospect's...but that body work is of top-notch professional quality.

I especially like how rooted in long-form efficiency he keeps it. He isn't looking for a highlight reel body shot KO like Golovkin vs. Macklin or Redkach vs. anybody...or the kind of classic, photogenic, heard-in-the-bleachers digs of a Micky Ward or J.C. Superstar....but to anyone with a trained eye he is putting violent investment into the carapace typically from the 1st every single night...

 

Final stats:

Caballero 186 of 504, 37%

Cruz 99 of 448, 22%

 

Antonio Tarver vs. Mike Sheppard, 10 rounds @ heavyweight

 

The vacant interim NABA heavyweight championship? :shock:


...the vacant interim NABA heavyweight championship?

 

Mike Sheppard looks a mean/median/mode of Mike Mollo and prime Mike Middleton....in physical appearance and, through ninety seconds, talent level...

 

Round 1

Tarver circles and throws his pot shot southpaw jab, starting with a relaxed pace. Tarver is putting the right jab into Sheppard's face and staying well outside beyond the reach of Sheppard's jab. Left uppercuts to the gut by Tarver stepping in past the jab. 1-2 over the back by Tarver as Sheppard presses in with a bear hug off a missed right hand up top.

10-9 Tarver

 

Round 2

Tarver is putting out a 3-2 combo, whipping the right hook out and following with the left cross, both caught partially on the meaty arms of Sheppard as he leaves them floating in front of his face. Tarver lands a left uppercut when Sheppard ties him up in the middle of the ring. Break forced by the ref. Whipping right hook by Tarver. Sheppard tries to step in with a jab and takes a left shoveled into his lungs. Clinch. 1-2 by Sheppard, lunging and missing as Tarver works his way off the ropes. Pull counter left by Tarver circling away to his left.

10-9 Tarver

20-18 Tarver

 

...yet he is every bit as viable a 'heavyweight contender' as fellow erstwhile light heavy & cruiser and Icarus disciple Tomasz Adamek.

(which is to say, neither is or ever has been or ever will be a remotely viable HW contender)