The Man Who Shocked The Boxing World! KO'd Roy Jones Jr, Bernard Hopkins Controversy- Antonio Tarver

Five-time world champion Antonio “The Magic Man” Tarver reveals the untold truth behind knocking out Roy Jones Jr, the controversial Bernard Hopkins fight, and his Hollywood role in Rocky Balboa with Sylvester Stallone.
From street fights in Orlando to Olympic glory, from shocking the boxing world to starring on the big screen — this is Antonio Tarver’s full, unfiltered story.

In this in-depth boxing interview, Tarver pulls no punches as he breaks down the night he shocked the boxing world by knocking out Roy Jones Jr, the infamous “Any excuses tonight, Roy?” moment, and why he believes he was robbed in their first fight. He opens up about his rise from the streets of Orlando, Florida, his historic amateur achievements (the only man to win the National, World, and Pan Am Championships in the same year), and the grit it took to prove himself in a sport where he was always the underdog.

Tarver also lifts the lid on the Hopkins ‘Jedi mind trick’ fight, the politics of professional boxing, and how he battled through setbacks to become a five-time world champion across light heavyweight, cruiserweight, and heavyweight divisions. Plus, hear the behind-the-scenes story of how he landed the role of Mason “The Line” Dixon in Rocky Balboa, training for Hollywood and stepping onto the big screen with one of cinema’s greatest icons, Sylvester Stallone.

Whether you’re a fan of boxing history, curious about the golden era of light heavyweight legends, or love hearing the untold stories behind the sport’s biggest fights, this episode is packed with insight, controversy, and unforgettable moments from one of boxing’s most charismatic champions.


In this explosive First Round TV interview with Darren Barker, Tarver pulls no punches as he:
🥊 Breaks down the iconic Roy Jones Jr trilogy — including the legendary “Any excuses tonight, Roy?” KO.
🥊 Lifts the lid on the Hopkins ‘Jedi mind trick’ fight and the politics of boxing at the elite level.
🥊 Shares how he went from underdog to five-time world champion across light heavyweight, cruiserweight, and heavyweight divisions.
🥊 Reveals how he landed the role of Mason “The Line” Dixon in Rocky Balboa and what it was really like to fight Stallone on camera.
Whether you’re a die-hard fight fan, a student of boxing history, or just love behind-the-scenes sports stories, this episode delivers drama, controversy, and championship mindset in every round.

💬 What’s your favourite Antonio Tarver moment? Drop it in the comments — we reply to the best ones!
👍 If you enjoyed this interview, hit LIKE to help more fight fans see it.
🔔 Subscribe to First Round TV and turn on notifications so you never miss an episode from The best iconic boxers in the industry!
📲 Follow us on Instagram for behind-the-scenes clips:   / firstroundtv  



00:00 Intro – Antonio Tarver joins First Round TV
01:00 Growing up in Orlando & street fights
06:00 Historic amateur year – Nationals, Worlds & Pan Ams
09:00 Facing a young Roy Jones Jr at 13
13:40 Eric Harding defeat & comeback
20:00 Winning first world titles vs Montel Griffin
21:30 Chasing Roy Jones Jr – the build-up
23:00 Prime Roy Jones Jr & the first fight
25:00 “Any Excuses Tonight, Roy?” – KO in the rematch
29:00 Glenn Johnson rivalry
34:00 The Bernard Hopkins ‘Jedi mind trick’
39:00 Moving to cruiserweight & heavyweight
43:00 Being the risk nobody wanted to fight
46:00 Elite mindset & career reflections
49:00 Rocky Balboa – filming with Sylvester Stallone
51:00 Training the next generation
53:00 Modern light heavyweight scene
54:00 Canelo vs Crawford predictions
55:00 Tarver’s Mount Rushmore of boxing


Antonio Tarver, Roy Jones Jr, Roy Jones Jr knockout, Bernard Hopkins, Hopkins controversy, Hopkins fight, Rocky Balboa, Sylvester Stallone, Mason Dixon, First Round TV, Darren Barker, boxing interview, light heavyweight boxing, boxing history, greatest knockouts, Orlando boxing, amateur boxing champion, Pan Am Games, Olympic boxing, boxing rivalries, boxing politics, boxing underdog, Glenn Johnson, Eric Harding, Montel Griffin, Canelo Alvarez, Terence Crawford, Beterbiev, Bivol, David Benavidez, boxing comeback stories, boxing KO, knockout interviews, best boxing stories.