Tarver triumphant over Roy Jones

TAMPA – Antonio Tarver defeated Roy Jones by unanimous 12-round decision here Saturday in a showdown of former world light heavyweight champions that might have been the final fight of Jones’ fabled career.

Judges gave Tarver the victory by scores of 116-112, 116-112 and 117-111 in an all-American showdown of 36-year-old ex-champions. Tarver improved to 24-3 and won for the second time in three fights with Jones.”The guy had great resilience,” Tarver said.”He came to regain his throne.It didn’t happen tonight.I did what I came in to do.”Jones lost his third fight in a row and fell to 49-4 in what might have been his ring farewell.”You might see me back.I don’t know.I just don’t feel I had the urge,” Jones said.”I still had the skills.I didn’t put out is all.”Jones adopted a conservative strategy most of the fight and after the loss sounded pleased that what might have been his final moments in the ring came in defeat on his feet rather than the knockout losses of his two prior bouts.”It’s hard to take the way I had to go out the last two times.I had to come back to go out better,” Jones said.”I’m not coming back as a chump.He fought a smarter fight that I did.He had his jab working and I didn’t.I gave my best effort.I did what I could.I’m not ashamed of my effort.I gave my all.While none of the three major world titles was at stake, the spectacle of dethroned champion Jones trying to recapture his glory in a conclusion of a boxing trilogy lured a sell-out crowd of more than 20 000 to the Forum arena.Jones in his prime used his speed to dominate foes but here was lacklustre and using his quickness to avoid getting hit, as if trying to make certain he avoided being knocked out for the third fight in a row.Jones attempted a comeback in September of last year but was knocked out in the ninth round by Glen Johnson and took a year off.Tarver lost a decision last December to Johnson before avenging that defeat last June by decision.Tarver stunned Jones with a stinging right hook in the 11th round and pressed the attack but Jones withstood the fury and Tarver tired, allowing Jones to strike back and stay on his feet in the fight’s most dramatic round.Both fighters were cautious in the final round and when the final bell rang, Tarver raised his hands in victory while Jones simply walked to his corner.Tarver, fighting in his hometown, repeatedly landed jabs on his former junior rival.Jones shrugged them off, shaking his head and sticking out his tongue at times, but was evasive and rarely threw any punches of his own.-Nampa-AFPTarver improved to 24-3 and won for the second time in three fights with Jones.”The guy had great resilience,” Tarver said.”He came to regain his throne.It didn’t happen tonight.I did what I came in to do.”Jones lost his third fight in a row and fell to 49-4 in what might have been his ring farewell.”You might see me back.I don’t know.I just don’t feel I had the urge,” Jones said.”I still had the skills.I didn’t put out is all.”Jones adopted a conservative strategy most of the fight and after the loss sounded pleased that what might have been his final moments in the ring came in defeat on his feet rather than the knockout losses of his two prior bouts.”It’s hard to take the way I had to go out the last two times.I had to come back to go out better,” Jones said.”I’m not coming back as a chump.He fought a smarter fight that I did.He had his jab working and I didn’t.I gave my best effort.I did what I could.I’m not ashamed of my effort.I gave my all.While none of the three major world titles was at stake, the spectacle of dethroned champion Jones trying to recapture his glory in a conclusion of a boxing trilogy lured a sell-out crowd of more than 20 000 to the Forum arena.Jones in his prime used his speed to dominate foes but here was lacklustre and using his quickness to avoid getting hit, as if trying to make certain he avoided being knocked out for the third fight in a row.Jones attempted a comeback in September of last year but was knocked out in the ninth round by Glen Johnson and took a year off.Tarver lost a decision last December to Johnson before avenging that defeat last June by decision.Tarver stunned Jones with a stinging right hook in the 11th round and pressed the attack but Jones withstood the fury and Tarver tired, allowing Jones to strike back and stay on his feet in the fight’s most dramatic round.Both fighters were cautious in the final round and when the final bell rang, Tarver raised his hands in victory while Jones simply walked to his corner.Tarver, fighting in his hometown, repeatedly landed jabs on his former junior rival.Jones shrugged them off, shaking his head and sticking out his tongue at times, but was evasive and rarely threw any punches of his own.-Nampa-AFP