Roy Jones v Antonio Tarver
Antonio Tarver v Roy Jones
Jones had claimed a controversial majority points win when the pair met at the Mandalay Bay Hotel last November.
Many thought Tarver had deserved to win that contest and he certainly gained compensation this time around as he picked up Jones’ WBC belt in emphatic fashion.
Jones, whose only defeat in 50 previous contests was by disqualification, controlled the opening round of this grudge rematch.
But Tarver turned the fight on its head when connecting with a peach of a left counter halfway through the second.
Jones tried to get up off the canvas, fell back down and was then counted out by referee Jay Nady as he eventually rose groggily to his feet.
Afterwards Tarver described his winning moment: “He missed and I turned (the left) over perfectly and caught him on the kisser.
“I missed with my jab, but I beat him to the punch with a beautiful overhand left.
“Roy Jones came out strong, but I stayed confident and composed. I had a good defence. I saw everything coming. I knew it was my time.”
Jones said: “I was knocked out once in the amateurs. It happens to the best of us.
“I am not sure what I am going to (next). If I don’t have the same interest and enjoyment (in fighting) I always do, then I will stop.”
On the undercard, Mexican Jose Victor Burgos stopped Thailand’s Fahlan Sakkreerin in round six of their IBF light-flyweight clash.
And Zab Judah won the interim WBO welterweight title with a majority points decision over Colmobian Rafael Pineda.
