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Thu May 07, 2009 8:45 pm EDT

Tarver is ready to walk a dangerous line against Dawson

By Steve Cofield

It's the rematch that no one was calling for except a piece of paper. Back in October, Antonio Tarver gave Chad Dawson a shot at his title belts (not sure which ones and don't care) but he made sure there was a rematch clause in the contract. To no one's surprise, the younger Dawson was faster, got off more punches and beat "The Magic Man" to the punch during most exchanges. The judges scored it a lopsided 118-109 and a pair of 117-110's for Dawson. But it was far from utter destruction for Tarver. He just needed to sit down on his punches more and stay in the pocket. Tarver (27-5, 19 KOs)says he's going for broke this time around:

"When I look back at the fight, I feel I beat myself, it was nothing that Chad did," Tarver told the Las Vegas Sun. "Basically I’m gonna let my hands go this time. I’m not gonna be in a defensive posture. I’m gonna let my offense be my defense and I’m gonna fight — that’s the bottom line."

Tarver has won all three of his rematches after a loss (Glen Johnson, Eric Harding and Roy Jones Jr.). That was then, this is now for the 40-year old Tarver:

"We corrected our wrongs and you’ll see the difference Saturday night. When I’m determined, I’m a hard guy to beat, history proves that."

Tarver says it's time to swing for the fences:

"I’m gonna put this guy in uncomfortable situations and I’m gonna touch him. I have the power. I’m gonna touch him on the arms, touch him on the body. If I crack him or hurt him, I’m knocking him out. Period."

Tarver is also back with trainer Buddy McGirt. McGirt missed the first matchup working with another fighter. Dawson (27-0, 17 KOs) by most as the No. 2 light heavyweight in the world behind Bernard Hopkins. A big show for Dawson on HBO may coax Joe Calzaghe out of retirement for a big money fight or convince BHop drop some of his demands. 

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11 Comments

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  1. Mitcy1z
    1. Posted by Mitcy1z Thu May 07, 2009 8:56 pm EDT

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    Another boring mess this thing called boxing gives people to not watch and waste the little money they have on a boring boxing PPV. Please go away old tired smelly boxing.......................and the LCDs are NUTshe SOcaliburger Mingler and the so called fan boys who think they box well at the grocery store they work anyway. So bring it on !!!
  2. SouthCal21
    2. Posted by SouthCal21 Fri May 08, 2009 2:48 am EDT

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    Oh ok Mitcy1z....Mitcy1z?? is that what they call those baby gloves in MMA/UFC....you must getting a little upset that cofield is writing so many boxing blogs (relatively)...you just couldnt stand it and had to troll your a$$ over here and sniff his nutz a bit....boring pay per views?? you must not have watched Anderson "the dancing spider" Silva on the last UFC payper view....now thats excitement....i cant even, for the life of me, remember who the hell it was he was dancing with...some turtle that supposedly knew something about Brazilian Jitz....yeah right, what a joke!...i say give Anderson his fight with Roy and watched the Spider get KTFO.....Danas too afraid to let his so called P4P goldenboy get schooled....and I guess if we want those excitement filled fights we could always tune into the latest season of TUF.....that show is basically a few redneck wrestlers with less that mediocre stand up skills playing paddy cake to some pikers who would actually prefer to look like fighters than learn to do it....boxing has had a great year so far and its only gonna get better with Money back in the mix but i wouldnt even want to try and explain something like that to anyone who prefers MMA/UFC to Boxing....PBF said it best in his news conference: boxing is here to stay....to be a boxing champion you cant just come in off of the street and win the world title in 3 or 4 fights (brock).....it takes skills and dedication....now go back to MMA/UFC side, tickle the balls, and make sure you tell Cofield and the rest to at least spit on it this time...it wort hurt as bad going in, princess...
  3. Ted D
    3. Posted by Ted D Fri May 08, 2009 10:48 am EDT

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    Tarver should go back to making movies. Dawson is to fast for the aging Tarver. Maybe Liddel and Tarver should fight ( LMAO ). Joking Liddel got knocked out bad enough in his last couple fights.
    Cofield, If you don't know which belt or even don't care, why blog. You make it hard for people to want to read your blogs when you don't have the passion for the sport you're blogging about. Boxxing ain't dead, nor is it dying.
  4. BOSS
    4. Posted by BOSS Fri May 08, 2009 10:55 am EDT

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    dawson is gonna put loud mouth tarver to sleep, permanently. ive never been a big tarver fan, his mouth is too big for me. but, i will give him credit where credit is due. he was a helluva champ and fighter at one time. dawson is the next in line to be a blockbuster fighter. lets be honest tarver hasnt been hard since he took rocky the distance. who woulda guessed the hatred on here towards mma and chuck liddell. geeeesh
  5. BOSS
    5. Posted by BOSS Fri May 08, 2009 11:12 am EDT

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    i think it will be a tough k.o for dawson, but i believe tarver might start lunging and get caught. and if dawson catches you its nighty nite time. i hope its a barn burner
  6. BOSS
    6. Posted by BOSS Fri May 08, 2009 12:09 pm EDT

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    the best part about this fight is that its free on HBO. yeah
  7. PILLO
    7. Posted by PILLO Fri May 08, 2009 2:14 pm EDT

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    Mitz these dweebs got no bite just like there OG boxers heres some tidbits for you bb brains
    The boxers and crime stereotype was likely what prompted the NBC network in the U.S. to latch onto the career of James Scott in the 1970s.
    Scott built up an 18-1-1 record while serving time for armed robbery (a life sentence for murder was added later) at Rahway State Prison in Trenton, N.J. OG thug!
    Another who might have been a champion, junior middleweight Tony Ayala Jr., was 22-0 with 19 knockouts and was being compared with greats like Ray Leonard and Roberto Duran when crime ended his career in 1983.
    Ayala, known as El Torito (Little Bull), was slapped with a 35-year sentence for tying up and raping a neighbour. He served 16 years and was released from a New Jersey prison in April 1999.
    He ended up back in jail two years later for burglary and attempted assault. Ayala was shot in the shoulder during the incident.
    Just like the trash that thinks they know fighting OG thugs! thats all you will ever be. Now go away and get ready for jail or the ground
  8. SouthCal21
    8. Posted by SouthCal21 Fri May 08, 2009 2:36 pm EDT

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    ...wow PILLObiter...does anything in your post come close to even being valid???...how long of your pitiful little life did you waste researching all that?.....maybe we should just get rid of the NFL (#1 revenue generating sport in the country) with all those criminals running around....look, there are terrible stories regarding athletes that had SO much promise in EVERY sport that you never hear about....are you really trying to paint boxing, as a whole, in a negative light due to the poor decisions of a relative few?....dont be so narrow minded....
  9. Bert
    9. Posted by Bert Tue May 12, 2009 11:11 pm EDT

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    There are so many doubters of Pacman status now, those doubters should start buying tapes of Pacman's fight from the start, so that they will understand what Pacman do in the ring...Pacman simply JUST DO IT! what must be done in the ring...lets recall...morales, barrera, marquez, de la hoya and latest victim is hatton all these fighters are great and legends...not to mention diaz, ledwaba...etc.
    To erase any doubts what Pacman does in the boxing sports phenomena, HE should capture one title of welther weight division champion ... SURELY this will erase any doubts....FORGET Mayweather and Marquez.... these two can wait...History is a FIRST thing FIRST...while you're still YOUNG, STRONG and MOTIVATION above heaven...JUST DO IT!!!...Manny ... they will line-up to fight you anyway...
  10. Yogie
    10. Posted by Yogie Mon May 18, 2009 11:32 pm EDT

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    boring fighters/huggies and kissbabies to include counter punchers are the least kind of boxers I want to watch. No excitement, no daringness -no pay... Enough is enough for fighters whom we pay to watch only to see them hugging and kissing each other...I fee robbed by these type of boxers who dont show the excitement and will to fight that entertains the fans. If they dont go to the ring really to mix it up, they'd better wear dancing clothes and do the best dances that can match our recreation allowance.. Boring boxers, dont expect us to pay and watch you hug and kiss or dance around. i pay to watch a fight not a drama Sir...
  11. Jazz
    11. Posted by Jazz Wed May 20, 2009 6:21 am EDT

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    guys in the boxing world like juan manual marquez, hopkins, shane mosley, floyd gayweather, and others, these are fighters who talks a lot outside the ring but cant proved it inside the ring.. most specially juan manuel marquez, he's no longer looser but he's stupid as well, talking trash to pacman and telling media people that pacman is not the best fighter in the world. well you suck marquez... coz you're just insecure about your loss to manny pacquiao.. talking trash is not a good for a boxer it only loose your intergrity as a boxer... your enemy is yourself inside the ring, so if you talk too many outside the ring better have a clear ko or tko on your opponent so that you wont be judge just the way other people judge you rightnow..

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