Antonio Tarver as an Olympian in 1996
Former Light Heavyweight boxing champion and sometime Hollywood actor Antonio Tarver was arrested for crimes related to his gambling debts this past week. After a successful amateur career, Antonio “Magic Man” Tarver won WBA, WBC, and IBF world titles in pro boxing over the years.
Tarver fought top boxers like Roy Jones Jr., Bernard Hopkins, and Reggie Johnson. In fact, he fought a trio of fights against Roy Jones, winning two of the three. At the height of his popularity, Tarver even appeared in a Rocky movie (“Rocky Balboa”) as Mason “The Line” Dixon.
Despite winning tens of millions of dollars in prize money over the years, Tarver bounced checks at the Wynn Las Vegas Resort in 2012. When he was stopped by Florida Highway Patrol on a traffic stop, he was arrested on an outstanding warrant.
Debt Spiral with Casino Markers
The boxer took out loans of $200,000 from the Las Vegas Wynn in July 2012 by taking “markers” at the casino. Markers are IOUs signed in the casino, which states the casino is loaning money to a high roller.
Nevada state law treats casino markers like they are checks, so when Tarver did not pay back his debts to the casino, a warrant was made out for his arrest. The next time the former boxer was stopped for a traffic violation, he was bound to be arrested.
It’s been reported that Tarver took out a $50,000 marker at the casino on July 24, 2012. Two days later, he signed a marker for $100,000 more. On July 27, he signed a third marker, this time for $50,000. His several days of gambling at the Las Vegas Wynn have been described as a gambling binge.
Tarver’s Career Sputtered in 2012
The gambling binge came just one month after Tarver had a positive PED test after a disputed draw with Lateef Kayode. Tarver has only fought once after the Kayode fight.
Later in the year, Antonio Tarver lost his job as a commentator on Showtime Boxing. He also lost out on an opportunity to broadcast Olympic boxing at the 2012 London Olympic. He had an amazing amateur career. Besides winning the Bronze Medal at the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympics, Magic Man remains the only amateur boxer to have ever won the Pan Am Games, U.S. National Championships, and World Championship
While ending his active boxing career made it hard to make large sums of money, the subsequent broadcasting setbacks made it difficult to repay his gambling debts, given the fact most of his prize money had been spent at that point in time.
Arrested on a Traffic Stop
The traffic stop which landed the boxer in jail took place in St. Petersburg, Florida, where Antonio Tarver now lives. After his arrest, he was held on $215,425 bail. Jake Merback, the prosecutor who worked the case back in Nevada, says Tarver had not posted bail at first, and at first it was uncertain whether he had an attorney.
Al Haymon Posted Bail, Paid Debts
Later, boxing manager Al Haymon spotted Tarver the cash to post bail. After his release from Pinellas County Jail, the 45-year old fighter said he would fight again in order to pay back his debts. Though this was not stated directly, TMZ reported Antonio Tarver hinted that Al Haymon paid off the entirety of his outstanding debt to the Las Vegas Wynn Resort.
Calling the debt a “hiccup in the road”, Tarver said he has not made any money in the past two years. He told reporters he would repay his debts to Haymon with his boxing skills.
Tarver said, “It was a debt that I had…With Al, it’s all about friendship first…I’m gonna pay him back by becoming the next heavyweight champion.”
Reports are he’s already gone into the gym to begin training to restart his boxing career. While 45 is considered an old fighter, Bernard Hopkins has shown that a world class boxer can fight effectively into his late-40’s.
