ANTONIO TARVER has his sights set on making history by becoming the oldest heavyweight world champion in history.
The 46-year-old faces Steve Cunningham next weekend [August 14] at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey and acknowledges he needs to beat the former cruiserweight king to set up fights with heavyweight champions Deontay Wilder and Wladimir Klitschko.
“I respect Steve Cunningham,” he said.
“I’m not looking past him, I’m looking through him. If I have to go through Wilder to get Klitschko, so be it.
“I’m getting that world heavyweight title and when I defeat Klitschko it’ll be the biggest story in sports. But I know that I won’t get my title shot unless I get by Cunningham.”
George Foreman holds the record for the oldest world heavyweight champion, having dethroned Michael Moorer in 1994 at the age of 45.
Tarver, who is set to become a grandfather next month, feels he still has the tools to rule the world as he once did at light-heavyweight.
“I learned the fundamentals of boxing and that’s why I’m still here at 46,” he noted.
“My whole game is built on deception because, by the looks of it, I’m not supposed to be as fast, as quick and strong, as tough, or hit as hard as I do. So, that makes it hard to prepare for a fighter like me.
“I am sure Cunningham may have prepared for a physical war but has he prepare for the mental part of our fight? He’ll be fighting in a ring full of mine fields, one wrong step and, Kaboom!”
