By Kevin Kincade

In the vacuum of space, the only source of heat and warmth are the massive fusion reactors we call stars.  Where there is light, there is heat; where there is none, freezing cold.  In our own solar system, we can plainly see the effects of our star, Sol, on its closest satellite, Mercury.  The surface temperature of the hemisphere facing the sun can rise in excess of 800 degrees Fahrenheit, while temperatures on the opposite side of this tiny planet can fall to a frigid -298 degrees.  So near to the sun, yet in the shadows of its radiance, temperatures fall far lower than any place on Earth.  Surely, there is no colder place than in the shadow of a star. 

Metaphorically speaking, we can also see this effect in the world of boxing quite plainly.  Has there ever been a brighter star in our sport than Muhammad Ali in the 1970’s?  Though past his physical prime, in the wake of his monumental upset over George Foreman, no fighter’s popularity has soared as high; and no fighter felt the absence of his light once he faded from the scene more fully than Larry Holmes.  True, Holmes’s personality did play a role in his wars with the press; but there was also a touch of “he’s good; but he’s no Ali” in the air as well. 

Nothing he did, not the 48 straight victories, not the 20 title defenses, not the seven years as world champion could break him free from the affects of the Ali-eclipse he suffered through his championship reign.  So it is to a lesser degree with Antonio Tarver and Bernard Hopkins in the wake of the setting of Roy Jones Jr.

Unlike Roy Jones, neither Hopkins nor Tarver began their professional careers to much fanfare.  As is well known now, Bernard lost pro debut to Clinton Mitchell and Antonio gave up on boxing until he saw Jones fight in the Olympics and didn’t make his pro-debut until Roy had won his third divisional title against Mike McCallum.  Now, some may say it’s not fair to mention Roy Jones when discussing the upcoming showdown between Tarver and Hopkins; but isn’t Roy the thread that ties the two together?  Isn’t it Jones shadow they are both trying to escape?  Isn’t Roy Jones the last fighter to beat Bernard Hopkins in his prime; and isn’t it Roy’s legacy at light-heavyweight that Tarver is trying to overcome? 

True, since his loss to Jones, Hopkins went on to establish himself as one of the more accomplished middleweight champions in history, making a record 20 defenses of his crown before losing to Jermain Taylor; but despite beating the best the middleweight division had to offer, it wasn’t until he was 36 years old that Bernard was involved in a match that came anywhere near the fanfare of one Roy Jones contest….and the other fighter was the star on that night until the “Executioner” snuffed him out.  It’s been a long, hard road for Bernard Hopkins; and now that he has achieved some semblance of stardom, he’s cashing in on it big time; and who can blame him?  Bernard has carved out his own legacy and will be remembered as an all time great, regardless of the outcome of this weekend’s light-heavyweight championship. 

But what about Antonio Tarver; how did he get to this point?  Where is he now?  No where near Hopkins in terms of legacy, that’s for sure.  He could have fought his old amateur rival Jones as early as 2000 for Roy’s Light Heavyweight Championship; but lost in a title eliminator to Eric Harding, who went on to fight and lose to Jones in his stead.  Of course he avenged his loss to Harding in dramatic fashion, kayoing his man in five rounds and setting up a long-awaited title shot; but Roy had already moved up to heavyweight by then, leaving Tarver the table scraps at 175.  Yes, yes, Roy moved back down and won a quasi-controversial decision over Tarver, followed by the “You Got Any Excuses Tonight, Roy” rematch; but the Jones who Tarver defeated was no longer the master of flash of days gone by, leaving the question open-ended as to whether or not Tarver could have beaten Roy Jones at his best.

Since the shocking 2nd round knock-out of Jones, Tarver has succeeded in losing to the nearly 36 year old Glenncoffe Johnson, regaining his crown, chasing a now completely shot Roy Jones for 12 rounds in a rubber match that resembled a track meet, and supposedly taking on 60 year-old Rocky Balboa (the results of this showdown are yet to be known).  When one looks at each of these contests, it’s not hard to see the motivation behind each one. 

Tarver fought Johnson because Glenn had knocked Roy silly in 9 rounds, leaving him no plausible or credible option for a high-dollar rubber match at that time; and then, he lost….probably because he underestimated “The Gentleman”.  Still, kudos to him for taking on the other title holder, and further kudos for defeating him in a rematch; but then, he took on Roy Jones for a third time when Roy had done nothing to show he was still worthy of a title shot, having been knocked cold in his last two fights by Tarver and Johnson:  clearly a safe money move on Tarver’s part, rather than risking the crown against a younger contender. 

Following Tarver’s easy decision win over Jones, he took on the role of fictitious World Heavyweight Champion Mason Dixon in the upcoming Rocky VI, or “Rocky Balboa”, as it’s officially titled; nothing wrong with a little PR.  And as his first defense of his lineal Light-Heavyweight Championship after playing boxing on the silver screen, does he sign to fight a legitimate threat to his crown such as Clinton Woods or Tomasz Adamek or Paul Briggs or even Zsolt Erdei?  No, he signs to face the 41 year old former World Middleweight Champion who has lost his last two fights…well, at least one in my book.  Why?  Simply put, Hopkins is more recognizable than any light-heavyweight contender or paper titlist and, therefore, capable of providing a bigger payday.

Still, with all of this, Antonio wonders why he doesn’t get the respect he feels he deserves.  As if feeling time is running out to establish his legacy, “The Magic Man” is fighting another ring legend in decline to add another big name to his resume, thus creating the illusion of a legendary record of his own.  David Copperfield would be proud.

So, how is Tarver-Hopkins going to play out?  Very slowly.  Tarver has more power than Hopkins and both have good chins; and, more importantly, both are inclined towards the art of counterpunching.  The rule of thumb in this particular type of match is:  when counter-punchers clash…they don’t.  Still, don’t be surprised if there are a few fireworks in this affair.  Tarver very well could try Bernard in the early rounds to see if he can overpower the smaller man; but he will find out rather quickly what a formidable defensive picture “The Executioner” presents and will fall into a game of cat and mouse.  Over the last few years, Hopkins has become increasingly inactive in the early rounds, preserving his energy for late round rallies and this fight should be no different. 

Tarver has shown an occasional tendency to tire in the second half of the fight; and it wouldn’t be surprising to see Bernard play it safe early on and then come on strong in the last six rounds, utilizing roughhouse inside tactics and his still potent straight right in an attempt to get a later round stoppage.  However, the odds of Tarver being knocked out in such a fashion are long and hard.  In the end, Antonio should emerge from this contest with his title and legend-killer reputation still in tact.

Despite the holes in Tarver’s championship reign thus far, the irony is he does have the talent and the potential to be a star in the sport.  One of the greatest Light-Heavyweight Champions of all time, the “Old Mongoose”, the late great Archie Moore, didn’t begin his championship reign until four days past his 36th birthday, yet he held and defended the title until he was stripped just shy of age 44.  Tarver, having gotten a late start in the sport, is a relatively young 37 and could still go on to become a great champion. 

To do this though, he would have to dispense with the “quick fix” path he seems to be on at the moment and get down to proving how good he is against the top fighters out there today, rather than how good he is compared to the top fighters from yesterday.

Larry Holmes never escaped the shadow of Muhammad Ali throughout his championship reign; but eventually pundits began to give him his just due and took note of the light the “Easton Assassin” shined on the heavyweight division.  Though, not quite as brightly as his predecessor’s, it was still considerably more potent than many who have come and gone since.  History remembers everything eventually; and if Antonio Tarver keeps winning and winning impressively, his name will be remembered alongside those who came before him.  Whether or not this particular quandary troubles Antonio Tarver, only he knows. 

It’s not his fault that he began his rise to fistic prominence as Jones began his decline. The world will never know who would have been better had they met at their best; but that’s not for Tarver to concern himself with….he has his own legacy to build.

It takes some 50 Million years for a star to be born in the vacuum of space; but if everything goes the way it should, that gaseous mass will burn brightly for some 10 Billion years, making the fifty millennia gestation period worth the wait; or, nothing worth having happens over night.  The path to greatness is a slow and arduous process.   Muhammad Ali built up his reputation over the course of 20 years; but pundits will be talking about him long after the current generation is dead and gone.  The same and be said for Larry Holmes. 

Though his path was more difficult and less glamorous while he was walking it, he too will be remembered.  If Antonio is in a full court press to make his mark as it appears, he’s taking the wrong road.  Instead of worrying about escaping the shadow of Roy Jones as it seems he is, “The Magic Man” should follow Holmes example and ignite his own flame which will be remembered for its own unique light.

Questions or Comments:  kevin.kincade@citcomm.com