Jones ready to put halt to Tarver’s opportunity

Dean Juipe

Tuesday, May 11, 2004 | 9:21 a.m.

MAMMOTH CARD

The Jones-Tarver light heavyweight title bout headlines an 11-fight card at Mandalay Bay. The fights:

Looking to remove the doubt that existed after his first, majority decision victory against Antonio Tarver, Roy Jones Jr. comes into Saturday's rematch primed for a more complete performance.

He says he'll be better than he was on Nov. 8, when he won their World Boxing Council light heavyweight title fight by the slimmest of margins.

Tarver and his trainer, however, are indifferent to Jones' verbal jabs.

"Roy Jones is Roy Jones," said Tarver's trainer, Buddy McGirt. "Roy will have a different attitude, yes, but the same fighting style.

"We have strategies with a plural. We have to be able to offset any type of attack Roy has."

Jones has indicated his attack will be more pronounced, more focused than it was in November when he was physically sapped by having to lose weight and mentally sapped by having to fight a man who really didn't interest him.

"I'm going to fight the same fight I did before, only this time I'll have more energy," Jones said of a bout that tops a mammoth 11-fight card promoted by Don King at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.

"It seemed lackluster," Jones said of his earlier showing. "I didn't really care. I won the fight and got it over with and that was fine with me."

He graded himself with a "6 or a 7" on a scale of 1 to 10.

"I took more punishment than I normally take," he said. "I wasn't trying to entertain the crowd.

"Now the crowd thinks he can win, so I can entertain a little."

Contemplating an improved showing, Jones feels he has an upper hand in the rematch.

"He fought the best fight he could fight," he said of Tarver. "But I wasn't totally focused and I didn't care to do it.

"This time it's exciting because people are interested because they think he has a chance."

But bettors find it difficult going against Jones and have made him a minus 550 favorite. Tarver is a plus 400.

Jones is 49-1 with 38 knockouts in a distinguished career that includes a stint as a heavyweight world champion.

Tarver is 21-2 with 17 KOs and is determined to claim a crown that he already feels is rightfully his.

"I'm not satisfied at all," Tarver said of his stature in the sport. "I think it's bogus, really bogus, that people credit him for winning our first fight.

"The name of the game is hit and not be hit, and that's what happened that night. I think I've mastered my craft."

The Jones vs. Tarver history actually dates from 1982, when each was 13 years old, and an amateur fight between them in the Florida Sunshine Games. Jones won that fight by decision, initiating a rivalry that still exists 22 years later.

"A tall southpaw is always going to create a problem," is Jones' most flattering assessment of Tarver. "He's pretty good, but not the best I've faced."

But McGirt said this third fight between Jones and Tarver will showcase Tarver at his best.

"Antonio's whole mental attitude is different," the trainer said. "He's stepped it up a notch. Sometimes he feels he's King Kong."

McGirt implies that Tarver may need to be cautious at the outset of the fight while believing he'll eventually take command.

"(Jones) may come out right at us and try to gun Antonio out of there," McGirt said. "What we have to do when Roy starts gun slinging is to start shooting bullets with him.

"After that, we'll be able to do what we want to do."

Tarver has no fear of being eliminated early.

"Ain't nobody going to knock me out," he said.

Jones will try, however, if for no other reason than he's coming into the fight in top physical form.

"Last time I ran (to get down to the 175-pound weight limit) but this time I did it right," he said. "This time I used the right diet and supplements and have been able to eat.

"I made the weight last time and I toughed it out and I won the fight. I had to dig down (because) I didn't have any energy."