Arum signs former Olympian Raul Marquez

Dean Juipe

Thursday, Oct. 31, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

With nothing to lose and a chance for considerable gain, Top Rank promoter Bob Arum has signed an undefeated 25-year-old fighter who has been exhibiting championship potential since turning pro in 1992.

Raul Marquez, a former U.S. Olympian, is 23-0 with 16 knockouts. He's a relatively complete fighter with style and excellent power.

Marquez, the United States Boxing Association junior middleweight champion, signed Wednesday with Top Rank and Arum immediately projected him into a May fight with WBC/IBF champion Terry Norris. Marquez is the mandatory challenger for the IBF portion of Norris' championship.

"I know I have the talent to become a world champion," Marquez said. "And I don't want to be just any champion. I want to establish myself as one of the best fighters in the world."

He'll be on the receiving end of those type of accolades if he can defeat the hard-punching Norris.

"In my opinion, he beats anybody out there ... Terry Norris, Felix Trinidad ... everybody," Arum said. "We want that fight with Norris because after Raul wins, it will catapult him to a much higher level."

Marquez, who has fought three times in Las Vegas and is coming off a win over a Las Vegas-based fighter (Skipper Kelp) in his last outing, will make his Top Rank debut Jan. 18 at the Thomas & Mack Center. He'll be in an undercard bout against Scott Smith, who's 25-4-2.

Marquez had been fighting for Main Events but his contract went to arbitration and both sides were agreeable to a separation.

"I expect him to become a world champion and remain a world champion for a long time to come," Arum said of Marquez, a Houston native who is ranked No. 1 by the IBF, No. 2 by the WBC and No. 5 by the WBA.

Around the ring

* CHAVEZ HOME: Wanted in Mexico on an income tax fraud charge and in debt to the government for $1.5 million, Julio Cesar Chavez sought refuge in the United States prior to his Oct. 12 fight in Anaheim, Calif., with Joey Gamache. But now that Chavez has paid the lion's share of that debt he has returned home to Mexico and is awaiting a Wednesday court date that could lead to a resolution of his problems with the government. That stands in contrast to how Mexican authorities were treating Chavez prior to the fight with Gamache. "Yes, it's true, they actually tried and they filed the papers with (Attorney General) Janet Reno," Arum said, when asked if Mexico attempted to have Chavez extradited. Arum also confirmed that he made "a couple of phone calls, but nothing improper" to U.S. Justice Department acquaintances in an effort to quash the extradition attempt. Arum worked in the Justice Department in the 1960s.

* MONEY OWED: Arum confirmed that his company is owed "$500,000 to $1 million" by various promotional outlets that contracted for the closed-circuit rights to the Chavez vs. Oscar De La Hoya fight June 7 at Caesars Palace. "It's not like that money has been stolen," Arum said. "Eventually we'll get paid, most of it at least. I figure we'll collect another $700,000." He said the total closed-circuit revenue that night was $14 million. "It goes with the territory," he said of late payments. "I've got money from pay-per-view fights that's still out. Just last week I got a check for $10,000 for a fight that was held two years ago."

* QUICK HITS: A federal appeals judge heard testimony Wednesday in Philadelphia regarding the IBF stripping then-champion Frans Botha of his heavyweight title for taking steroids. While no decision was immediately forthcoming, Botha's manager, Sterling McPherson, said "it looks favorable for us." The best-case scenario from Botha's side: The IBF is forced to vacate the title now held by Michael Moorer and Botha receives an increase in his purse for his Nov. 9 fight with Moorer at the MGM. ... Botha, incidentally, was back in the gym and sparring Wednesday, one day after missing his workout due to taking a medical exam at a local hospital. ... In a surprising move, local junior lightweight James Crayton has filed for arbitration and is seeking a release from his longtime manager, Pat Barry. The Nevada State Athletic Commission will assign an arbiter at its Friday meeting. ... Three local casinos -- the Flamingo Hilton, the Tropicana and the Silver Nugget -- will begin selling closed-circuit tickets Friday for the Nov. 9 card at the MGM. Prices vary at each site. ... The Nov. 9 headliner, Mike Tyson, was presented with a modest trophy on behalf of the Golden Gloves Gym for financing a trip to the national Golden Gloves tournament earlier this year in Cincinnati. Tyson's contribution of $15,000 allowed Nevada's eight-man amateur team to compete in the event. ... Tyson's private workouts at the gym continued this week with the usual reports that he's looking good as he prepares for Evander Holyfield. ... A movie on Tyson's life apparently is being made and shooting has begun in Las Vegas.

With Anthony Cooks charged with rape, Tommy Morrison has found a new opponent for his Saturday fight in Tokyo, Marcus Rhode. He's 24 years old and supposedly has a record of 15-1 with 15 knockouts. ... NSAC member Elias Ghanem remains outraged that Morrison is fighting despite being HIV positive. Ghanem has stepped up his attempts to stop the fight in Tokyo by exerting pressure on George Foreman, who's in the main event that night against Crawford Grimsley. Ghanem drafted a letter and was attempting to use a third party to get it to Foreman in Japan. "Morrison simply shouldn't be in the ring," Ghanem said. ... Top Rank vice president Todd duBoef accompanied Oscar De La Hoya to Argentina for last week's WBC convention and everything was fine until their return-flight plane landed in Bogota, Colombia. Mechanical problems led to the flight's postponement and duBoef and De La Hoya were forced to stay overnight in a downtown hotel in the war-torn city. "It was unbelievably scary," duBoef said, conscious that he was escorting a recognizable target. ... De La Hoya, becoming quite a world traveler, is in Paris today. ... A De La Hoya fight in Argentina next year is a possibility, with competent although beatable opponents like Charles Murray, Juan Coggi and David Kamau on the drawing board. ... The Veterans Boxing Association of Las Vegas will roast longtime boxing judge Art Lurie Saturday at the Italian-American Club at 2333 E. Sahara Ave. Call the club for more information. ... Local welterweight Vince Phillips looked good in taking out late replacement Juan Rodriguez in Monday's main event at the Forum in Inglewood, Calif. Phillips, 35-2, handed Rodriguez his seventh loss in 42 fights by knocking him out in the fifth round.