Antonio ‘The Magic Man’ Tarver has attained fame both inside and outside the ring. Besides being a ranked heavyweight contender, Tarver has acted in big Hollywood feature films and is a well respected boxing commentator with Spike TV.
In part 2 of my “On The Ropes” boxing radio special with Antonio Tarver, I get his thoughts on Floyd Mayweather possibly fighting beyond the Andre Berto fight, and if he thinks Mayweather has anything to prove against Pacquiao. Additionally Antonio shares his views on Shannon Briggs and on stepping in to take a title fight on short notice. Here is what Antonio Tarver had to say.
Jenna J: If Floyd Mayweather beats Andre Berto, do you think Floyd can resist the money of a 50-0 fight against Pacquiao?
Antonio Tarver: Mayweather’s gonna fight because he loves fighting. He’s obviously made enough money, so it’s gotta be for the love of the sport. I would have been retired if it was me, personally, but that’s on him. He can write the book any way he wants to write it, but as long as they give him forty to fifty million, who’s gonna retire on that?
The game retires guys, it’s very rare that a guy on top of his game walks away. As long as he keeps cashing checks it’s gonna be tough thing for him to go, but it’s up to him. I think he should have retired after he beat Pacquiao, because that was the pinnacle of everything, everything under that is gonna be anticlimactic.
He’s never gonna be able to win with the guys he faces unless he comes out and takes some crazy unnecessary risk and gamble, and why should he have to? Gennady Golovkin is not even in his weight class. The man has fought every 147lb fighter, so he’s gonna do it his way.
Jenna J: Do you think Floyd has anything to prove after the Pacquiao fight?
Antonio Tarver: No, when he beat Pacquiao the first time, that was a wrap. He’s got nothing to prove. If he wants some more easy money, he can take the fight but come on, that night I saw that Pacquiao could never beat Mayweather, it doesn’t look like it because he couldn’t hit the guy. His footing was wrong, he was jumping around and Mayweather saw all that coming. Mayweather is an artistic fighter, just like me but some people get praised for their boxing IQ and other people don’t, but he’s in the driver seat.
Jenna J: In terms of match ups, a fight that was talked about before was a fight between you and Shannon Briggs. Do you think you two will fight if Shannon wins his next fight?
Antonio Tarver: Man, Shannon Briggs is gonna definitely win his next fight. Are you kidding me? He’s not fighting no one. I’m gonna let Shannon Briggs do what he wants to do but he ain’t ready to step up to the plate and fight any significant fight. He’s not fighting on TV, he’s in the dark, so he’s fighting guys like that. It’s laughable, so I’m not even gonna give him any airplay.
It’s a good function he’s doing with all the heavyweight champions coming to town and they’re celebrating, that’s a good deal. All the champions are gonna be in one spot, that’s gonna be phenomenal, but other than that, come on. I’m not giving Shannon no airplay on my interviews because he doesn’t even deserve that. He’s gonna win his next fight — he’s probably gonna win the rest of them until he fights somebody who knows how to fight. I’m trying to go for the big fish, it’s not a circus and I’m not a clown.
Jenna J: In terms of yourself, are you going to stay ready just in case an opportunity appears on short notice?
Antonio Tarver: No I’m not stepping in nowhere on short notice, that’s not the type of fighter that I am. Let them do that with these other guys, these bums and these guys out here that are just looking for a payday, let them do that. That’s not the type of fighter that I am, I’m looking for history, there’s a difference.
I’m not a prize fighter, I’m a proud fighter. Let those guys disrespect those other fighters, I’m not that type of fighter, I’m a world class fighter and should be on a world stage. If we fight, it’s gonna happen. The right promotion, the right marketing, and it’s gonna be fitting of two great champions. That’s the only way that fight is going down, there won’t be any short notice filling in for nobody, of course not.
Jenna J: In closing, is there any message you want to pass along to all your followers?
Antonio Tarver: Yeah I want to really just say to my fans that I appreciate the support and we need to continue to support my social media as well as my website. Social media @AntonioTarver, and my beautiful website, OfficialAntonioTarver.com. We got great logo hats and tee shirts.
We need continue support, tune in, buy tickets and come out to support me. It seems like I don’t have the support that I need to get to where I need to go, and it’s kind of difficult and it kind of really makes me look at over the years of giving the world a lot of great nights and unforgettable moments.
Right now I need the support so they can know that I have people that believe in me and follow me and that want to see me succeed. It’s a great story for boxing with me making the move to be the oldest man to capture the heavyweight championship and surpass the great George Foreman. They can’t write me off, I just fought a top ten fighter and everybody thought I beat him. He’s almost ten years younger, so I can still do it.
I’m gonna get back in the gym because I feel like I could have had some major improvements. I gotta get ready, stay ready, but it’s not gonna be for no last minute call. I’m gonna promote and market a fight like it should be marketed and the world’s gonna know that I’m gonna get a shot at the title when that time does come. There’s no more auditions, I don’t think I need to do any more auditions. I proved that on any given night I can beat anybody.
Hi Jenna J, pls tell Antonio Tarver if he watched the Mayweather vs Pacquiao fight and still tells us that Mayweather won that fight, then he is not a boxer, tell him watch once more their wre plenty of videos in the youtube that shoes he(Mayweather lost the fight, even his father cant believe about it), their was also the slow-motion you can really see who the hell is winning per round and I myself scored it an 8-2 for Manny Pacquiao.
There’s no antidote of being a jealousy man. Tarver was born and distined to be a clown of his generation what a shame.
U had 8 to 2 in a 12 round fight
I suppose we need people like you to really understand the word denial.Only a true hater and boxing ignoramus would even say Manny won.The whole world saw him get beaten and somehow you missed it.Your a winner.
Is this guy blind or sucker only to Mayweather, he said Manny can’t hit Floyd? Can I invite you to watch the replay with me and see for your two big eyes if that manny can’t hit Floyd. really?
Allways amazes me when fans disrespect the actual boxing knowledge of people thus fighters who have actually been in the ring and do it for a living so know what they are talking about with no agenda ! Arrogant.
the thing is, in every fight the life of a boxer is in danger, why does some judges were very bias about the unknown fighter while infact they were winning or they usually favoring their fighter specially the fighters that give them money, please you judges and referees do your job well, your dealing here the boxers life, not your life, please be considerate for godsake people do it properly!!!!
What tarver was smoking when you were interviewing him? He must be halucinating. In spite of the running scared style of Mayweather, Pacquiaou hit him many times. Watch the fight again and you will see how Pacman obliterated the face of Floyd.
The question must be, How can you hit a guy who is there in the ring just to constantly run? or maybe we could make the question in this way. How can you hit a guy who if cornered will never fail to clinch you? Mayweather Jr is a SCARY fighter indeed LOL!
Just like in round four when Manny had him on the ropes and could not do nothing.Makes no sense.
Did Tarver recovered already from the effect of PEDs he took? His brain cells seems to be malfunctioning.
Tartver thinks like the handpicked Nevada judges – a miss by manny is scored a point for floydie, and manny’s connected punches are largely ignored.
This niggga must is riding on floyd’s dick or something. Manny won that fight even tho vegas, commentators were backing floyd up.
Mayweather couldn’t hit pacquiao.. What is he talking about.. Floyd was Rocked few times ..according to target it must’ve been air that rocked floyd. If you watched the fight you would notice whenever floyd was the agressor pacquaio caught him CLEANLY WITH A COUNTER every time. He would’vegot knocked f$&: out. As you know floyd was on his bicycle most of the fight and pacquaio was the agressor and still pacquaio BLOCKED MOST OF HIS SHOTS. You have to give pacquiao his propa
I believe you Turd-ver, how can you hit your foe when he’s running and hugging 90% of the time! open your blind eyes sir?
Pacquaio landed more clean effective punches. Pacquiao landed POWER SHOTS. Pacquaio was the ring general ..remember floyd had great movement to get out of dangerous exchanges but getting out of the way is not the same as taking charge in the ring Cuz pac was in charge in there. Pacquiao displayed better defense Cuz he blocked most of floyd power shots and floyd landed clean jabs but most was blocked or parried. I just don’t see how floyd won that fight.. This is professional boxing. How does jab weighs more than power shots.. It’s baffling
Must be nice to be able to make things up.
Tarver is unrecognized boxer but recognized in africa as a monster clown.
There’s a reason Floyd waited till Manny got old and knocked out before fighting him.. Tarver is smart enough to know this. Better to say nothing at all then ruin your rep saying things you know arn’t true to get a some attention.
He really need to go to Specsavers.
Mostly fans of Mayweather did not watch that fight…cause they know something happens to their Chicken idol when fight with 8 Times World Division Champion the world ever had against Floyd,what’s his records then? maybe police records….Luckily Floyd won in the obviously manipulated verdict on that fight….To the Butthole Tarver, if you don’t watched that fight, again and again,and again to you? Pacquiao hits the most solid punches than the running man Floyd obviously scared for his life…can’t read his face on that fight? To Tarver, again, tell it to the same American idiots like you….Floyd is only for America but the World is for Pacquiao. Damned shit entertaining a moron on this article!
tarver is also an N so its natural for him to be a biased.
You haters learn how to speak English first before you get on here and try to put someone down. Pac mam suck and thats the bottom line
Manny was “missing” all night according to this clown. Watch this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6pxwjyb cwn8
Again and again. I have been telling you guys. Use your common sense. Do you know why Mayweather only fights at MGM Grand, LasVegas and nothing else? Because he is a Cheater. When he fought in the Olympics he only got a bronze, because the judges and referee’s are not Americans and independent. Mayweather always insist all his fightdcbe in Vegas because he controls everything there. He controls the judges, referee’s etc. Let him do a rematch with Pacman in either Macau or Dubai and I will guarantee you Pacman will kick his ass big time and he will lose. That was Pacman,’s big mistake, he was in a hurry to satisfy the boxing fans and fell into Mayweather’s scenario. He should insist that the venue should be outside USA like Macau or Dubai. 100% sure, Mayweather will say No
Idiot.
The Clown of Heavyweight division..
Damn pactards Flippers fucken relax urr migit fighter lost bottom line.