Last time Antonio Tarver and Chad Dawson prepared to toe the scratch in the squared circle, fight fans were treated (or subjected) to weeks of pre-fight verbal banter.
There was so much smack talk, the war in the ring couldn’t possibly (and didn’t) live up to the preceding war of words.
This time around, however, Tarver and Dawson have put a lid on the trash talk.
At today’s final presser, held at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino’s The Joint arena, in Las Vegas, neither fighter went beyond the prediction of a victory.
On Saturday, Dawson (27-0, 17 KOs), having won a lopsided unanimous decision in the first fight, will defend his IBF and IBO light-heavyweight straps against Tarver (27-5, 19 KOs) in a rematch. The fight, promoted by Gary Shaw Productions, will be televised on HBO from the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.