Wednesday, May 12, 2004 | 9:18 a.m.
If Antonio Tarver hadn't made a nuisance of himself, he might never have gotten Roy Jones Jr. in the ring.
Tarver was a prominent, if unheralded, light heavyweight in search of a career-defining fight as he sat among reporters for a March 1, 2003, postfight news conference at the Thomas & Mack Center that featured Jones and the man he had just beaten, heavyweight John Ruiz.
While the press welcomed Jones and privately applauded his domination of Ruiz, Tarver used the opportunity to explore a different path.
Ignoring Jones' request that he sit down and quiet himself, Tarver rose and did his best to belittle the great champion.
"I want my shot at history, Roy," Tarver hollered to Jones, who was at the podium and maybe 10 yards away. "Stop running from me.
"I'm so glad you won tonight, so that when we meet your legacy will be intact when I knock you out. Until you beat me, I won't be impressed.
"If you want to convince me, then let's step into the ring."
Jones, saying "I'm getting mad," then called for security to remove Tarver, yet the damage, so to speak, was done.
Eight months later, Tarver had his fight.
Saturday, he and Jones will fight again.
"It was more than just calling him out," Tarver said Tuesday before working out at Mandalay Bay, where he and Jones are rematched in a high-profile fight at 175 pounds. "I know I caused a ruckus, but I spoke the truth.
"It wasn't premeditated on my part and I can honestly say I was somewhat overwhelmed. But it was my right as a man to stand up and let him know how I felt."
Tarver and Jones are the same age (35) and from the same state (Florida), yet there was little to indicate they were on course to fight as professionals until Tarver disrupted that news conference more than a year ago. When Jones couldn't persuade Mike Tyson or Evander Holyfield to fight, he dropped back to light heavyweight and took on Tarver last Nov. 8 at Mandalay Bay.
Jones won by majority decision, yet the result was unsatisfactory to many in the audience and the perfect incentive to fight again.
They're scheduled for 12 rounds as part of a huge, 11-fight card promoted by Don King.
"The man knew the challenge presented itself," Tarver said of verbally confronting Jones after the Ruiz fight. "He'd slid out of fighting me when I was his mandatory (challenger) and he got an extension after that so he could fight Clinton Woods.
"What was I supposed to do? Wait another year for a fight that might never happen?
"It was time for him to fight me and answer the challenge. Somewhere along the line if you're Roy Jones you've got to ask yourself 'Have I fought the best?' And until he fought me, he hadn't fought the best."
Tarver, a southpaw and a former world champion, is 21-2 with 17 knockouts. Jones, the World Boxing Council champion, is 49-1 with 38 KOs.
Despite the close nature of their first fight, Jones remains the betting favorite at minus 550 in the sports book at Mandalay Bay. Tarver is plus 375.
"It just goes to show that it's hard to kill a myth," Tarver said of bettors continuing to align themselves with Jones. "Even though we've got him on life support, the myth is still alive.
"But myths do die."
Loose and accommodating, Tarver said he is physically and mentally primed for the fight.
"I've been overlooked and underrated all my career," he said. "But it's my time, that's all I know.
"I'm putting all the work I've done to use. I'm strong and I'm using everything as a positive.
"I'm coming in with the same fire I had last time, only this time I'm more determined, more focused. I'm going to hurt him and get him out of there, and that's the bottom line."
archive
