Former world boxing champion Antonio Tarver has been arrested in his hometown of Tampa Bay on allegations of unpaid IOUs stemming from loans made by the Wynn Casino in Las Vegas.
Former light heavyweight champion of the world, Antonio Tarver, is currently in hot water after being arrested by the Florida Highway patrol after a routine traffic stop revealed that a warrant had been issued for his arrest over unpaid loans emanating from the Las Vegas Strip.
News reports suggest that the 45-year old reneged on a deal to pay back $200,000 in IOUs arranged during three separate visits to the Wynn Resort and Casino on the Las Vegas Strip back in June.
Jake Merback, the prosecutor handling the case said on Monday that he still hadn’t heard from Tarver’s representatives, nor did he believe the former world champion had posted bail.
Tarver is a well-known face around the Tampa poker scene and has also been seen playing at the World Series of Poker (WSOP).
He first came to prominence during the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta where he took the bronze medal in the light heavyweight category, and then went on to have a professional career containing 30 wins and 6 losses, including light heavyweight world title victories over Montel Griffin (2003), Glencoffe Johnson (2004) and Roy Jones Jr. (2004).
Tarver is also a star of the silver screen after earning the honor of playing the role of Mason ‘The Line’ Dixon in the movie Rocky Balboa, earning the distinction of being the last of the aging pugilist’s opponents.
The man known as ‘Magic Man’ has had money problems before after filing for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy protection eight days before he knocked out Roy Jones Jr in the second round of their second world title fight.
He also tested positive for a banned anabolic steroid prior to the draw with Lateef Kayode back in June 2012.
