GL: After our last conversation I got a phone call from James Toney saying that your're running and you're people need to get in touch with Dan Goossen to get this show on the road. What's the deal with this fight? "I'm not jumping out the chute with the James Toney fight. Right now I'm lifting weights and training to adjust to the heavier weight and before I fight James Toney I want a tune-up fight and I think Danny Green would be the perfect tune up fight for me. If he ain't ready to go we'll find somebody else and then after that it's James Toney. It's no secret I want James, he's a great fighter, a hall of famer and the kind of guy I would be able to display all of my ability and skill with. We're looking to do something in March and then I'm looking straight at James Toney.

GL:  Danny Green as a tune up. Has that been discussed before you just mentioned it to me?

Antonio Tarver: "I don't want to make this no bait and trade for nobody. I don't want to put my name in the mix because I know Hopkins will probably run and make the deal because he don't want to lose the opportunity. I've always felt Green was a decent fighter. Knocking out Roy Jones in one round don't make him no killer. I never ever ducked Danny Green, and I congratulate him on his recent success but it in no way doe it spell a victory over Antonio Tarver. He wasn't a killer back then and he's not a killer now. Where he gets this credibility for knocking out somebody I knocked out years ago to get knockout of the decade, I don't know."

GL: You mentioned something interesting Magic. You did win knockout of the decade for the second Jones fight, but as spectacular as that was and as much it it put you on top of the boxing world, you failed to turn that victory into something that lead to you receiving top 5 fighter of the decade recognition. Does that disappoint you? And do you think back to back wins over Green and Toney give you the kind of the momentunm you once had?

AT: "It's just one of those things that you have to look at as a great night in boxing. For anyone out there to think that everytime I step in the ring there's going to be performances like that, they're kidding themselves. From my 16th pro fight I've been fighting championship caliber opponents. I've been fighting the best available every time. When you're fighting top notch guys, sometimes you're going to stub your toe. When you're always facing great champions, you're not always going to prevail.

But in my rematches, other than the last one with Chad Dawson, I was able to right the wrongs and you know how I feel about that fight.I feel that if given the opportunity to avenge the Hopkins fight, I would do the same.

A great comeback win over Hopkins to mute his victory would be spectacular for my career, but I think I can get the same kind of justification by knocking out Danny Green and giving James Toney the kind of boxing lesson he's never received and if he slips he can get knocked out. There's plenty for me to achieve at the ripe old age of 41. I can honestly say that other than Hopkins there hasn't been a 41 who has done the things I've done. "
 
GL: You described the fight with Green to me as an anihilation. Can you elaborate on this for us?

AT: "He's the perfect guy for me. He doesn't nothing great, nothing spectacular. He got a lot of heart and he's aggressive, which will play into my hands. It'll be like the Clinton Woods fight, but he won't be smart enough not to get knocked out. He'll try to be brave in front of all of his fans and get KO'd. I don't know what his record is against southpaws, but he's never been in the ring with a fighter of my ability, so I let that rest. I'm not Roy Jones and I think I've proven that."

GL: Closing thoughts?

AT: "I'm ready to shake, rattle and roll so 20-dime is going to big for the champ baby!"

N

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