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Tarver vs. Johnson - Just A
Good Fight
By Bret "The Threat" Newton
Photos: William Trillo
In a fight that pitted the two Roy Jones Jr. Conquerors
to do battle without their recently won and shortly
after vacated Titles. In a fight that didn’t give us
fouls, taunting, clinching, points taken away, trash
talk before, during or after, Light Heavyweights Glen
Johnson and Antonio Tarver gave us a closeout to 2004
with a boxing fight that was actually...GOOD! No, it
wasn’t a “fight of the year”. No there wasn’t any
Barrera vs. Morales type of exchanges. But, this was a
very respectable fight that deserves, and will get, a
rematch. A fight that most fans probably needed after
all that been going on in boxing lately. There may have
been dull points in this fight as it wasn’t the most of
entertaining, but for Johnson and Tarver, the two boxed
for 12 rounds, and that’s that. It’s been a while since
two fighters did just that. No clowning around or “go
ahead, hit me on the chin while I drop my hands” type of
tactics. A good, clean fight.
The scores that were read after the two men gave their
all throughout 12 tough rounds of battle may have come
to upset those who had a different score, but at least
there wasn’t one judge who had it way off, or all 3 of
them for that matter. There wasn’t a 117 to 111 one
sided score as we were so greatly privileged to get in a
recent close fight. The fact is, it was a close fight,
and there really cant be much of an argument since the
fight was close and could’ve gone to either Tarver or
Johnson by 1 or 2 rounds, let alone a draw which looked
very probable.
In round 1, Johnson came blazing out of his corner and
started his plan immediately. He backed Tarver all the
way to the ropes and applied the pressure he showed in
his fight with Jones. Tarver held his guard up while
Johnson was just pounding away. Johnson caught Tarver
with a few clean right hands that went through Tarver
tight defense, but things were just getting started.
The following round, Johnson came right out again.
Looping his hook around Tarver’s long arms to land.
Tarver looked to be unsure of what to do and even heard
it from his trainer, Buddy McGirt, in between rounds who
was not happy at the moment. Tarver was not using his
heaight and reach and was doing much like Jones did in
their first fight together where he laid back to fight
off the ropes.
In round 3, Tarver finally opened up and began to
connect with the jab. Johnson took them clean and just
kept coming forward like a man on a mission. Everything
Tarver threw, Johnson just kept walking through. Tarver
began to circle the ring and made it uneasy for Johnson
to land any more clean shots.
In round 4, Johnson again brought Tarver back to the
ropes where he applied no stop combinations to the body
and head. Some of them blocked, but the left hook to the
body was finding it’s mark on Tarver. Johnson looked to
be on his way to win the 4th round until a late rally by
Tarver that was followed by a big right hand which
staggered Johnson may have stole the round in Tarver’s
favor.
In round 5, Johnson managed to come up with the best
round up to this point as he hurt Tarver with a huge
uppercut that sent Tarver back to the ropes. Tarver
wasn’t punching back and was taking some big right hands
over his guard.
In round 6, a clash of heads opened up a cut on
Johnson’s left eye. Johnson clearly was phased by the
headbutt as he couldn’t get back on track from what he
accomplished in round 5. Tarver immediately took
advantage and shook Johnson with a straight right.
In rounds 7 through 9, the fight slowed down a bit and
the rounds went to which ever style you felt worked better.
Was it Johnson aggressiveness, coming straight in while
attacking often landing on Tarver’s guard, but getting a few
clean. Or was it Tarver taking his time and calculating when
to land when he circled Johnson.
In round 10, Tarver may have made the mistake of the
fight as he took the round off and Johnson took control
right away. Tarver was exhausted and desperately needed to
take a breather, however he wasn’t punching back and Johnson
was able to narrow up on the scores if you gave any of the
7-9 to Tarver.
In round 11, Johnson had his best rally as he hurt
Tarver with a right hand as Tarver was sent reeling into
the corner. Johnson jumped right in and Tarver looked to
be in big trouble, but the bell rang shortly after,
saving Tarver from what may have been Johnson’s best
round of the night.
In the 12th and final round, it looked to be very close
on the scores and who ever may pull out the final round
may take it home. Johnson came right out to see if
Tarver was still hurt from the previous round. Tarver
digs deep and unleashes a combination of punches that
staggers Johnson and calls him to grab and hold. Tarver
looked to have hurt Johnson back but he was too tired to
punch any more. Near the final minute of the fight,
Johnson staggered Tarver back and pounced right on him
in the corner. The bell sounded as it did in the 11th,
only this time ending the fight.
Both men had moments in that final round, who did you
give it to?
Final scores were 116-112 for Tarver, and 115-113 x 2
for Johnson, giving Johnson the split decision win and
the Ring Magazine Light Heavyweight Championship Belt.
After the fight, Tarver said he had hurt his hand in the
5th round from a punch he landed on Johnson’s head.
Johnson still went with what he said after he beat Jones
with “I am not the best. I am still looking for Mr.
Best.”
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