Keeping Up With the Tarvers

It may be time to change that expression now that Antonio Tarver has again defeated Roy Jones, Jr.

Tarver retained his IBO light heavyweight title Saturday night in Tampa, Florida with a unanimous 12-round decision over Jones, his second victory over his longtime rival in 16 months.

Tarver won the crown in May 2004 with a stunning second-round knockout of the former world champion in four weight classifications. He nearly dropped him again when he hurt Jones with a right hand in the 11th round, but couldn’t finish him off.

Jones entered hoping to rebound from the knockout losses to Tarver and Glen Johnson that raised questions about whether he was washed up and should retire. Tarver’s right in the 11th sent him reeling into the ropes, and the champion closed in to try to end the fight but appeared to tire.

Jones escaped from the ropes when Tarver swung wildly and missed, and finished the round even though he was blinking his eyes repeatedly, as if he was having difficulty seeing.

The judges scored the fight 117-111, 116-112 and 116-112 in favor of Tarver, who threw 620 punches to Jones’s 320. The champion landed 158, while Jones landed 85 — or about seven per round.

Tarver never felt he received the accolades he deserved after beating Jones in such convincing fashion in the second fight. Many felt he also won the first meeting in November 2003, adding fuel to the boxer’s argument that he wasn’t getting his just due.