by Jeff Meyers – October 6, 2010 – It appears the never-ending train of boasts or unabashed whoredom by delusional or greedy fighters that they will knock out Vitali “Dr. Ironfist” Klitschko (40-2-0, 38 KOs) or Wladimir “Dr. Steelhammer” Klitschko (55-3-0, 49 KOs) won’t be derailed until the brothers retire.
The latest passenger opting to ride on this crazy train is former light heavyweight champion Antonio “Magic Man” Tarver (27-6-0, 19 KOs), who participated Wednesday in a national media conference call to discuss his upcoming fight (to be aired on “ShoBox: The New Generation” on October 15 from Buffalo Run Casino in Miami, Oklahoma) against heavyweight prospect Nagy Aguilera (16-4-0, 11 KOs).
According to Tarver, “if [he] can put a dent in these big boys […], you’re talking to the next heavyweight champion.” When asked why he thinks he can beat the Klitschko, the Magic Man responded: “I don’t know. I just have it. I have something that I just can’t describe. […] I see myself knocking out one of these giants..”
Antonio Tarver’s words surely do not betray his moniker.
The dictionary definition of “magic” is “performance of or skill in performing magic or conjuring tricks with the hands; sleight of hand. A show of skill or deceitful cleverness. Supernatural or unexplainable.”
In his prime, Tarver was one of the best light heavies of his era whose “magic”—skill, sleight of hand and head movement—allowed him to defeat Roy Jones Jr. and a slew of other would-be challengers. Antonio’s apparent present ability to convince himself he’s capable of knocking out the brothers Klitschko is similarly magical, but only by defining that term as deceitful or unexplainable.
Every single heavyweight who has faced Wladimir or Vitali since 1998 has said pretty much the exact same thing as Tarver. All but five have been dead wrong.
What does Tarver have that the Klitshcko victims didn’t? The answer is nothing. Tarver would get beat like a gong against either of the Ukrainian twin towers.
“Magical” is, coincidentally, the best way to describe how a lucid, intelligent boxer such as Tarver could say such words in the mirror without laughing out loud, let alone to the public. Tarver is forty-one years old, has lost two out of his last three fights, and wouldn’t tip the scales any higher than around 225 lbs. were he to square off against Wlad or Vitali. While Mike Tyson used to fight around that weight, Tarver’s no Iron Mike. Tarver only had nineteen knockouts as a light heavy, the vast majority of which occurred early in Tarver’s career. It’s not like he ever tore through that division by sheer power.
Tarver was/is a great fighter, but he just doesn’t have the power to hurt the Klitschkos. And unless he runs around the ring like an amphetamine-jacked greyhound for twelve rounds, Tarver is destined to hit the canvas hard as soon as he gets hit with a few solid punches thrown by either Klitschko.
Moreover, Tarver is bypassing the route James “Lights Out” Toney (72-6-3, 44 KOs) took to the heavyweight championship, since the Magic Man will be skipping the cruiserweight division altogether. He might be better off taking a few bouts as cruiser to see how that turns out.
While Tarver’s spirit and courage is admirable, realistically, prestidigitation—or hallucination—is the only way Tarver topples a Klitschko to become heavyweight champion.
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