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ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. -- Light heavyweight champion Antonio Tarver didn't think he would ever fight at 175 pounds again after dominating Roy Jones in their October 2005 rubber match.
After also avenging his loss to Glen Johnson, Tarver was eyeing the heavyweight division.
At a time when he was flirting with a match against Mike Tyson, Tarver also was cast in the role of fictional heavyweight champ Mason "The Line" Dixon in the film "Rocky Balboa," the sixth installment of Sylvester Stallone's "Rocky" series that opens in December.
Making 175 pounds again couldn't have been further from Tarver's mind.
Playing the role of heavyweight champion required Tarver to bulk up even more than he typically would between fights, and he relished the idea of staying big and facing heavyweights for even bigger purses than he was earning.
In December, on the movie's Las Vegas set, Tarver stopped to chat with a reporter who was making a cameo in the scene. When asked if he planned to fight at light heavyweight again, Tarver broke into a broad, toothy grin, patted his stomach and said he was done at light heavyweight. When asked how much he weighed, Tarver was specific: "I'm 218 pounds today."
Tarver (24-3, 18 KOs) filmed the movie through January, and when no heavyweight fights of significance materialized, he had no real choice other than to return to light heavyweight for the biggest fight available.
That meant a showdown with former undisputed middleweight champ Bernard Hopkins (46-4-1, 32 KOs).
It also meant that Tarver would have to shed almost 45 pounds in order to make weight for their "Fight to the Finish" on Saturday night (HBO PPV, 9 ET) at Boardwalk Hall.
While Tarver is taking weight off, Hopkins has had to pack weight on as he rises two divisions for what he says will be the last fight of his career.
Tarver has downplayed the weight issue, despite being asked about it incessantly, especially in light of Jose Luis Castillo's failure to make weight last week for his third fight with Diego Corrales and the shocking cancellation of the bout.
"Part of our job," Tarver said about making weight. "I mean, we've got to lose weight. We all lose weight. That's not a problem. Only people like Roy Jones make excuses."
After also avenging his loss to Glen Johnson, Tarver was eyeing the heavyweight division.
At a time when he was flirting with a match against Mike Tyson, Tarver also was cast in the role of fictional heavyweight champ Mason "The Line" Dixon in the film "Rocky Balboa," the sixth installment of Sylvester Stallone's "Rocky" series that opens in December.
Making 175 pounds again couldn't have been further from Tarver's mind.
Playing the role of heavyweight champion required Tarver to bulk up even more than he typically would between fights, and he relished the idea of staying big and facing heavyweights for even bigger purses than he was earning.
In December, on the movie's Las Vegas set, Tarver stopped to chat with a reporter who was making a cameo in the scene. When asked if he planned to fight at light heavyweight again, Tarver broke into a broad, toothy grin, patted his stomach and said he was done at light heavyweight. When asked how much he weighed, Tarver was specific: "I'm 218 pounds today."
Tarver (24-3, 18 KOs) filmed the movie through January, and when no heavyweight fights of significance materialized, he had no real choice other than to return to light heavyweight for the biggest fight available.
That meant a showdown with former undisputed middleweight champ Bernard Hopkins (46-4-1, 32 KOs).
It also meant that Tarver would have to shed almost 45 pounds in order to make weight for their "Fight to the Finish" on Saturday night (HBO PPV, 9 ET) at Boardwalk Hall.
While Tarver is taking weight off, Hopkins has had to pack weight on as he rises two divisions for what he says will be the last fight of his career.
Tarver has downplayed the weight issue, despite being asked about it incessantly, especially in light of Jose Luis Castillo's failure to make weight last week for his third fight with Diego Corrales and the shocking cancellation of the bout.
"Part of our job," Tarver said about making weight. "I mean, we've got to lose weight. We all lose weight. That's not a problem. Only people like Roy Jones make excuses."
