Antonio Tarver Calls Out David Haye: Time For a "Big Heavyweight Fight" In U.S.

Antonio "Magic Man" Tarver has offered WBA heavyweight champion David Haye of the UK an escape route from his ongoing on-again, off-again fight negotiations with The Ring magazine's recognized world heavyweight champion, Wladimir Klitschko.

Tarver, 42, who made his heavyweight debut last November with a workmanlike win over Nagy Aguilera, says he is looking to "chop down a giant," and figures Haye--whose boxing future seems to be in disarray since negotiations with Klitschko fell apart--qualifies.

The proposed fight would at least have some visibility in the United States, which sets it apart from most match-ups that can currently be made involving American heavyweights. 

The former light-heavyweight kingpin Tarver, who defeated Roy Jones Jr. twice, is well known, not only for his boxing exploits, but also for his star turn in the last Rocky movie, and for his excellent ringside analysis on the Showtime network's televised boxing cards.

Meanwhile, Haye's fight with his mandatory opponent for the WBA crown, former champion Ruslan Chagaev, is still looking iffy because of the latter man's Hepatitis B status [Chagaev is not ill, but carries the virus in his bloodstream].

British boxing rules prohibit carriers of the Hep B virus from fighting in the UK, and it is highly unlikely that Haye will opt to defend his belt outside of his homeland, where interest in the Chagaev fight would be minimal.

With Haye repeatedly vowing that he will retire from boxing in October of this year, he needs to find a name opponent fast, no doubt making Tarver's offer look tempting.

"You can call it your U.S. debut, it's the biggest fight you can make [with a] name [that] don't end in Klitschko," said Tarver via his Twitter account.

"Thanks for offer. I've a Mandatory to K.O.(May-June) before I'm free for any Unification/Voluntary," Haye tweeted in return, not exactly throwing cold water on the idea of a Tarver fight at some point.

Stay tuned....