Antonio Tarver & Glenn Johnson

(#1 (**permalink**))

Johnson, Tarver to Face Off in L.A. Bout

By JOHN NADEL, AP Sports Writer

LOS ANGELES (AP)- Glen Johnson is a soft-spoken man without the typical boxing bravado of, say, Antonio Tarver. So Johnson smiled when asked about the man he's about to fight.

"Talk is talk. Anyone with a mouth can talk," Johnson said. "Not just Antonio Tarver, but any guy who talks too much â€” they're not just trying to convince the people who are listening. You're trying to convince yourself. It's what you do in the ring that wins the fight."

Johnson spoke following a news conference where Tarver and his entourage loudly proclaimed Tarver's superiority entering Saturday night's 12-round light heavyweight bout at Staples Center.

"Every man I've faced, I've defeated," Tarver said. "It will be the same Saturday night."

Both men gave up championships for this bout. The WBC stripped Tarver of his belt for not agreeing to fight mandatory challenger Paul Briggs of Australia. Johnson decided to relinquish the IBF version rather than fight the organization's top challenger, Rico Hoye.

"Right now, we have lightning in a bottle," Tarver said. "This fight will never be as big as it is right now."

Johnson, 35, probably wondered if he'd ever get such a big money opportunity, especially after losing a 10-round decision to Julio Gonzalez less than two years ago.

Gonzalez will be fighting on the undercard Saturday night, along with Olympic gold medalist Andre Ward, who will be making his professional debut.

After losing to Gonzalez, Johnson had a win and two draws before outpointing Clinton Woods last February to win the IBF championship. Then came his stunning ninth-round knockout of Roy Jones Jr. three months ago.

Things were so tight financially that Johnson worked in construction as recently as last spring to supplement his income. He had by far his biggest payday against Jones, earning more than $800,000, and he'll make $1.05 million for this fight.

"I had feelings about quitting when I looked at the politics of boxing and how much that worked against me," Johnson said. "But I have a great manager who stood by me. He told me, 'You're right there. These guys aren't beating you, they're robbing you.'"

Johnson said his manager, Henry Foster, gave him that pep talk after the loss to Gonzalez.

"I really felt like I got robbed that fight," Johnson said.

Johnson didn't take up boxing until he was 20, when a co-worker on a construction site needed a sparring partner. Johnson soon was hooked, and he turned professional three years later. He won his first 32 pro fights but continued to do construction work most of that time.

With an overall record of 41-9-2 with 28 knockouts, he's just 9-9-2 in his last 20 fights. But here he is â€” about to meet the man acknowledged to be the best light heavyweight in the world.

Tarver is also coming off a knockout victory over Jones, having stopped him in the second round last May â€” seven months after losing a disputed decision to Jones.

Referring to the knockouts of Jones, Tarver said: "That's the only thing we have in common."

That's not entirely true, because the 36-year-old Tarver wasn't very well known before his first fight with Jones and has struggled at times during his career.

"It's a tough game we're in," Tarver said. "I've always believed in myself. It took a guy like Roy Jones Jr. to open the door for me. I'm thankful for my struggle."

Tarver weighed 175 pounds and Johnson 174 1/4 pounds at Friday's weigh-in. Tarver, who will earn more than $2 million, has a 22-2 record with 18 knockouts. He didn't turn pro until he was 28, after competing in the 1996 Olympics.

When Ward won the light heavyweight division in Athens in August, he became the first American to win an Olympic boxing gold medal since the 1996 Games.

Ward, 20, will face Christopher Molina in a four-round bout.

"The gold medal is behind me," Ward said. "My job is to go perform."

HBO will show the Ward-Molina fight and air a replay of last weekend's Vitali Klitschko-Danny Williams heavyweight championship fight before providing coverage of the main event. Live coverage begins at 9 p.m. EST.

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Results....Johnson Wins Split Decision Over Tarver

By JOHN NADEL, AP Sports Writer

LOS ANGELES (AP)- Glen Johnson, a virtual unknown until knocking out Roy Jones Jr., three months ago, won a split decision over Antonio Tarver on Saturday night in a matchup of the world's best light heavyweights.

The Staples Center crowd cheered throughout the final round, and when it ended, both fighters thrust their fists into the air, proclaiming victory.

The winner proved to be Johnson, who overcame Tarver's 4-inch height advantage to win, mainly by being the aggressor through most of the 12-round bout.

Judges Melvina Lathan and Chuck Giampa scored the bout 115-113 in favor of Johnson. Judge Marty Denkin had it 116-112 for Tarver. The Associated Press scored it 115-113 for Tarver.

The 6-foot-2 1/2 Tarver, a solid favorite, said he thought he won by dictating the pace and throwing the harder punches.

"I thought I hit him with some clean shots and hurt him around the fourth or fifth round," he said. "But Johnson was the better man this evening."

Johnson refused to say he was the best light heavyweight in the world.

"I'm still looking for Mr. Best. I would never say that I was the best," he said.

Johnson said Tarver didn't hurt him.

"He knocked me off balance a couple times, but I was never hurt," Johnson said. "It was a real close fight. I'd like to fight him again."

When asked if he would take a rematch, Tarver replied: "Our course."

Tarver lost a controversial 12-round decision to Jones in November 2003 before stopping him in the second round May 15. Johnson knocked Jones out in the ninth round Sept. 25.

Both fighters gave up championships for the fight. The WBC stripped Tarver of his belt for not agreeing to fight mandatory challenger Paul Briggs of Australia. Johnson decided to relinquish the IBF version rather than fight the organization's top challenger, Rico Hoye.

Nevertheless, Tarver entered the ring wearing a red crown.

Jones was 49-1 and considered one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world before losing to Tarver. Jones worked as a commentator on the HBO telecast of the bout and said afterward he thought Tarver won.

The 35-year-old Johnson raised his record to 42-9-2 with 28 knockouts. He didn't begin to box until he was 20 and turned professional three years later.

Tarver, 36, is 22-3 with 18 knockouts.

Johnson, who grew up in Jamaica and moved to Miami when he was 14, weighed 174 1/4. Tarver, from Tampa, Fla., weighed 175 pounds.

There were no knockdowns.

Tarver and Johnson each received a guaranteed $1.05 million. Promoter Joe DeGuardia said Tarver would earn more than another $1 million, based on profits from the show.

Johnson clearly won the first round. Tarver became more aggressive at the beginning of the second, and landed a solid left hand to the head that stunned Johnson as the fourth round ended.

Johnson seemed the fresher and more aggressive of the two in the fifth round, but Tarver dominated the sixth, although Johnson took several good shots without backing off.

By the eighth round, Johnson's face was puffy in several places.

Tarver backed off in the 10th round, drawing boos from the crowd. Johnson threw several wild punches that missed in the final seconds of the round.

Tarver staggered Johnson with a left to the head one minute into the 11th round, but Johnson didn't back off. Tarver went down with 25 seconds left in the round but referee Pat Russell quickly indicated he slipped.

Olympic gold medalist Andre Ward of Oakland, Calif., made a successful professional debut on the undercard, stopping Christopher Molina of Odessa, Tex., at 40 seconds of the second round. The bout was scheduled for four rounds.

Ward, 20, weighed 165 pounds. He became the first American boxer to win an Olympic gold medal since 1996 at Athens last summer, prevailing in the 178-pound division.

Among those with ringside seats were Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant and his wife, Vanessa; former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, and current heavyweight contender James Toney.

wotsits18 · (#3 (**permalink**))

Hmmm so da victor over yr man has now been defeated by sum softly spoken Jamaican

, @ least Peter Tatchell will like dis, a softly spoken Jamaican

..

Tarver & Johnson fought 4 an IBO Title

blkfingerwagwhat da hell no wonder there wasn't dat much publicity considering dat 1 of da men fighting beat da blkangryoutta Roy Jones Jr..

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@w-18

Bro...there was plenty of publicity on this. I am surprised you didn't hear about it. *ashanti swallows hard* By the way both of these guys beat my man.

And speaking of my man RJ, he was ringside again calling the fight...he's so handsome, yes Lawd!smoking-devilniceone.gif

wotsits18 · (#5 (**permalink**))

Yes of course silly me, there are 2 threads hear detail'n Roy Jones Loser oops Jr's defeats @ da hands of these guys..It wasn't mentioned over here & if it was l missed it niceone.gif..

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wotsits18 wrote:

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Yes of course silly me, there are 2 threads hear detail'n Roy Jones Loser oops Jr's defeats @ da hands of these guys..

Quote:

____________________

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:P

wotsits18 · (#7 (**permalink**))

Ashanti wrote:

Quote:

wotsits18 wrote:

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Yes of course silly me, there are 2 threads hear detail'n Roy Jones Loser oops Jr's defeats @ da hands of these guys..

Quote:

____________________

Quote:

:P

Quote:

blksshShhhh..

Burning Spear · (#8 (**permalink**))

This was a non-title bout.

wotsits18 · (#9 (**permalink**))

Burning Spear wrote:

Quote:

This was a non-title bout.

Quote:

Technically yeh yr rite, as it was 4 da IBO version..2 much alphabet inna boxing blkfingerwagnot good..

Burning Spear · (#10 (**permalink**))

By Steve Kim
MaxBoxing.com

Glen Johnson, the man who isdubbed "The Road Warrior," has had quite a 2004.

In February, he defeated Clinton Woods onWoods' home turf of Sheffield, England, to capture the vacantIBF light heavyweight crown. Then, after an aborted fight against Joe Calzaghe -- where he was set to go overseas again and defend his title -- he faced Roy Jones Jr.as the proverbial comeback "opponent" in Memphis, Tenn. He didn't go by the script and instead starched Jones in nine rounds.

To top it off, this past weekend he was in Los Angeles at the Staples Center, where he outhustled Antonio Tarver in an entertaining scrap to win recognition as the game's premier 175-pounder.

Mel Gibson's got nothing on this guy.

And with this trio of wins, all of which came on either enemy territory or as the heavy underdog versus high-profile fighters, Johnson has earned the distinction as 2004's "Fighter of the Year."

In what was a close, competitive bout, Johnson won a razor-thin split decision on the basis of his aggression, consistency and body-punching. Judges Melvina Lathan and Chuck Giampa both had Johnson winning by the score of 115-113, and Marty Denkin saw it the other way at 116-112.

"I expected it to be a tough fight," Johnson said afterwards. "It was a tough fight. It was a good fight. I believe the public got what they wanted, and I'm looking forward to doing it again."

For Johnson, his pressure was the key. There were many close rounds, but in the game of professional boxing, to many judges, it's who's pressing the fight that is often the determining factor in who gets the nod in a close frame. While Tarver did land the harder and sharper individual punches, Johnson fought more of every round and consistently came forward.

"I always try to enforce my will. I wanted to come and throw a lot of body shots and I have to be close to do those things," he explained. "So I definitely had to step up close to him and put on the pressure."

And on the occasions that Tarver was able to unleash his rapier-like left, Johnson took them well.

"He never hurt me," he said. "He threw some left hands, most of them were blocked, but some of them did rock me back because I didn't have my legs up under me. But they never hurt me at any time."

During the homestretch of this tight, pitched battle, both trainers were like jockeys, going to the whip, trying to coax just a little bit more out of their thoroughbreds as they raced neck and neck to the finish line.

"I was telling Glen that it was crucial we take the last three rounds because I felt that the fight was getting close," said Orlando Cuellar, who has overseen the revival of Johnson's career, alongside manager Henry Foster. "And I told him, 'Glen, you gotta give me the last three rounds. I need them because the fight's too close.' I said, 'If you give me the last three rounds, we got this.'

"I said, 'Give me one round at a time, give me your heart for three minutes and then when you come back in between the rounds, I'll bring you back.' I'll take care of you; I'll refresh you. But I need three minutes, Glen, give me your heart. If you give me this, we'll get the fight."

Which is precisely what happened.

On both Lathan's and Giampa's scorecards, Tarver held a one-point lead going into the "championship rounds" at 86-85.Johnson proceeded to win rounds 10, 11 and 12 on their cards to win the fight.

It was a close -- but not controversial -- decision. There was a division ringside as to who won the fight, and many, including the HBO broadcast crew, tabbed Tarver as the victor.

"If you look at the entire fight, I thought he landed the cleaner, harder shots with the left hands and won seven out of the 12 rounds. I had it 115-113," said Harold Lederman, HBO's "unofficial" official.

He disagreed with Lathan and Giampa on two particular rounds.

"I thought round four was a clear Tarver round; round 12, I think Antonio Tarver sucked it up and definitely won the round," opined Lederman.

In that final round, Tarver rocked Johnson early on and dominated the first 90 seconds before succumbing to exhaustion. If Tarver had been given that round, the fight would have become a majority draw.

But I guess you can call it a "karmatic decision" because if there was ever a guy who deserved a close nod it was Johnson, who's been held up more than a 7-11 at three in the morning.

As the cards were being read by Michael Buffer, Foster had an uneasy feeling.

"They announced the first score (Denkin's 116-112, in favor of Tarver) and that was so off the wall, that I thought we were really going to get jobbed," he admitted. "I do want to say that when Marty Denkin judges a fight, he ought to watch it."

Even if you had Tarver up (like I did, by one point) you got the feel that Johnson deserved the fight. He captured the drama of the event, fought harder for longer stretches, and by the end of the night he was playing the role of the Lakers, as the LA crowd was squarely behind him..

"Glen was hurting him, throwing the more convincing blows to the body; he took the early rounds," said Cuellar, who like his boxer has burst onto the scene in '04. "Basically he was swarming him, pressing him, he's throwing volume, he was stepping and punching, he did what he had to do to win and their was justice in that decision. It went to the right man."

And it seemed to go to the man who treated his visit to Los Angeles as a business trip and nothing else. More than one source will tell you that while Tarver may have seemed focused -- and he did say all the right things leading up to the fight -- that he treated this more as a field trip, gallivanting around town, enjoying himself just a bit too much during fight week.

He seemed winded early on, his legs not having the foundation to hold his ground against the oncoming charges of Johnson, his jab so limp that it needed Levitra. The same focus and determination that he had before his two meetings with Jones seemed absent on this night.

His own trainer expressed disappointment in his boxer's outing.

"I think that he gave away too many of the early rounds and he started looking for the one punch," stated Buddy McGirt. The respected trainer also feels that his fighter didn't do nearly a good enough job of drawing the proverbial line in the sand and making Johnson pay for coming forward. "Yeah," he agreed, "when he stood his ground, you saw what happened."

Tarver, who says he hurt his left hand in either the fourth or fifth round, came into the bout thinking of bigger and better things and a long-term deal with HBO. Now, the only thing on his mind is avenging another loss.

"I'm pretty good in my rematches, 2-0 with two knockouts," he told the gathered media. "I think we gave the people what they wanted; I never underestimated his ability, but I felt I did enough to win the fight. I finished strong, he is the 'Road Warrior' and he put the pressure on, but I wasdressed down in defense. He landed some shots, (but) I think I stayed busy enough to win a lot of those rounds."

And it looks like Johnson-Tarver II is a distinct possibility since a rematch clause was in the contract.

"I'm looking to do it again," Tarver continued. "I lost to Eric Harding, came back and knocked him out. I had a controversial loss to Roy Jones, knocked him out. So three times is a charm. Of course I want a rematch."

And a return bout has no business being west of the Florida panhandle. Having a fighter from Tampa (Tarver) and one from Miami (Johnson) boxing each other at the Staples Center was like FSU and Miami playing each other at the Los Angeles Coliseum. The rematch belongs at either the Tampa Ice Palace or the American Airlines Arena in Florida or somewhere in the southeast.

The crowd at the Staples Center was sparse. The announced crowd was a little over 9,000 -- with many of the tickets given away according to various sources -- and the whole upper deck of the arena was covered up with curtains, which gave it the feel of a WNBA game. Those who came to the fight saw a good one; the problem was that in a city that is notorious for having late-arriving crowds had a "never arriving" one on this night.

But Johnson, who flies back home 3,000 miles east -- is now the King of Miami. With the Hurricanes going Peach Bowlin', the Dolphins stuck in a haze of Ricky Williams' smoke, the Marlins failing to make the playoffs this past year and the Heat still unproven in the postseason, it's Johnson who rules South Florida.

"Hey, it's great, it's great!" he said with a wide grin, "I'm glad Shaq is there; he's doing his thing. The Heat is also making a stand in Miami."

True, but they haven't conquered the world like this guy.