Five days after his 45th birthday, Antonio "Magic Man" Tarver (29-6-0, 20 KO) returns to the ring after a 17-month absence to take on veteran journeyman Mike Sheppard (21-15-1, 9 KO). The 6'2" Tarver is trying his hand at the heavyweight division in an attempt to rebirth his career.
Tarver's last fight ended in controversy. His bout with Lateef Kayode was ruled a draw but later changed to a no-contest once it was revealed that Tarver had tested positive for a banned substance.
This fight is as much about reviving a career as it is restoring the shine to a once-unblemished legacy. No one can trick you and say this is a major fight. Sheppard's record and Tarver's age are a dead giveaway that's not the case.
The intrigue here—if there is any at all—is whether or not Tarver can sip from the same fountain of youth that Bernard Hopkins has, and if he can erase the memory of the steroid deal from boxing fans' minds.
At 48 years old, B-Hop holds a world title at light heavyweight. Tarver is in search of just a fraction of that success.
The bout takes place in Sunrise, Fla., which is not far from Tarver's hometown of Orlando, Fla. Tarver told ESPN's Dan Rafael, "This is the perfect opportunity to make a statement at home and I can't wait."
Here's how you can watch Tarver make his "statement," along with a closer look at this matchup.
When: Tuesday, Nov. 26, at 9 p.m, ET
Where: BB&T Center in Sunrise, Fla.
TV: Fox Sports 1
Live Stream: Fox Sports Go
In Search of More Glory and Redemption
Tarver won a bronze medal in the 1996 Olympics, but he turned pro relatively late in his career. His first professional fight took place in 1997 when he was 28 years old. He has made up for lost time, though, with his accomplishments.
The Magic Man won his first two of five world titles in 2003 when he defeated Montell Griffin. After losing to Roy Jones Jr. later that year, Tarver became the first man to legitimately defeat the future Hall of Famer in 2004.
Jones Jr. had lost to Griffin by disqualification because of a controversial punch landed once Griffin had already gone to a knee from a previous punch.
Coming off the embarrassment of the steroid controversy, Tarver is eager to restore some positivity to his boxing career. If he can string together a few wins, he may even have a shot at getting a decent payday against one of the up-and-coming heavyweights in the division.
The Perfect Mark
As an overblown cruiserweight with only moderate power and a ton of losses on his record, Sheppard is the perfect fighter for Tarver to exploit in his homecoming fight.
Like Tarver, Sheppard is only 6'2" and is not a true heavyweight. His chin has been suspect his entire career, which is evidenced by his 11 losses via TKO/KO.
He is experienced, so the 38-year-old should be able to conduct himself in the ring as a professional. But not much more should be expected of him.
Prediction
Unless Tarver slips on the steps as he enters the ring, he should make easy work of Sheppard. If for some reason he doesn't KO his opponent by the fifth round, he has to seriously ask himself if there is any magic left in his body.
I'll go with Tarver by a third-round TKO.
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