Not much to say about this...I'll let ESPN do all the talking...
Tarver, Jones to fight rubber match in OctoberBy Dan Rafael
ESPN.com
Antonio Tarver and Roy Jones Jr., rivals since their days as standout amateurs in Florida and 1-1 in memorable fights against each other as pros, are going to settle their personal score with a rubber match.
Tarver and Jones signed Wednesday to meet Oct. 1 on HBO PPV. Tarver, although without a major sanctioning organization belt, will defend his Ring magazine light heavyweight title, which recognizes him as the world's No. 1 fighter at 175 pounds.
"We have a fight. It's huge," Tarver promoter Joe DeGuardia said. "I think it's a tremendous fight, one of those rivalries that we don't get to see that often in boxing. They are few and far between: Ali-Frazier, Leonard-Hearns. Gatti-Ward. Some trilogies stand out for the ages and Roy will forever be linked with Tarver and vice versa.
"These are the biggest fights of both of their careers. They just have that link. They've had a rivalry since they were teenagers and it was simmering for all those years and when it finally came to head it produced a trilogy in the span of three years."
"There's always an excitement in a trilogy and a rubber match," said Brad Jacobs, Jones' adviser. "There's no question that since Roy left the ring on May 15, 2004 [after the second fight] he's been targeting Tarver for a rubber match. Roy has had sufficient time off to recuperate and relax. His goals are now squarely on Tarver's chin."
Considering the magnitude of the fight, it came together quickly and relatively easily.
Tarver and Jones each were in the running to fight Bernard Hopkins this fall but that was before Hopkins unexpectedly lost the undisputed middleweight title to Jermain Taylor on July 16. With Hopkins headed for a Dec. 3 rematch against Taylor, Tarver and Jones had nowhere else to turn but each other for a big payday.
Another reason for the fast negotiation -- they only started talking after the Hopkins loss -- is because critical pay-per-view industry advertising deadlines for October events are this week.
The sides negotiated through the weekend on issues big and small, but reached an accord on the central issue of money: They will split all revenue 50-50. Tarver had hoped for a higher percentage, figuring that as the recognized champion who won their rematch by knockout, he deserved more. Ultimately, he took parity.
"Antonio feels he should be getting the lion's share but he was willing to capitulate to certain terms," DeGuardia said. "Like Roy, Antonio has a lion's heart and sometimes things go beyond money. Although the fight will generate huge money, the reality is they still have this drive and desire to shut the other one up. I think that is fueling it."
Following Jones' heavyweight title victory against John Ruiz in March 2003, he was negotiating a fight with Evander Holyfield. But when those talks fell apart, Jones agreed to return to light heavyweight to face Tarver, who had been calling him out for years.
It was the toughest fight of Jones' career but he eked out a majority decision in November 2003 in a fight that many felt that Tarver won. Jones (49-3, 38 KOs) blamed his dramatic weight loss for the lethargic performance. So they met again in May 2004 and Tarver (23-3, 18 KOs) scored a shocking one-punch knockout in the second round.
Jones went on to lose his next fight last September, this time another brutal knockout at the hands of Glen Johnson. Jones hasn't fought since but has quietly pined for another crack at Tarver.
Tarver, meanwhile, lost to a split decision to Johnson last December before gaining revenge in their rematch last month.
"The reality is I have to compliment Roy for getting the fight done," DeGuardia said. "It shows a lot of his courage and desire and the true fight in him, which people have questioned over the years. Roy has found the guy who can test him in Tarver and he is still willing to go after him."
Although Jones' skills have deteriorated over the past couple of years, his attempt to come back against a premier opponent in Tarver figures to make for a compelling promotion.
"Tarver-Jones III is not just for the light heavyweight championship," said HBO PPV boss Mark Taffet. "It's for the championship of Jones and Tarver, something that will resonate with boxing fans."
Their first fight generated 302,000 pay-per-view buys while their rematch generated 380,000, which is 20,000 more than HBO initially reported.
Dan Rafael is the boxing writer for ESPN.com.
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