Tarver takes rematch
Jones knocked cold as he surrenders title
LAS VEGAS -- Roy Jones Jr. learned last night there is no Superman on planet Earth.
No matter how vast your talent or wide your reputation. No matter how strong your resume or vast your skills. No matter who you think you are or how dominant others believe you are. Everyone who walks here is merely mortal, a vulnerable human being who can be hurt. Last night was Jones's night to feel the pain.
Or maybe not feel anything at all.
All week, promoter Don King kept calling the undisputed light heavyweight champion "Superman Roy Jones," but in a stunning moment at the Mandalay Bay Events Center last night, Antonio Tarver put some Kryptonite on Jones's chin and knocked him cold at 1:41 of the second round with arguably the first punch he landed.
Tarver appeared tight throughout the first round as Jones circled him and scored with a string of right hands, but he threw one too many in Round 2 and Tarver slipped under it, quickly stepped forward to close the distance, and then sent a whistling overhand left that landed right on Jones's chin and he went flat on his back.
Jones landed with a dull thud that made clear he was not likely getting up. At least not in possession of his faculties.
Jones lay flat, semi-conscious, his head hanging outside the ring in Tarver's corner, as referee Jay Nady began his count. At six, he struggled to get up, his eyes glassy and his legs and arms unable to support his body weight as he pitched forward again onto his shoulder.
As Jones finally pushed himself off the canvas, Nady waved his hands to signal the end of Jones's days as a boxing superstar. The four-time world champion staggered into the ropes.
As Jones slumped against the ropes, Tarver's corner exploded like a volcano as his supporters rushed the ring. Trainer Buddy McGirt ended up on top of a chair at ringside, finally falling to the floor as the crowd swirled into the ring.
Meanwhile, Jones sat on a stool listening as ringside physician Dr. Margaret Goodman explained what he'd just missed.
"He missed a right and I turned it over right after he did," Tarver (22-2) said of the left hand that made him World Boxing Council light heavyweight champion for the second time. "It was an overhand left right on the kisser. It was beautiful.
"I'm finally at a loss for words."
He was not at a loss for words as Nady gave the fighters their ring instructions. As Nady was talking, Tarver said to Jones, "What excuse are you going to have this time?"
That was a reference to Jones claiming the difficulties he had with Tarver six months ago when he barely won a majority decision were a result of having to lose 25 pounds of muscle following his victory over then-World Boxing Association heavyweight champion John Ruiz.
This time, there were no excuses to be made.
"What basically happened is I got bored with this guy," Jones (49-2) said.
No, what basically happened was he got knocked into a puddle of Silly Putty by one of the best-placed punches in recent memory.
"I threw a right hand and missed and he threw a left hand," Jones said.
Jones was right about that but had missed the most important point. Tarver didn't miss. . . .
In the semi main event, former World Boxing Organization junior welterweight Zab Judah (31-2) won an odd 12-round split decision from Rafael Pineda (38-6). Judah dropped Pineda in the seventh round of what was at that time a one-sided match and then seemed to lose interest when he was unable to stop him, losing the majority of the final five rounds because he refused to throw any punches. Earlier, International Boxing Federation junior flyweight champion Victor Burgos (37-13-3) retained his title with a fifth-round knockout of challenger Fahlan Sakkreerin (54-4-2); Gerald Nobles (23-0) stopped former heavyweight champion Bruce Seldon (35-5) in the ninth round; and undefeated Rico Hoye (17-0) stopped former WBA light heavyweight champion Richard Hall (27-5) at 1:10 of the fourth round. 