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Old 10-01-2005, 10:31 PM   #1
Drbio
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Default Roy Jones Junior vs. Antonio Tarver - Fight #3

Jones and Tarver get it on tonight. I wish Roy would have retired after the first fight. He could have been known as one of the greatest boxers of all time. I fear he will get his ass handed to him tonight by Tarver.

Any thoughts on the fight?
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Old 10-01-2005, 10:38 PM   #2
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Default RE:Roy Jones Junior vs. Antonio Tarver - Fight #3

The Roy Jones we saw five years ago just isn't the same Roy Jones that will be facing Antonio Tarver for the third time this Saturday night (9 ET, HBO PPV) at the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa, Fla. That much is certain.

But the question is, which Jones will appear? Will we see the remnants of the moving, feinting, quicksilver Jones, who was one of the best pound-for-pound fighters of all-time? Or will it be the Jones who fight fans last saw stiff on his back in his last two fights, against Tarver and Glen Johnson?

Those are intriguing questions that three former foes that both Tarver and Jones once faced have been asked.

Since Montell Griffin, Reggie Johnson and Eric Harding faced Jones, the future Hall of Famer from Pensacola, Fla., has moved up to heavyweight, scorched John Ruiz in winning the WBA heavyweight title, then came back down to light heavy where he barely beat Tarver by decision in their first meeting, before his unlikely demise in his last two bouts by knockout.

Griffin was the first fighter to ever beat Jones, though in a controversial manner by ninth-round disqualification in 1997 when Jones hit Griffin while he was down. Jones avenged that loss with a thorough first-round stoppage in the rematch. Griffin later faced Tarver and lost by 12-round decision in 2003.

"I don't think Tarver or Johnson fought the same Roy Jones that I faced," Griffin said.

"That's not meant to take anything away from Tarver and Johnson, but I just think Roy killed himself when he came back down from heavyweight. It's probably one of the dumbest things he's ever done. First of all, when you win a heavyweight championship, at 36, 37 years old and losing 20 pounds of muscle, that killed his body.



Light heavyweight Griffin (47-6-0, 30 KOs) continued: "You hear different things about Roy Jones. I can't really say anything too much about the things you hear, because I don't have proof, but he looked great against John Ruiz and he should have stayed there. You win a heavyweight championship, you lose to a heavyweight, not to a light heavyweight. I respect all of the top fighters, there's not much comparison to Roy Jones at his best and Tarver at his best.

"Roy was probably skeptical about fighting certain heavyweights. Roy let everyone get to his ego and he got knocked out. Anyone can get knocked out. But with Roy getting knocked out two times in a row, that will tarnish his career. I just don't know what Roy Jones has left. He looked good for the first round the second time he faced Tarver, but against Glen Johnson, he looked worse and worse. If Roy don't stop him and knock him out, Tarver will beat him. I just don't know how much Roy Jones has left."

Light heavyweight Johnson (43-7-1, 25 KOs) lost a 12-round decision to Jones in 1999, and three years later lost a split-decision to Tarver.

"Of course, Roy isn't the same since he went to heavyweight and came back down," Johnson said.

"Since Tarver fought me, he's improved a lot; give a lot of credit to his trainer, James "Buddy" McGirt, but if you twist my arm and say I pick someone to win, I'd have to go with Roy. I still think Roy has enough natural ability to outwork Tarver and out speed and outwit him. When Roy was knocked out against Johnson, it didn't look good.

"But if you think about it, Roy wasn't a fighter who took a lot of chances, and even with him being a little tentative this time, anyone would be. That's a natural process. I had Tarver down in the ninth round and you can get into Tarver's head. Roy has the experience and ring generalship and he still has the speed. Any one of these guys could win this fight, and this could be Roy's last fight and I'm sure he doesn't want to go out like that. Roy doesn't want to be remembered as a great fighter who got knocked out in his last two fights. We all want to be redeemed. It's a 50-50 fight, but I'd have to pick Roy Jones, because he has to redeem himself. He has that extra incentive."

Harding handed Tarver his first professional loss in 2000, setting up a title shot at Jones, who stopped Harding in 10 rounds. Harding didn't fare so well the second time he faced Tarver, getting stopped in the fifth round in 2002.

"I think Tarver is going to win," said light heavyweight Harding (22-3-1, 7 KOs).

"This is a different Roy Jones. He's not even close to the same Roy Jones that I fought. The difference in Roy is that he's gun shy. His reflexes aren't the same as they once were. He's gone up and down in weight and it's taken a toll. I heard his father is going to be in his corner, and his father can't give Roy a heart and he can't give Roy a chin. Apparently now, Roy can't take a punch.

"I just don't think Roy wants to fight anymore. His heart isn't into it. Roy got by so much with reflexes before, he can't do it anymore. Plus, I don't think he has the confidence he once had. When you were as good as Roy Jones once was, where everyone says he's as good as Wonder Bread, and you get blasted out twice like that, that has to shake your confidence. If Roy had any confidence about Tarver, he would have taken time off and went right after Tarver after he knocked him out the first time. The feeling from real boxing people, at least the people that I talk to, they all say he's done.

"I respect Tarver a little more than I do Roy. Tarver isn't any better than the Tarver I faced. The Tarver I faced was undefeated and was big on himself. He has learned a lot of lessons and he trains now. Skill-wise, he hasn't changed. He trains now and that's the difference. I see Tarver knocking Roy flat cold in about the third or fourth round. Tarver knows he can knock Roy out. He knows he can do it now."

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Old 10-01-2005, 10:42 PM   #3
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Default RE: Roy Jones Junior vs. Antonio Tarver - Fight #3

Round 1
Jones comes out in black trunks with white trim, Tarver in white trimmed in blue with a prominent Red Cross logo on the left leg. Jones and Tarver are tentative, circling while Tarver throws the occasional jab. Very little action, but Tarver lands enough jabs to take Round 1.
ESPN.com scores it: Tarver 10-9


Round 2
Tarver lands a hard left hand late in the round, rocking Jones so hard he can't counter. Jones continues to be tentative. Tarver is picking his spots, landing the most punches and the only power punches.
ESPN.com scores it: Tarver 10-9


Round 3
Tarver is cutting off the ring, forcing Jones into corners and making Jones work harder to get to open space. Jones is moving well, but the question becomes how long he can keep it up? Tarver finishes with a little flurry, taking the round, but it is Jones' best round yet.
ESPN.com scores it: Tarver 10-9


Round 4
Jones is able to keep the early action in the center of the ring and is scoring with some shots to the body. Jones is landing some harder shots, using feints to get inside. Tarver gets Jones into a corner and measures Jones for a hard straight left. Jones improves over his Round 3 performance, and just takes the round.
ESPN.com scores it: Jones 10-9


Round 5
Jones' confidence soars as he struts in the center of the ring, even hitting the bottom of his own right foot with his right glove. Tarver gets him in the corner and lands a hard combination. Jones comes back to land a big uppercut in the most action-packed round so far. Jones is starting to find his rhythm, but Tarver is still scoring well.
ESPN.com scores it: Jones 10-9



Round 6
Both fighters take a breather through the first two minutes. Tarver is landing lazy jabs, while the rhythm Jones found in Round 5 appears lost.
ESPN.com scores it: Tarver 10-9



Round 7
Jones does a sort of shimmying dance for the crowd after Tarver lands a left hook to the ribs. Jones keep strutting for the partisan crowd in this fight, Tarver keeps scoring. Jones' movement is greatly reduced compared to the the early rounds. Jones takes another round off, Tarver simply takes the round.
ESPN.com scores it: Tarver 10-9
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Old 10-01-2005, 10:55 PM   #4
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Default RE: Roy Jones Junior vs. Antonio Tarver - Fight #3

Round 8
The crowd starts chanting "Tarver" as Jones continues to stay AWOL from any real action. Jones' performance looks less convincing than Mr. T's in Rocky III. Tarver lands the occasional jab and easily takes the round.
ESPN.com scores it: Tarver 10-9



Round 9
Tarver is landing jabs, Jones still looks like he's trying to figure out how to get inside for a knockout shot. Jones lands the occasional punch, including a hard right, but never follows with another.
ESPN.com scores it: Tarver 10-9



Round 10
Tarver still looks like he has the energy, but it doesn't look like he has a clue to solve Tarver's difficult style. Tarver keeps landing combinations, Jones lands the occasional hard shot. Jones finally lands a combination late in the round, but Tarver backs Jones off with a stiff right hook.
ESPN.com scores it: Tarver 10-9



Round 11
Tarver was told by his corner to get busy and he comes out swinging. Jones still looks fresh. Then Tarver starts a bruising series of shots to the head, but Jonjes gamely keeps his feet despite appearing stunned. Jones fights back and Tarver looks exhausted, but Jones isn't able to take full advantage.
ESPN.com scores it: Tarver 10-9
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Old 10-01-2005, 11:00 PM   #5
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Default RE: Roy Jones Junior vs. Antonio Tarver - Fight #3

Round 12
Tarver still looks gassed, but just needs to stay on his feet to win an easy decision. Jones is leering in, looking for the knockout punch that can save the fight, and perhaps his reputation. Jones wins the round, Tarver takes the fight.
ESPN.com scores it: Jones 10-9
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Old 10-01-2005, 11:03 PM   #6
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Default RE: Roy Jones Junior vs. Antonio Tarver - Fight #3

It's official....Tarver wins by decision.
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Old 10-02-2005, 03:18 AM   #7
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Default RE:Roy Jones Junior vs. Antonio Tarver - Fight #3

Damn shame. I've never been a Roy Jones fan, but I just can't stand Tarver. Like most successful boxers, he's a loudmouth, arrogant asshole. (that's why I always loved Evander Holyfield; classy, down-to-earth guy) Still, anyone who saw Tarver/Jones II and Jones/Johnson had to know that Jones would never be the same again. You don't put on 20 pounds of pure muscle, and just drop it off at 34 or however old he was. Add to that two knockouts in a row, and his career's finished. If he had never put on that extra weight, I know he would've mopped the canvas with Tarver.

Now all I can do is wait and hope someone knocks Tarver's ass out. (sigh) If only Tarver were a heavyweight. I would love to see him get his head punched clean off by Vitali or Wladimir Klitschko.
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Old 10-02-2005, 10:11 AM   #8
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Default RE:Roy Jones Junior vs. Antonio Tarver - Fight #3

Jones was an all time great when he was younger. However that is gone now. He isnt the speedy guy that he once was. I just hope that him screwing up at the end of his career doesnt take away from peoples memories of what he was when he was younger. The thing about him when he was younger is that not only was he great, he was incredibly entertaining to watch. Holyfield was great but like most boxers he held on WAY to long.
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