TARVER NOT LOOKING PAST JOHNSON BOXERS RELINQUISH BELTS FOR `PEOPLE'S CHAMPION' FIGHT.

Byline: Robert Morales Staff Writer

Antonio Tarver got to where he is with talent and intelligence.

He was talented enough to knock out Roy Jones Jr. in the second round last May. He was smart enough to sign to fight Glen Johnson for $3 million instead of signing to fight someone else for less money just so he could hold onto his title belt.

That said, there is no way Tarver is going to overlook Johnson when they square off tonight in the 12-round main event at Staples Center for the ``people's'' light heavyweight championship.

Tarver relinquished his World Boxing Council belt and Johnson gave up his International Boxing Federation title so this fight could be made. The respective organizations threatened to strip the champions of their belts if they did not defend against their mandatory challengers.

Since this is the best fight in the division for the most money, the fighters shed the belts. Johnson will make a shade over $1 million.

HBO will televise Tarver-Johnson and the replay of last Saturday's heavyweight title bout between Vitali Klitschko and Danny Williams beginning at 6 p.m. Action starts at 4 p.m.

``Looking at him from a fighter's standpoint, the guy is just relentless,'' Tarver said of Johnson, who knocked out Jones in the ninth round in September, four months after Tarver stopped Jones.

``I can imagine what is going through his mind,'' Tarver said. ``He has an opportunity to not only knock out Roy Jones, but to knock out the guy that knocked out Roy Jones. I mean, he should be licking his chops right now at this opportunity.

``I am taking this guy very seriously.''

It has been suggested that by the time Johnson got to Jones, Jones may have been softened up by Tarver. Despite what had been a fine career, Jones was seen as a fighter who had more than normal fear in the ring. Against Johnson, he appeared more uneasy than ever.

``The guy (Johnson) went out and executed a perfect game plan,'' Tarver said. ``Roy couldn't touch him, and when he did, he couldn't hurt him.''

Tarver predicted victory over Johnson.

``This is just not his time, not his season,'' said Tarver, 36, of Tampa, Fla. He is 22-2 with 18 knockouts. ``I believe I'm involved in something right now that is destiny, and he is just caught up in it.

``He will go down in history, but it will be my history. When I look at the fighters he's faced, truth be told, he hasn't done the things I've done, he ain't going where I'm going. This guy ain't in my league, and (tonight) that will be obvious.''

Tarver said during a conference call that he expected Johnson to put enormous pressure on him. Tarver said he would respond by sticking and moving. But Johnson is no fool. He knows Tarver can hit very hard. And since when is Tarver a sticker-and-mover?

When he knocked out Jones, Tarver stalked the former champion, caught him and crushed him.

``Antonio Tarver can do whatever he wants, whatever works for him,'' said Johnson, 35, of Miami via Jamaica. ``He doesn't know what I am going to do. Either way, I intend to be victorious because I have the ability to adapt to what is going on inside the ring.

``I'm ready to go 12 rounds, if needed.''

``It ain't going to go 12 rounds,'' Tarver said.

Johnson is 41-9-2 with 28 knockouts. At 5-foot-10 1/2, he is four inches shorter than Tarver, who has the advantage of being a southpaw.

Julio Gonzalez (36-2, 22 KOs), the former World Boxing Organization light heavyweight champion from Huntington Beach, will take on David Telesco (29-4-1, 24 KOs) of Port Chester, N.Y., in the semi-main event.

In other undercard fights, Andre Ward, a 2004 Olympic gold-medal winner from Oakland, will make his pro debut against Christopher Molina (2-0, 1 KO) of Odessa, Texas, in a super middleweight fight; Daniel Cervantes (3-0) of Oxnard will take on Juan Alfonso Figueroa (2-0, 1 KO) in a four-round junior welterweight fight; Tarvis Simms (19-0, 11 KOs) of Norwalk, Conn., will go against Carlos Bojorquez (23-5-6, 19 KOs) of Mira Loma in a 10-round super middleweight bout; and Mia St. John (38-4-2, 15 KOs) of Calabasas will take on Janae Archuleta (4-9-1) of Denver, Colo., in a four- round super lightweight fight.

Robert Morales, [phone], Ext. 2213

robert.morales(at)sgvn.com

CAPTION(S):

photo, box

Photo:

Glen Johnson, left, and Antonio Tarver are all smiles during the weigh-in for their light heavyweight fight Saturday.

Chris Carlson/Associated Press

Box:

TARVER-JOHNSON