No, he doesn't want to become a homeless person. Tarver, the world's top-ranked light heavyweight, is tired of being in the limelight. He's grown weary of cameras and microphones and life on the road.

All that's nice, but the Olympics are approaching and he's got a date with a gold medal.

``We've been feeling more like movie stars than boxers,'' Tarver said Wednesday as most of the U.S. Olympic boxing team arrived in town for its final two weeks of preparation before the Atlanta Games. ``It's time to get back into the gym and get down and dirty. We don't need any more distractions because we want to be in peak physical and mental condition. We want to do our best. We want to represent our country well.''

For the past two-and-a-half months, the 12 U.S. boxers and 12 alternates have been jet-setting around the country, training and participating in dual meets with Russia and Germany.

They've been to Portland, Ore., Marquette, Mich., New Orleans, Miami and Orlando, Fla. Every stop, there's been the bright lights of the media and throngs of adoring fans, distracting their focus and taking them away from the gym.

That's about to change. After a week of rest in Orlando, Fla., the team is beginning final preparations.

``These two weeks are for training,'' U.S. Olympic team coach Al Mitchell said. ``We've been on the road a little too much. The traveling has just killed us. Fun time is over. These are the most important two weeks we have. Now is the time when we earn our keep.''

Middleweight Rhoshii Wells joked, ``Everybody is overweight after those days off. None of us can make weight right now. That'll change in a hurry.''

The two-week period of training, sparring sessions and a few public appearances, will conclude on July 12 with the team leaving for Atlanta. That final week will be spent in the Olympic Village and the boxing portion begins July 20 at Georgia Tech's Alexander Memorial Coliseum.

The team will train at the Augusta Boxing Club, and a few of the evening sparring sessions are scheduled to be open to the public.

``We're in great shape now, but we've got to put the finishing touches on everything,'' said light welterweight David Diaz. ``We've got to come together in these two weeks because we know what's ahead of us. We've got to go into the Olympics with that hunger.''

As part of it's preparation, the U.S. team and alternates have participated in four dual meets against Germany and Russia since the Box-offs, which were held at the Augusta-Richmond County Civic Center on April 18-20.

In those bouts, the U.S. boxing team finished 31-17, including an 8-4 victory over Russia on June 17 in Miami.