A View from the Galaxy: The Road Back for Antonio Tarver
 By Nate Campbell as told to BraggingRightsCorner (Jan 14, 2007)
When Antonio ‘Magic Man’ Tarver signed to face off against Bernard Hopkins last year I told anyone who would listen that it was a bad match-up for Antonio. He wasn’t just going up against a fellow champion, he was going up against a different type of fighter, the type that only comes around so often. Bernard Hopkins is a legend, the type of fighter I’d love to have on my side, and I wasn’t surprised at all when he dealt Antonio a loss. Since that loss in Atlantic City, we haven’t heard much from Antonio Tarver and who knows if he will ever truly bounce back.
Personally I’ve been knowing Antonio for years now, and even trained alongside him back when Buddy McGirt was my trainer. We both had charismatic personalities but I did my best to get along with him, because I’m not in this life to make enemies. Antonio struck me as the type of fighter who used his brains in the ring, and had success through his skills and technique. Honestly, he achieved more in his career than I would have ever imagined.
In Antonio’s first fight against Roy Jones I was truly surprised. Surprised at how well Antonio fought. He showed that he had some definite fire within him on that night, even though he lost a close decision. I was at the rematch in Las Vegas, sitting ringside with my current trainer John David Jackson, and I was shocked at what happened that night. Antonio ended up catching Roy with a beautiful left-hand shot that ended the fight. The whole room at the Mandalay Bay grew silent in disbelief as Roy Jones was counted out and to this day I believe that was Antonio Tarver’s finest moment as a pro.
Some people say that the knockout of Roy Jones got to Antonio Tarver’s head but I can never speak for another man or act like I know what they are thinking or feeling. Perhaps Tarver did lose sight of the big picture, but who’s to say. All that doesn’t matter now anyways, what matters is the future and what Antonio Tarver decides to do with it.
Tarver did lose badly to Hopkins but I need to stand up and ask something. Why is there any shame in losing to Bernard Hopkins? Just because Tarver lost doesn’t mean his career is over or that he grew old overnight, it simply means that he lost to a great fighter, one of this generation’s best.
I may be in the minority when I say this but I do feel that Antonio Tarver can come back. I don’t feel that his skills have slipped, because he’s always been the type of fighter who fought at a steady pace and relied on his technique, not just his speed or power. Antonio Tarver can come back, he just has to have the will to do it. The will he showed when he came out of the Olympics. The will he showed when he bounced back from his loss to Eric Harding. It’s not about conditioning, changing trainers, or trying to change his style. It’s just a matter of how bad Antonio Tarver really wants it.
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