Boxing

Lacy: Tarver says no, now it's on to Joe

IBF super-middleweight champ says he will fight WBO champion Joe Calzaghe abroad next year.

By JOHN C. COTEY
Published November 12, 2005

Jeff Lacy did his best to persuade Antonio Tarver to fight as the two appeared on BayNews9 Thursday night, and having failed, now says he's moving along.

All the way to England, it appears.

Lacy, the IBF super-middleweight champion, said Friday a deal has been secured that will have him put his title up against WBO champion Joe Calzaghe in February or March.

"All they have to figure out is who's walking in the ring first and where the weigh-in will be," Lacy said. "It's almost buttoned down."

Lacy and Calzaghe (40-0, 30 knockouts) were supposed to fight Nov. 5 before the Welsh champ broke his hand. Instead, Lacy knocked out Scott Pemberton for his fourth title defense.

Lacy (21-0, 17 KOs) and promoter Gary Shaw vowed after the postponement that any fight between the two would have to be in the United States because of Calzaghe's history of pulling out with injuries.

But the St. Petersburg fighter had a change of heart thanks to a $500,000 deposit Calzaghe will forfeit to Lacy if the fight is canceled.

"That's the only reason I'm going over there," Lacy said.

Tarver, Tampa resident and light heavyweight champ, adamantly refused to fight Lacy when the two debated Thursday night on television. Promoter Joe DeGuardia said he offered Lacy a little over $1-million to fight Tarver, but was refused.

"We don't need Tarver," Lacy said. "He's not a draw. He rode Roy Jones' coattails and got booed in his own hometown. Next year, he'll be coming to my press conferences begging for a fight."

[Last modified November 12, 2005, 00:55:15]