As usual, a Tyson foe gets short end of stick

Dean Juipe

Thursday, March 7, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

Perhaps indignant that he's being paid considerably less than Mike Tyson for their March 16 fight at the MGM Grand Garden, WBC heavyweight champ Frank Bruno only reluctantly agreed to attend a Wednesday news conference in Los Angeles. Tyson flew to LA but then failed to appear at the conference, leaving promoter Don King to monopolize the dais.

"I am a little bit," Bruno said, when asked if the money differential made him angry. "It does hurt a little bit. I am a little bitter."

Contracts have not yet been filed with the Nevada State Athletic Commission, so ascertaining exactly what each fighter will be paid next week is not yet possible. Tyson, however, was paid $25 million for his fight with Peter McNeeley last August at the MGM, and Bruno has said that Tyson is getting "six times as much" as he is for their fight.

Attempting to salvage the LA press conference, King said the refusal of Tyson to appear and for Bruno to come in late was a matter of gamesmanship.

"They're both fighting for psychological edges, spiritual edges, physical edges, and this is highly competitive," King said. "The sensitivity here is going to towering heights. Bruno is out to prove he's not a fluke, so he's not going to interrupt his training schedule. Tyson is dogged, trying to reunify his crown and so the same things affect him. So it's a Mexican standoff."

Tyson was in LA before deciding to bypass the press conference.

"He said, 'If Bruno's not coming, I'm not coming,'" King reported. But Bruno did appear as the news conference was about to break up, although he kept his comments brief.

Around the ring

* TYSON-BRUNO NOTES: Tickets remain but only at $800. ... Mills Lane has been selected to referee the bout, which will be his 78th world title fight. ... The judges will be Las Vegan Jerry Roth, England's Larry O'Connell and Thailand's Anek Hongtongkan. ... There's a minor furor in Britain because it's the first time the English are being asked to pay to watch sports on television. While U.S. viewers will pay up to $50 to see the bout, it's currently being offered for about $15 in England. The price for a tavern is $345. One of the drawbacks is that the bout will take place at 4 a.m. in Great Britain. ... Named to referee the undercard bouts: Mitch Halpern (for Bernard Hopkins vs. Joe Lipsey); Joe Cortez (for Ricardo Lopez vs. Ala Vilamor); Richard Steele (for Quincy Taylor vs. Keith Holmes); and Jay Nady (for Melchor Cob Castro vs. Michael Carbajal).

* CAESARS CARD: The formal announcement is still a few days away, but Caesars Palace will host a March 23 card to be promoted by Forum Boxing of Los Angeles. In the 12-round main event, WBO super flyweight champ Alberto Jimenez, 30-3-2, will take on Miguel Martinez, 33-9-1. In a 10-round companion feature, Carlos Gonzalez, 44-2, meets Lupe Lopez, 13-2-1.

* OUT OF TOWN: Two local fighters saw main-event action in nationally televised fights out of town earlier this week. Despite good efforts, both Ray Collins and Skipper Kelp were decision losers, Collins bowing to veteran welterweight Yory Boy Campas in Los Angeles and Kelp coming up short against junior middleweight Raul Marquez in Norfolk, Va. Collins lost by 7, 6 and 3 points on the judges' cards despite the fact the TV announcers felt he had won. Campas had the advantage of the better-known name and upped his record to 64-1 while handing Collins his eighth loss in 25 pro fights. Kelp lost by six points on each of the three judges' cards against the 23-0 Marquez. Kelp, 22-3-1, took the USBA title fight with only five day's notice.

* QUICK HITS: At long last, the welterweight title fight between champ Ike Quartey and challenger Vince Phillips of Las Vegas has a home. The card -- which will also include the Pernell Whitaker vs. Wilfredo Rivera title fight -- will be held April 12 on the island of St. Maarten. HBO will televise. ... The Las Vegas Hilton is said to be interested in returning to boxing. ... Las Vegan Chuck Giampa was one of three judges who worked last Saturday's WBC super middleweight title fight in England between Nigel Benn and Sugar Boy Maligna. He had Benn winning 114-112, but the other two judges saw it for Maligna by nine and four points, respectively, and the title changed hands. ... Roberto Duran and Hector Camacho have agreed to meet May 18 in Miami. The 44-year-old Duran swears it will be his final fight. ... NABF cruiserweight champ Brian LaSpada of Las Vegas has accepted a March 23 fight in Miami against WBA champ Nate Miller. LaSpada, 26-2-1, will be appearing in his first world-title fight and figures to have his hands full with the 27-4 Miller. Headlining the card is heavyweight Oliver McCall against journeyman James Stanton. ... Nugget Promotions has added a March 15 card at the Aladdin, with lightweight James Crayton of Las Vegas in the main event against Alexis Perez. Crayton is 18-3, Perez 20-8-1. ... Local amateurs Ishe Smith (139 pounds) and Charles Shufford (heavyweight) will join Augie Sanchez and Eneliko Smith at the U.S. Olympic Trials April 1-7 in Oakland. Ishe Smith and Shufford advanced via the Golden Gloves national championships last weekend, while Sanchez and Eneliko Smith had already qualified via the national USA Boxing championships last month.