Antonio Tarver American professional boxer Date of Birth: 21.11.1968 Country: USA

Biography of Antonio Tarver

Antonio Tarver, an American professional boxer, was born on November 21, 1968, in Orlando, Florida. He began his career in amateur boxing, where he quickly started winning fight after fight. In 1996, Tarver won the bronze medal at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, and a year prior, he became the world champion at the Amateur World Championships in Berlin and won the gold medal at the Pan American Games.

Debut in Professional Boxing
Tarver made his professional boxing debut on February 18, 1997, at the age of 28. In just the second round, he knocked out his opponent, Joaquin Garcia. Tarver went on to win his next 16 professional fights, with 8 of them ending in knockouts.

World Champion
On April 26, 2003, Tarver captured his first professional title. He defeated Montell Griffin in a fight for the WBC and IBF light heavyweight titles, sending Griffin to the canvas in both the first and twelfth rounds. In November 2003, Tarver faced former undisputed light heavyweight champion Roy Jones Jr. in a controversial fight that ended in a decision in favor of Jones, much to the disappointment of Tarver and many fans.

Tarver sought a rematch and in May 2004, he knocked out Jones in their second fight. In December 2004, Tarver faced Glen Johnson for the IBO light heavyweight title but lost in a disputed decision. However, he demanded a rematch and in June 2005, Tarver regained the title with a unanimous decision victory.

Continued Career and Challenges
Tarver faced Roy Jones Jr. for the third time in 2005 and emerged victorious, asserting himself as one of the best boxers in the world. In June 2006, Tarver suffered a defeat against Bernard Hopkins, but he did not make any excuses for his loss, despite having to lose weight for his role in the movie "Rocky Balboa".

In October 2008, Tarver lost his IBF light heavyweight title to Chad Dawson. However, Tarver was granted a rematch with Dawson in May 2009, where he aimed to regain his title. The fight took place at the Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

Tarver's success in the boxing ring extended to the big screen as well. He made his acting debut in 2006, portraying Mason Dixon, the heavyweight champion, in the film "Rocky Balboa". Despite his achievements, Tarver faced legal issues with the creators of the film, accusing them of not paying him the owed $1.5 million in bonuses.

Overall, Antonio Tarver has had an impressive career in both professional boxing and acting. He continues to strive for success and challenge himself in the world of boxing.