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Tarver-Jones: What’s It All About?
TUE October 4, BUSTER PARIS - This past Saturday October 1st, Antonio Tarver and Roy Jones Jr. put to bed the physical aspect of their rivalry. All their next bouts will be of words, paper and their spot in the history books of pugilism. So – what was all this about.
For Roy Jones Jr. was the final fight just about ending the 12th round still on his feet?
Was it all about getting back on the horse or was it about - as he put it - to “not go out as a chump”.
In a fight billed as “No Excuses” what’s Roy’s excuse for not fighting? What’s his excuse for only throwing about 26 punches a round?
What’s my excuse for not asking: “What’s it really all about?”
As usual I got swept up in all the pre-fight hype and in the excitement about the trilogy between these two remarkable fighters. I got carried away at how they met at 13 years old, how Tarver had been chasing Jones ever since and how they finally met up as pros on November 8 2003.
That first fight many feel that Antonio won, setting up a beautiful narrative for the rematch.
The rematch (May 15 2004) had one of my favorite and unprecedented boxing moments when during instructions referee Jay Nady asked if there were any questions and Tarver brilliantly quipped – “You got any excuses tonight Roy?” – I love that!
1:42 into the 2nd round and there it was – that magic left hand encased in a blue Grant boxing glove. Out of the blue it came crashing the party and landed like a dream on the face of Roy Jones Jr. That was it, party's over and Tarver wins their rematch.
Jones and Tarver both shared 1 win apiece.
Next - enter “The Road Warrior” - Glengoffe Johnson. He and Roy do battle September 25th, 2004 (just 4 months after Jones got KO’d by Tarver) and Glen powerfully knocks Roy out in the 9th.
The talk around boxing’s water cooler is that Roy Jones Jr. is possibly a spent fighter. That during that dramatic time between winning the Heavyweight Championship and prepping for the 1st Antonio Tarver fight that he lost “something” in addition to shedding all that muscle and all that weight.
Then there’s the larger issue of the two big knockouts in a row. These not only punctuate the speculation of him being spent, but the fact is those two KO’s cause concern for Roy’s health.
During this time of pondering the future of Jones, Tarver and Johnson mix it up twice with Glen winning the 1st bout by split decision (December 18 2004) and then 6 months later for the 2nd meeting Antonio winning a unanimous decision (June 18 2005)
That’s the 5-cent histrionics and brings us up to date.
So here we are at October 1st 2005 – Antonio Tarver vs. Roy Jones Jr. III. It’s been 1 year and 5 days since Roy has been in the ring and there is so much talk about this fight.
What’s it all about? - The 2 big schools of thought are:
Jones is a depleted fighter, this is a huge gamble for him and he is going to lose. He no longer has “it” anymore and he’s simply done.
Jones is going to rise up from the ashes of his defeats and his speed will overwhelm Tarver. This will be just like Sugar Ray Leonard coming out of retirement to beat Marvelous Marvin Hagler.
What’s it all about from my perspective? - I thought this 3rd go ‘round for Roy was either about getting back on the horse or about redemption – or about both.
What about getting back on the horse? – It’s about getting back in the ring and back in the mix. Putting the knockouts behind him and just going for it. I thought his intentions would be fighting to the best of his ability to beat Antonio. To put it all on the line and be the Roy Jones Jr. we’ve been amazed by, entertained with and in awe of for so many years. Back on the horse and back as Light Heavyweight Champion of the World at least for today and/or for years to come.
What about redemption with a touch of payback? – It’s about righting what he thought was a wrong. He can right the wrong of their 1st fight, of it being close in anyone’s mind – the 2nd fight was a fluke, a lucky punch and he can right that wrong here as well. There’s also righting the wrong of Johnson, righting the wrong of being knocked out and righting the wrong of being knocked out twice in a row.
But it wasn’t really about either of these, it wasn’t about getting back on the horse and it wasn’t about redemption with a passionate slice of payback.
It was about going out standing.
It was about going out on his feet – “not going out as a chump”.
I’m trying to reconcile two aspects of that. On the one hand he did achieve the redemption he was looking for. He didn’t get knocked out and he survived a really close call in the 11th. He actually won the 12th round and that’s something. So if (and that’s a great big if) he retires then that’s a great note to go out on.
On the other hand I feel kind of gypped and I feel Tarver got gypped. As this was on the 30th anniversary of the “The Thrilla in Manila” ask yourself what if Frazier or Ali just tried to survive and not win? – Would the other feel gypped? How would history view their trilogy?
The Roy Jones in the ring was not the Roy Jones that was pound for pound one of the greatest fighters for the past 14 years.
Was this fight, as he says, his best effort? You could see flashes of that magnificent hand speed, but he wouldn’t risk using it, he wouldn’t risk tangling up with Tarver and he ran, danced and clowned all night - throwing one punch at a time.
After all the drama, after all the gossip, presumptions and questions Roy Jones Jr. threw 26 punches a round – the sad truth in that is that’s what Roy used to throw simply as combinations. He wouldn’t engage and make a fight of it.
What was it really all about? – Roy proving to himself that he could go 12 rounds and not get knocked out. Roy proving to himself that he could go 12 rounds against Antonio Tarver. Roy proving to himself that...(you fill in the blank).
This fight was about Roy Jones Jr. and for Roy Jones Jr.
So, on the one hand I feel bad for Antonio who is yet again placed in the supporting role or as a footnote in the Jones saga and once again not getting his much due respect and well-deserved glory.
On the other hand – good for Roy – why shouldn’t he get the closure that he wanted. Why shouldn’t it be about him? Remember the words of the budding Middleweight banger Billy Shakespeare –
“This above all else – to thine own self be true”
So for the Roy Jones Jr. fan - he has found his redemption, he went the distance and even won his final round. He can walk proudly into that setting sun …at least until 2008 when he makes his spectacular and dramatic 1st comeback attempt – after all - THAT’S what it’s all about.
Buster Paris can be reached at: bparis@talkingboxing.com - and always enjoys receiving your thoughts, comments and questions.
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