Antonio Tarver: "I want three fights, Mike Tyson, James Toney and Vitali Klitschko!"

I recently spoke with Roy Jones Jr. He made it perfectly clear that he still plans on fighting because he still feels he can beat you. What are your thoughts on that? "I had a chance to read his interview and it's ironic to me how much he has to say after the fight, but before the fight he was mute. I think that really hurt the promotion of the fight and I think that it cost both of us significant money. I would have to think long and hard about fighting him again because it does me a disservice to lay my heart and sould down and believe in a fight 110% before and after to have my counterpart put no effort in promoting the fight, hyping the fight and presenting it to the masses. I feel kind of slighted in a lot of ways because that fight was 50-50 and Roy's participation could have made a big diffference in my net worth. I'm happy that I was victorious in that fight, I fought my ass off and I was really focused and that showed. Looking back, I believe I have moved on from Roy Jones Jr, now I'm looking for that next big challenge."

GL: Of course you're always looking for that next big challenge, but at the same time as a businessman you're always looking for that next big payday. With that being said, the fourth fight with Jones, as strange as it may sound, is still the biggest money fight at light heavyweight whether he promotes the fight or not. Obviously if he takes part in the promotion you'd expect them to do better than they've been doing, but it's still the biggest money fight at light heavyweight. As slighted as you may feel, does the money a Jones fight demands still make it something you'd want to move forward with?

Antonio Tarver: "It's tough to say right now G. I'm working hard with my manager Al Haymon and my promoter Joe DeGuardia to do what's best for Team Tarver. I think between the three of us putting our heads together we're going to figure it all out. By no means will I remain stuck in suspended animation with Roy Jones Jr. I believe I've bested him three times already regardless of the outcome of the first fight. And I'm not sure what I'm going to have to do to convince Roy Jones Jr that he just can't beat me."

GL: Roy openly acknowledges that you're a stylisitc problem. He feels because you "idolized" him you get up for him like no one else, but he still feels that he still has what it takes to best you. Do you feel that he's being delusional?

Antonio Tarver: "I would like to first correct Roy. When Roy Jones makes statements that I idolized him. I did go on record saying that he inspired me, meaning that after I witnessed him in 1988 it inspired me to once again start back boxing after a five year hiatus. It was never an idolization. He just got me up off the couch when boxing wasn't in my future. I said to myself, if Roy Jones could do it, why not me? I believe that I've proven to be better than him. I dominated as an amateur and it's been more of the same as a pro. I believe I dominated Roy in that last fight and I knocked him out before that, so I believe it's going to be hard to compare the two of us by the time all is said and done. With that being said I will let my legacy live on while his will be forever in doubt."

GL: If Roy is able to get a win or two under his belt do you believe the fourth fight becomes a fight people begin to give him a chance in?

Antonio Tarver: "I don't know. That all depends on what Roy Jones Jr decides to do for his career. He's going to have to be the one to sell this fight to Mark Taffet and HBO PPV. He's going to have to sell this fight to everyone at HBO. If he could sell the fight to them and they could come back to me and make the fight make sense percentage wise and every way else, and if Roy's willing to make an attempt to beat me of course it's something I'd entertain. When it's all said and done I'm not trying to leave no money on the table, so if it's makes money it makes sense. If Roy Jones is willing to put money secondary and rearrange the numbers a bit then it's something we could entertain, but he's definitely going to have get some wins under his belt. We've got to show the world that we're still the two best light heavyweights out there. I've done my part, now it's just up to Roy Jones Jr to do his. I'm not jocking for another fight with Roy Jones Jr. Now that I'm on top he's going to have to come after me. There's a lot of other fighters out there that have been working for their opportunity. Right now it's easy to see that I'm the best and when it comes time to make my next fight we're going to be looking for the next best thing."

GL: And what's the next best thing?

Antonio Tarver: "Whenever I'm getting interviewed lately there's been a lot of talk about a good friend of mine, Jeff Lacy. He's been on record saying that he has his eye on me and that he's always believed he would move up to light heavyweight. And that in itself is a helluva fight. I say this to Jeff and his people...let Jeff grow man. Let him get a couple of solid wins under his belt. Let him get on HBO. He's never fought on HBO so I'm not really sure how many people know him as a marquee fighter. So he's definitely got some work to do for us to get the most out of that fight. But that could potentially be a huge superfight. I"m going to stay consistent and keep winning and continue to look for that person that emerges to make a superfight with myself."

GL: One fight your promoter Joe DeGuardia mentioned to me was Joe Calzaghe, if and that's a big if, he comes to America to fight. How do you feel about that fight?

Antonio Tarver: "I said it once and I'll say it again. I'm not going to waste any time on someone who obviously has no intentions of challenging himself or taking risks to make big fights. If he feels comfortable in his hometown fighting less than stellar opponents, and if he can make a living doing things like that, that's his business. Antonio Tarver is on a mission to conquer the world and continue to prove that I am the best fighter in the world pound for pound."

GL: Will it be difficult for you to prove that if the light heavyweight division becomes a situation where there's Antonio Tarver and then everyone else?

Antonio Tarver: "No. I mean, it worked for Roy Jones for many years and he never fought the best guys available and everyone knows that. All I want to do is be judged fairly on the same scale. I've been winning and I've yet to get beaten or bruised up, I've never been beaten up in the ring. Boxing is more than just giving the people exciting fights, it's about dominating people they say can't be dominated. It's about hitting and not getting hit and I've mastered that part of the game.

"Don't get me started G, me as a serious heavyweight? That would revitalize boxing."

GL: There's no doubt a Tyson fight would generate some big bucks, but how would beating Tyson make you a serious heavyweight when he's just lost to Danny Williams and Kevin McBride?

Antonio Tarver: "Just like it's done for everyone else. Look at the risk I would be taking though, a light heavyweight coming up to face someone as dangerous as Mike? Roy didn't do that and Mike Tyson clearly had his era in boxing and with the way the two of us could promote that event, it would be huge. I'm going to keep it real with you Greg, if I could have my three and out here's what it is, Mike Tyson, James Toney and Vitali Klitschko...in that order and then they could see me in Hawaii when I retire as the heavyweight champion of the world."

GL: There's a lot of people out there that might be James Toney might be biting off a bit more than you can chew.

Antonio Tarver: "I don't see why. All I got to say is this, look what Roy Jones Jr and Montell Griffin did to James Toney and look what I did to them. Simple, period, point blank. And by the time I'm done with Mike and Toney the money would stack as tall as Klitschko so that fight would make sense and then it's like I said I'm retiring as the heavyweight champion of the world. I'd have to be stuck in cement for any of these heavyweights would have a chance with me."