Tarver-Hopkins - Legacies on the line

**milatown** · 05-26-2006 12:24 AM

Did you catch “The Executioner” and “The Magic Man” this weekend, hyping their June 10th clash in Atlantic City? It is the “Fight to the Finish” for both; their legacies are in the balance. This bout raises questions for fans: Will it be a snooze? Who wants it most? More important, who should I bet on?

This was my take on their split-screen TV interview.

Tarver did his usual “Angry Black Man” routine, complaining about everything! His picture is on the wrong side of the poster, he gets no respect, he said fried--they gave him scrambled--it never ends. The Dangerfield “I Get No Respect” act is getting old.

Tarver, you get props for blasting Roy in 2, but here is a news flash… That win does not make you the greatest of all time. It’s crunch time brother. You need this one.

Hopkins was on the other side of the screen… Or someone that looked like him. This guy was lifeless -- boring. Has the master “trash talker” finally been out-smacked? Maybe B-Hop is becoming a “Golden Boy.” Soon he will be carrying a brief case and selling life insurance. Sometimes, I think he never wanted to buck the system, but rather, to become a part of it. He earned the recognition and the money, but has he lost his edge?

Marvin Hagler said it best: “It’s hard to get up and train when you are sleeping in silk sheets.” Where are you “X”? Bring back the leather mask and the axe-wielding executioners at your side. With two losses in a row to Jermain Taylor, you need this one.

Well, like you, I got zero from the interviews. So, I turned to stats for an indicator:

 Height goes to Tarver, but only by an inch.
 Reach is equal.
 KOs: Tarver has a 5% edge
 Bernard has had almost twice as many bouts.
 They both have had 2 losses since 2003
 Bernard fought once more then Tarver in the past three years.

Now, I know who to bet on…NOT! Even their resumes are equal. This is not the mismatch some would have you believe. They are on equal terms.

Finally, I decided to canvas friends. I tracked down some of the biggest names in the game: Emmanuel Steward, Oscar Suarez, Tim Smith, Paul Malignaggi, Brian Kenny, and Johnny Bos.

Oscar Suarez: “It’s going to be an interesting fight, but we always favor the left-handed fighter,” he said a smile. “No disrespect to Mr. Hopkins, but I still see a lot of hunger in Mr. Tarver, so I give him the slight edge.”

After my regular dose of Dibella’s Broadway Boxing, I went to my favorite diner and bumped into matchmaker extraordinaire, Johnny Bos. “First you will see Hopkins, and then you will see Hopkins on the canvas,” he said. It made me consider staying in NY on June 10th for Cotto-Malignaggi at the Garden.

Paul Malignaggi: “I think Hopkins has the style to beat Tarver -- rough him up. Tarver has problems with guys like that—just watch his battle with Glen Johnson.”

The NY Daily News’ Tim Smith: “Tarver is the type of guy that loses focus in a bout. He doesn’t do everything he should do. The guy should be a killer in the ring, but he has a tendency to take rounds off.” He thinks Hopkins can pull out a decision.

ESPN’s Brian Kenny: “I think it depends on what kind of shape Tarver comes in. How easy Tarver gets back down to 175. I think it will be an interesting fight, boring fight, probably dreadful, tactical. As for a pick…I might pick Bernard.”

Trainer and HBO commentator Emmanuel Steward: “I think this fight is a toss-up, maybe a slight edge towards Bernard Hopkins”. Emmanuel made a keen observation on why not to bet based on size: “Tarver is a big light heavyweight; he has to come down from like 210 pounds. But the fact that Tarver is not a physical fighter makes it easier for Bernard to move in and still be effective.”

Bernard gets the media nod, 5-1.

Feeling lucky? There’s more money to be made betting Hopkins, and many experts are picking the underdog. But Tarver is vastly underrated. Roy Jones did everything to duck him… for good reason. He is probably the most decorated amateur in boxing history. In 1996, he was the only U.S. amateur ever to win the nationals, the Pan-Am games, and the world championships, all in one year.

On June 10th, “The Magic Man” retires Bernard Hopkins.
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