Original Chat Session on September 7, 2004

thehype: Boxingtalk.com welcomes Antonio Tarver to the chat

superhigh: Who do you want to fight now???  and will you stay at 175...I hope you do and want to see you fight hopkins ???thats a BIG FIGHT!!Magic man keep it comming your good for the sport!!Peace

Antonio_Tarver: I appreciate it. I definitely want to reign over 175, it took me so long to get on top that I feel abandoning my division would be stupid unless there's something big and they make me an offer I can't refuse

Antonio_Tarver: Until then I will run this divison with an iron-clad fist. Hopkins interests me, but I think he feels his win over DLH will cement his legacy instead of fighting myself

Antonio_Tarver: My hat goes off to DLH for taking on a big bad middleweight after coming all the way up from lightweight

miketysonisthegreatest: Antonio, who and when will you fight?  I heard about the possibility a jones rubber match in december any word on that?

Antonio_Tarver: That's something that's a possibility. It all depends with Roy and Johnson, hopefully Roy can get in there and take care of business so we can give boxing fans the trilogy they've been salivating for.

Antonio_Tarver: It looks like I'll be fighting in early December

York1: Respect for representing as a strong, articulate brother. How do you feel about Roy's next fight and do you think he's avoiding you?

Antonio_Tarver: I will be working for ESPN as an analyst for the Hopkins-DLH fight, look for me on ESPN news, and ESPN 1 and 2. Roy feels in his heart that the KO was a major setback. He's fighting for a title that I vacated before I fought him.

Antonio_Tarver: In hindsight I wish I would have kept the belt and fought him for it because then he'd have nowhere else to go, but right now his title means nothing

Bryan_AKA_Superman: Antonio Tarver!! I was fortunate to meet you in A.C. last December at the Hopkins fight.  I’m a HUGE fan of yours!!  Congrats on the win over Jones; props for dedicating it to the fallen soldiers. Who do you give most credit to for your success in the ring?

Antonio_Tarver: My hat goes off to my Lord and Saviour Jesius Christ for blessing me with the talent and the vision. You have to look within yourself. I had to do the work and stay strong and continue to believe in myself, with the support of my family I was able to get

Antonio_Tarver: to the top of the mountain. I don't have a lot of family the family I have we love each other tremendously.

SurroundedByFrauds: Antonio, you chased Jones for so many years, and some might think that is your career defining win...how do you move forward and get excited for upcoming fights? You havent fought since that fight, are you having trouble getting motivated?

Antonio_Tarver: That was my motivation.

Antonio_Tarver: No it's not the motivation, I defeated everybody in my way and then KO'd the king himself. I will continue to build on my legacy, hopegfully the trilogy is in sight.

Antonio_Tarver: I would love nothing more than to retire Jones, Hopkins and Toney and then after I retired a whole era of boxers, I will shock the world once again by becoming the heavyweight champ of the world

thehype: whooo...you heard it here first

eze: Tarver I have much respect for you, but so far you have proved nothing in the ring as of boxing skills. You have shown you can give Jones a rough time, and pack a punch. So far we not have seen you have technical boxing skills.do you plan to fight Briggs?

Antonio_Tarver: Boxing skills? lol

Antonio_Tarver: When you fought Jones twice and Harding twice, Reggie Johnson, and Montell Griffin and you come out of these fights without a scratch you need to have boxing skills

Antonio_Tarver: I am a defensive wizard, boxing is about hitting and not being hit, and I feel I've mastered my craft.

Rick: Antonio, If a third fight with Roy happens, what would you plan of attack be? The first fight you rushed in and tried to swarm while in the second fight (as short as it was) it looked like you were trying to outbox him, what would you do in a third bout?

Antonio_Tarver: Like the first the first and second bout I would come in great shape and prepared 110%.

Antonio_Tarver: You can't predict how it will go but I respond to whatever is in front of me and I will be victorious again

Antonio_Tarver: the only thing that matters is the W

Rick: Thank You Antonio, do you think roy will win on the 25th?

Antonio_Tarver: I sure hope so, I'll have my rabbits foot in my pocket ringside, lol

OnFire: What's up Tarver. I know you have big plans and I'm ready to ride. if you can't get Roy Jones due to $$$ issues where do you go from here ?

Antonio_Tarver: There's a mandatory challenge out there which I would welcome and I see that happening if we can't the big fight.

Antonio_Tarver: We'll see what happens with Hopkins and DLH and James Toney is out there, so we're going to have to wait to see which is the most significant challenege out there

Method: Congrats on all your belated success.  Hopefully, we get up there to film you soon.  Question is this:  Forget for a minute that Oscar is a golfing buddy or that you owe him a few shillings.  Who do you REALLY like in the upcoming fight?

Antonio_Tarver: Well, you know money has to be on Hopkins with all his advantages going into this fight

Antonio_Tarver: But I am sure believer of expecting the unexpected in a fight of this magnitude

Antonio_Tarver: DLH took the guy from Europe for granted and embarrassed himself and that should have him going the extra mile for a fight of this magnitude

Antonio_Tarver: I'm expecting a closer competitive fight than most are expecting

Antonio_Tarver: In watching Hopkins over the years he's obviously slowing down a bit, DLH didn't look good but he can box and if he shows up in the right shape those attributes give him a solid chance

Antonio_Tarver: Money has to be on Hopkins though

Gerald_Nobles: So Antonio, you seem to be extra greasy going into the ring, does that help you in your elusiveness? What do you think of Charles "the Parrot" Brewer? I heard he gave you some serious sparring.

Antonio_Tarver: lol, I don't recall putting on any added grease, we put a little to get the pores open. Charles Brewer really helped out he was the main sparring partner he gave me some great rounds and he's still one of the toughest guys around

Antonio_Tarver: he can dish it as well as take it, but moreso than anything him and his manager are real assets to boxing

Gerald_Nobles: will you come up to heavy and fight me some day? I'm gonna be the next heavyweight champion of the world!!!

Antonio_Tarver: if we fight again they'll be the first people I call

Joeinpa: Antonio...  I saw u wore a Bucs jersey into the ring before.  what other sports intrest you and what are your favorite teams.

Antonio_Tarver: At that time I was repping Tampa giving them love because we won the SuperBowl. I was letting them know they can have another champion they can celebrate

Antonio_Tarver: I love all sports, I'm a true athlete. I like the Cowboys and Bucs in football, I like the Miami Heat, now that they got Shaq and the Orlando Magic are always my team.

Antonio_Tarver: I'm a Yankee fan but I'm watching the Redsox closely to see if they can finally get over the hump.

superhigh: What do you think of these vboxing reality shows>>

Antonio_Tarver: I'm glad to say that I was able to go shoot my part in the contender. I think it's a great concept because it gives boxing visibility

Antonio_Tarver: I think we will see more money generated because of those shows

Antonio_Tarver: It can only transcend popularity to boxing so I'm all for it.

Antonio_Tarver: two more questions and Greg says to get that number

York1: Mayorga or Trinidad...who's your pick?

Antonio_Tarver: That's a tossup, I know it's going to be a hell of a fight, Kudos to the Latinos because that's going to be a hell of a fight.

Antonio_Tarver: I can't pick Trinidad after the two year layoff

SurroundedByFrauds: Got any excuses tonite Roy – you made that line famous..was it spontaneous or planned, do you think its permanently etched in boxing lore?

Antonio_Tarver: It's definitely permanently etched in boxing lore, I was so pissed with the way he handled the first fight and how he failed to recognize he was in there with the better fighter

Antonio_Tarver: After all his victories he still didn't know how to handle defeat.

SurroundedByFrauds: was it planned?"

Antonio_Tarver: I thought about doing it, but  I didn't know I would do it, but once I felt that crowd I had to do it and it was always be remebered because how I said and how I ended it

Antonio_Tarver: one more question

KEvett: Walk is your walk around?

thehype: huh?

Method: What*

Antonio_Tarver: 235 pounds

Antonio_Tarver: lol

Antonio_Tarver: lol

Antonio_Tarver: lol

Antonio_Tarver: about 195

Antonio_Tarver: lol

Antonio_Tarver: Be good Boxingtalk! Keep reading!

thehype: Boxingtalk.com would like to thank Antonio Tarver for taking time out of his busy schedule to chat with us tonight