Boxing Report

by Pedro Fernandez

In 1993, I called "Sugar" Shane Mosley's fourth pro fight for PRIME Cable at the L.A. Forum and boldly predicted he would become champion of the world.

I had been aware of Shane's abilities ever since he was a junior Olympic champion. Now the undefeated 23 year old kid from Pomona, CA who beat Oscar De La Hoya in their only amateur meeting, is the IBF lightweight champion.

The ever so-quiet Mosley is a guy who has certainly let his fists do the talking while amassing 24 knockouts in his 26 wins. Not only has he caught the eyes of the boxing world, Shane is also making us boxing writers forget about linear and WBA champion Orzubek Nazarov real fast. The IBF titilist appeared on Ring Talk of late and his interview will be published later this week at fighters.com

TEAM TAPIA RESPONDS TO "TOO SHARP" CHALLENGE

This past Saturday night world IBF flyweight champion Marc "Too Sharp" Johnson again reiterated what he said after drilling #1 rated Arthur Johnson six nights earlier on ESPN. "I'm after Johnny Tapia. I'll fight him in Albuquerque. Johnny says he's a true world champion and that he wants like me, to fight the best. So, let's do it."

Are you done at 112 lbs? "There's nobody else there. (Longtime WBC champ) Yuri Arbachakov, Yuri went off and got beat by a guy I've never seen (Chatchai Sasakul). Unless Ricardo Lopez wants to step up, there are no big fights for Marc Johnson at 112 lbs."

Team Tapia's reply to the "Too Sharp" challenge came from top advisor Tony Holden. "There are pros and cons to this fight happening. First, Johnny wants the fight. And from a management point of view, there is no hesitation in making the fight. In other words. We're not scared. Another plus is that he would be willing to fight in Albuquerque. The negatives are that Johnny is looking to move up to 118 lbs. He's been fighting at 115 lbs. for 10 years. It's killing him. And we don't know what kind of money Marc's people are going to want. It's 50-50 as to whether it can come off or not."

RING TALK, TRULY THE INSIDER'S LOOK INTO THE WORLD OF BOXING

IF you were not part of the growing Internet audience that listens to Ring Talk Saturday & Sunday nights at 11 PM Et @ www.talkamerica.com you missed IBF 112 lb. champ Marc Johnson, IBF 175 lb. guy Reggie Johnson, IBF lightweight titleholder "Sugar" Shane Mosley, and the great Alexis Arquello as that was the Saturday night lineup. On Sunday night on Talk America "2" aka "The Deuce" my guests were former world champ Michael Nunn and PR guy Jim Hunter of DKP. There are a number of imitators and pretenders boasting about their boxing radio shows. For 11 years now Ring Talk has been "The Show of Record" in the world of boxing. This Saturday night, world middleweight champ Bernard Hopkins will watch the Chavez-Gonzalez main event with me. "Cool" Vince Phillips will also appear. Vince will defend his IBF & world 140 lb. titles against Mexican Alfonso Sanchez March 14, on HBO.

BUDWEISER FROGS GET PRIVATE SHOW

The March 9, show in San Francisco will not be seen by the public. There will be no live gate or TV as 1996 Olympian Eric Morel, 12-0, will be featured in an eight rounder. The site is the Moscone Convention Center and the audience will be Budweiser Beer Execs only. Top Rank will promote.

DOS GUERRAS! (TWO WARS!)

The Julio Cesar Chavez-Miguel Gonzalez fight is just three days away. The current line is 7-5 favoring Gonzalez. Had the fight been in Vegas, Miguel Angel would be a solid 3-1 choice. If ever there was a Mexican who was running the risk of getting screwed in Mexico, it's Gonzalez.

Herb Lambeck of Leroy's Sports Book of Las Vegas put it like this in the February 28, issue of FLASH magazine.

"Hard to find anyone willing to risk green on Chavez. Feeling among wiseguys and insiders alike. Final curtain for legend from Culiacan. They may be right but gut feeling Julio has one more major effort. No matter, still can't see Gonzalez winning decision at this site. Though both Mexican, Miguel Angel designated Gringo in this one. Chavez by decision."

A Chavez-Gonzalez preview will be published on Friday.

NOTES: Orlin Norris pulled out of a Saturday night WBO bid against Herbie Hide in the UK. Promoter Frank Warren had brought in Norris after the British Board of Boxing Control refused to sanction the original foe Dickie Ryan...Las Vegas' busiest promoter Rick Burton of BAM enjoyed another sold out 1,400 paid this past Friday night when Montell Griffin went 10 rounds with Adam Reid for a well deserved points win in the co-main event. In the curtain closer, Rocky Gannon was a winner in three heats over Julian Samaha. Burton's next card is at the Orleans Hotel in Sin City on March 20, will have "Saigon" Skipper Kelp, 23-4-1, 16 KO's. In the eight round supporting bout will be cruiserweight Brian La Spada..We are sending MR. B*O*X*I*N*G to Chavez-Gonzalez in Mexico City this weekend. The gifted writer has taken a sabbatical as he concentrates on family matters and a possible return to the ring?? South African budding superstar Cassius Baloyi was pulled off the February 21, Cedric Kushner card at Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio, CA because Cassius had supposedly tested positive for Hepatitis. In turns out that Baloyi doesn't have Hepatitis but that he had recently taken the vacine. Team Baloyi tried to relate this to the Californai Commission, but because of the language barrier and poor translation, it wasn't understood. Baby Cassius goes in April against Sergio Liendo of Argentina in a vacant WBU 126 lb. title fight..New York POST scribe Jack Neufield aka Don King's #1 antagonist wrote recently that Mike Tyson is about to sue Don King for $45 mill..DK is denying any wrongdoing. On the phone Sunday he told me. "Tyson is confused. He's frustrated" There is talk of Angel Manfreddy engaging oldtimer Azumah Nelson in May on HBO. If it ain't Professor Nelson facing the Devilish Manfreddy, it'll most likely be two time WBC 130 lb. champ Gabriel Ruelas. Another May card on Home Box Office featuring big guys will have Michael Grant vs Larry Donald and Chris Byrd vs Ahmad Abdin in co-mains. Pedro Fernandez