TalkingBoxing Articles
Fight To The Finish | Tarver v Hopkins – Coming June 10 2006
TUE May 30, BUSTER PARIS - Ring Magazine’s (and the IBO’s) Light Heavyweight Champion Antonio “Magic Man” Tarver (24 wins - 18 ko's and 3 losses) and Bernard “the Executioner” Hopkins (46 Wins - 32 ko's, 4 losses and 1 draw) are lacing them up and getting ready to do battle for more than just the IBO and NBA crowns and belts – this one’s for the record books and a place in history, this one’s for some nice real-estate on a wall in Canastota – and for Bernard Hopkins - this one’s for his hero - Sugar Ray Robinson.
June 10th can’t get here fast enough, it’s funny - it’ll actually come and go at the blink of an eye and nevertheless for that one night all our eyes will be locked on Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ for Tarver and Hopkins - “Fight To The Finish”.
That’s what it’s being called - the “Fight To The Finish” and in more ways than one that’s exactly what it is.
Here’s what’s at stake for Antonio Tarver:
Tarver has far more to lose than to gain. It’s a fight to the finish for him because right now there are a lot of questions regarding what he has left in the tank – or more appropriately put – is he a finished fighter.
In his last fight against Roy Jones Jr (October 2005) it looked like Antonio ran out of gas – he was fighting a Roy Jones who was only trying to survive and not really putting out much of an offense - and near the end of the bout it seemed that Tarver was sluggish, clumsy and rapidly losing steam.
Another question regarding Antonio is the weight that he gained for his role in the new Sylvester Stalone movie “Rocky Balboa” (Rocky VI to you and me) – that since he got up to 200 – 220 lbs that in order to make the weight requirement for Light Heavyweight he has to loose anywhere from 25 to 45 lbs – and when it comes right down to it - that’s a lot of weight to loose.
The concern is can he drop the pounds, but not drop the strength. Tarver is the naturally bigger and stronger man, but dumping 25 to 45 lbs can make you weak if you don’t do it right – AND – “Mr. No Excuses” can no way use that as an excuse IF he loses the fight.
Speaking of if he loses the fight – if that is the outcome - and depending on how he loses (runs out of gas, gets ko’d or loses on points) then what can be said about Antonio Tarver going forward – he got beat up by a Middleweight - who he guaranteed he’d knock out - and again – depending on how he loses the fight this could be it for Tarver’s career and hence it really is a “Fight to the Finish”.
On the flip side – what does Tarver have to gain?
To most people and the casual fight fan – nothing -- so he beat up a 41-year-old Middleweight – big whup.
Well – to you folks I gotta be honest – that argument makes sense and in theory I agree, but one thing about the Sweet Science – it’s more than just a “science” – it’s a discipline, a skill and a savagely brutal and beautiful art that transcends our understanding of logic.
1 + 1 doesn’t always equal 2 in boxing – or put another way – no way in hell should a 42 to 1 underdog named Buster Douglas have beaten Mike Tyson.
Again those of you thinking that if Tarver wins - so what? – all he’s done is beat up a pumped up 41-year-old Middleweight – whooptee-doo.
Well, I have a HORRIBLE analogy for you - try and work with me here – when Pamela Anderson got boob implants she became even hotter. Her hotness wasn’t lessoned or decreased or considered not to belong in the upper echelon of hotness by the additional “weaponry”.
Well, the same could hold true for Bernard Hopkins – the extra weight and muscle could make him “hotter” – i.e. it could work well to his advantage and make him a better fighter – NOT a pumped up 41-year-old Middleweight, but a worthy and dangerous Light Heavyweight adversary.
It’s rare, but there are some fighters that make a big move up in weight and are equally effective and sometimes even more so – different skills and talents appear – or what made them good to begin with is reenergized or reinforced.
Chris Byrd started out as a Middleweight and wound up as a Heavyweight Champion. There’s also James “Lights Out” Toney – and of course lets not forget Roy Jones Jr.
That’s why it’s absolutely not fair to say that if Tarver wins it’s simply because he beat up a Middleweight.
If Antonio wins he will have beaten one of the craftiest and best fighters of the more than the past decade. Don’t forget until very recently Bernard Hopkins was THE pound per pound BEST fighter out there – trust me THAT wasn’t an accident or misprint for the past 10 years or so.
Here’s what’s at stake for Bernard Hopkins:
Win or lose – this is his last fight. It literally is his “Fight to the Finish” and if he loses then his amazing career ends with 3 “L’s” in a row – and his last fight as a professional prizefighter ends in a loss – but interestingly enough his career began with a loss - his first fight as a prizefighter was against Clinton Mitchell in October 1988 – where Bernard weighed … 177 lbs (insert Twilight Zone music here)
If Hopkins loses he misses that awe-inspiring mark he was going for – to do that one thing his idol – Sugar Ray Robinson – couldn’t do – win the Light Heavyweight crown. To do that would be historical – and even though his amazing career is ending with nothing to be ashamed of – this would in some respect balance out the Jermain Taylor losses and on another level add a sense of sweetness for him that you and I can only begin to imagine.
My prediction –
I think Hopkins has a really good shot at winning this. He’s still at the top of his game – looking at his last fight (Jermain Taylor II - December 2005) I think he won it – and won it well.
I think Bernard Hopkins has a good 5 more years left in him and that age is irrelevant when it comes to “The Executioner”.
I don’t know what to make of Antonio Tarver right now – his last fight was just so unimpressive and it appears that he is running out of time, but I know him to be better than that - so truth be told – I’m confused.
I’m confused as to where Tarver is at physically – again it’s his conditioning, his last fight he ran out of steam against a man merely trying to not get knocked out and now add on top of conditioning questions the weight loss - can he be at full strength?
BUT – it’s Antonio Tarver…the “Magic Man” - he has proven to be the “Legend Killer”.
Hmmmm…
Let’s break this down a little more in order to get a prediction … so - for this part of the conversation let’s say that Tarver is in tip top shape – who do I think will win?
(Add your own dramatic pause music here)
Hopkins – Unanimous Decision after 12 rounds. It will be a very close fight, but B-Hop will simply land the more impressive and damaging shots and beat Antonio on points – that’s an important distinction and let me repeat it – he will beat Antonio Tarver on points to win the fight, but will not beat Tarver up.
Bernard will out fox and will out box Tarver - and do all those lovely ‘little tricks’ that he does so well to frustrate and outpoint the Magic Man.
If Tarver is not in tip top shape:
Hopkins - Unanimous Decision after 12 rounds. The fight will start off strong for both fighters and remind us of Hopkins v Taylor I & II with Antonio pushing Hopkins around, but look for Tarver to slow down and get somewhat awkward and lumbering in the 2nd half of the fight and that’s where Bernard will turn it on as well as become very comfortable in his new body.
Hopkins will clearly win on points and will have unquestionably beaten up Tarver in rounds 9, 10 and 11.
So – either way – Bernard Hopkins will be the NEW Light Heavyweight Champion of the World via a Unanimous Decision after 12 rounds.
And that’s a swan song that is as sweet as sugar.
Buster Paris can be reached at: bparis@talkingboxing.com - and always enjoys receiving your thoughts, comments and questions
Forum
