Antonio Tarver injured during training, fight with Johnathon Banks cancelled

By Boxing News - 09/18/2014 - Comments

By Allan Fox: 45-year-old former IBF/WBA/WBC light heavyweight champion Antonio Tarver (30-6, 21 KOs) suffered a thumb injury during training for his scheduled September 29th fight against Johnathon Banks (29-2-1, 19 KOs) at the State Farm Arena in Hildago, Texas.

Due to the severity of the injury, Tarver won’t be able to take the fight and he’s reportedly pulled out of it.

“The injury actually happened two and a half weeks ago and I’ve been trying my hardest to work through it,” Tarver said. Finally my doctor ordered an X-ray and we out it was a fracture. I’m disappointed I won’t get to face Johnathon Banks, but hopefully we will be able to reschedule this fight with him for a later date.”

The chances are probably pretty high that Tarver can reschedule with Banks, because he hasn’t fought since his 12 round unanimous decision loss last year in June to Seth Mitchell. Banks has been spending a lot of time training IBF/IBO/WBA/WBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitachko. As long as the Tarver fight doesn’t get in the way of Wladimir’s training camp for Kubrat Pulev, Banks might be open to the idea of rescheduling with Tarver.

Tarver had been hoping that a win over Banks would put him in position to get a world title shot. Tarver hasn’t fought since his 4th round stoppage win over heavyweight Mike Sheppard last year in November. Currently rated at #10 by the World Boxing Association, Tarver likely would have been pushed up even higher by the WBA with a victory over Banks.

A fight against WBA champion Ruslan Chagaev would have been a possibility for Tarver had he beaten Banks. Unfortunately now Tarver is going to have to heal up and look to get bank in the ring against somebody else unless Banks is open to waiting around for Tarver’s thumb to heal.

The September 29th fight card in Hildago, Texas will go ahead without the Banks-Tarver main event. Instead of that fight in the main event, the Joseph Diaz vs. Raul Hildago fight will be moved into the main event from the co-feature where it was originally scheduled.



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