Tarver seeks Calzaghe bout

Boxing : IBF light-heavyweight world champion Antonio Tarver has insisted he is the opponent Joe Calzaghe must face if the Welshman…

Boxing: IBF light-heavyweight world champion Antonio Tarver has insisted he is the opponent Joe Calzaghe must face if the Welshman wants to cement his legacy as one of boxing's all-time greats.

Tarver, who stunned Sheffield's Clinton Woods earlier this month to take the Briton's title and possibly end his career, has joined Roy Jones in offering to tackle Calzaghe on either side of the Atlantic.

The American is desperate to unify the 175lb division but would be happy to postpone that aim to fight the Calzaghe in what would surely be the unbeaten star's last bout.

Calzaghe moved up from super-middleweight to defeat Bernard Hopkins at the weekend and while no official title was at stake, his victory has propelled him to the summit of the division.

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Legendary four-weight world champion Jones is currently Calzaghe's most likely opponent, with the veteran proposing a lucrative showdown in Britain. Undisputed middleweight king Kelly Pavlik, WBC champion Chad Dawson and a rematch with Hopkins have also been mooted.

However, Jones is some way past his best and has not held a world title since losing to Tarver in 2004.

And the self-proclaimed 'Magic Man' insists a fight with him, rather than Jones, would be far more meaningful.

In a statement, Tarver said: "I am the only light-heavyweight champion who currently holds two belts and on my way to unifying the belts this year.

"I will fight Calzaghe in the US, in the UK or wherever he wants to fight."

He added: "Everyone was mentioned as Calzaghe's potential next opponent but me, the true light-heavyweight world champion."

Referring to Calzaghe's post-fight boast after beating Hopkins — who beat Tarver in 2006 — Tarver continued: "I am the real 'legend killer'. I beat Roy Jones not once but twice.

"I have also beaten Glen Johnson, Clinton Woods and many more top fighters in the light-heavyweight division."