Roy Jones Jr vs Antonio Tarver II

On May 15, 2004, Roy Jones Jr. and Antonio Tarver met for the second time at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas in a high-stakes rematch. The WBC, WBA, IBO, NBA, IBA, WBF, and The Ring light heavyweight titles are on the line.

Jones, coming off a narrow majority decision win over Tarver six months prior, entered as a 4-1 favourite. Holding a professional record of 49-1, Jones weighed in at 174 pounds, one pound under the limit. With a record of 21-2 and weighing 175 pounds, Tarver made his intentions clear during the referee's instructions by pointedly asking Jones, "You got any excuses tonight, Roy?"—a remark that set the tone for the fight.

Jones looked sharp in the opening round in front of a crowd of 10,318, with HBO Pay-Per-View broadcasting the event to an audience that generated 384,000 buys. His speed and precision allowed him to edge Tarver on all three judges' scorecards after the first three minutes. Despite the competitive energy, only some anticipated what would unfold in the second round.

Tarver capitalized on an opening as the fighters exchanged punches, delivering a devastating overhand left that landed flush on Jones' chin. The punch sent Jones crashing to the canvas, and although he managed to rise by the count of nine, his legs betrayed him as he stumbled into the ropes. Referee Jay Nady waved off the fight, marking a shocking end to a bout that lasted less than two complete rounds.

The stats told a stark story. Jones landed 12 of 42 punches, while Tarver connected on just 7 of 54. Yet the one punch mattered most, earning Tarver a stunning knockout victory and handing Jones only the second loss of his career. The dramatic finish was named "Knockout of the Year" by The Ring.

The victory solidified Tarver's place among the light heavyweight division's elite and abruptly halted Jones' reign. It also provided a moment of redemption for Tarver, who had been narrowly denied in their first encounter.