Tarver Ends Green’s Cruiserweight IBO Reign In Australia

Antonio Tarver turned back the clock to deliver a vintage performance today at Sydney, Australia’s Entertainment Centre, ripping the IBO cruiserweight title away from Down Under boxing hero Danny Green.

In front of thousands of Green’s hardcore fans, 42 year old southpaw Tarver tamed “The Green Machine” with a methodical, patient strategy that slowly but surely broke down the champion.

Absent was the grinding pressure that Green normally applies to opponents, as the 38 year old was unable to find a way past the long, right jab of the visitor.

Things began to go awry for Green from the start as the gritty Perth resident was shaken in the first round by Tarver’s powerful left hand, which also floored the IBO king in the second.

Green looked for ways to get to Tarver over the next few rounds but could not find the combination to unlock the former light heavyweight champion’s quicker defensive and countering abilities.

It wasn’t until the seventh frame that Green began to find range, dialing in hurtful body shots that seemed to momentarily stop Tarver in his tracks.

But the Western Australian icon could not improve upon his work as Tarver regained control and applied more pressure with Green along the ropes.

In the latter half of the ninth stanza, Tarver found range with heavy uppercuts that rocked his rival, opening up opportunities for hard left hands that had Green reeling by the time the round ended.

As Tarver passed by on the way to his corner, a wobbly and disoriented Green, apparently believing the bout was over, hugged the American, leading Team Green Machine to throw in the towel before the tenth round could start.

Tarver wins the IBO cruiserweight title by stoppage at 3:00 of the ninth, improving to 29-6 (20).

Green drops to 31-4 (27), snapping a ten victory and four title defense run of success.

Also on tap at the Entertainment Centre, Commonwealth cruiserweight king Dominic Vea, 13-3 (10), was unseated via 12th round TKO at the hands of former heavyweight Shane Cameron, 27-2 (21).

Cameron was in control for most of the contest but had to hold of a late surge by Vea, who was decked halfway through the final session, leading to the stoppage.

Two-time former IBF light welter title challenger Naoufel Ben Rabah, 34-3 (18), produced the biggest win of his career as he shocked ex-IBF/IBO welter ruler Isaac Hlatshwayo, 30-3-1 (10), to produce a third round KO and capture the vacant IBF Australasian welterweight strap.