‘A sham,’ Foreman says of Tyson-Seldon debacle

Dean Juipe

Thursday, Sept. 12, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

George Foreman was wound up and committed to a verbal assault.

His target during a Wednesday conference call with the national boxing media wasn't his upcoming opponent in Tokyo, Crawford Grimsley, but the big apple of the heavyweight division, Mike Tyson, and his most recent patsy, Bruce Seldon.

"I'm angry," Foreman said. "These guys don't even say 'I'm sorry' now when they cheat the people. (Tyson) doesn't even apologize. He doesn't even say 'Thank you very much.' He doesn't even answer questions at a press conference."

Foreman, 73-4, is fighting Grimsley, 20-0, Nov. 2 in Tokyo on a pay-per-view card that was originally scheduled for this weekend but was moved back for unspecified reasons.

"Do I promise that we'll have the fight of the century? No," Foreman said. "But I do guarantee this will be a fight. I don't expect it to be a pretty fight, but it'll be a fight."

Foreman, 47, will be fighting for the first time since he decisioned Axel Schulz in Las Vegas in April of 1995 and he said he would be paid approximately $2.2 million. Grimsley is a former kickboxer who has never faced an opponent of Foreman's caliber.

Foreman said he would also fight next year in Austria and then in his native Houston before retiring. While there are two sides to every story, he said Tyson is among the many top heavyweights who are refusing to fight him.

"I know why I can't get a fight with Tyson," he said. "(It's because) they want someone to just fall down."

And that got him going on Seldon, who disgraced the sport by taking a glancing blow from Tyson and losing to him in 109 seconds last Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden.

"A big man like Seldon scared of Mike Tyson," Foreman mused. "That's a shame for a big man, a shame for a guy with muscles. What was going on?

"Here's this guy who falls on the canvas like that and the next day he leaves with a ($5 million) check in his hands.

"This sport needs a lesson in integrity. I might get beat up and lose, but I guarantee I won't go down from a scrape by an elbow.

"It's like Barnum and Bailey, sucking up people's money. It was a sham, a sham, a sham."

Grimsley, who also took part in the conference call, was amused at Foreman's stinging comments. "Somebody got him riled up," Grimsley said.

As for his own qualifications, Grimsley said "I've been knocking out guys quick. I'm a breath of fresh air. I'm the best-kept secret in boxing."

Around the ring

* HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Two-time former world champion Julian Jackson celebrated his 36th birthday Wednesday, two days after an impressive comeback win over Leonardo Aguilar at the Forum in Los Angeles. "The promoter out there didn't think he had a Chinaman's chance of winning," said Jackson's trainer, Johnny Tocco. "They thought that Aguilar guy could beat him. He was tough and he hit Julian with some shots, but he withstood them." Jackson, of Las Vegas, improved to 52-4 with his first fight in 13 months. "I've worked with Julian for a lot of fights and he's terrific," Tocco said. "He wanted this win so bad, just to prove to the people that he's back. And they can't say he came back against a pushover." Jackson, a middleweight who went the distance for only the fifth time in his 15-year career, said he was happy with his showing. "I know I was a bit rusty, but I needed the work and now I feel I'm back," he said.

* PAZIENZA-TONEY: If a fight between Vinny Pazienza and James Toney can be made, it will go Dec. 6 (or Nov. 22) and probably to the soon-to-be-opened Mohegan Sun casino near Montville, Conn. A week ago the bout was offered to Reno, but the city apparently can't afford the $500,000 promoter Bob Arum is asking for a site fee. "If they can't pay, they can't play," Arum said of Reno losing out. The Station Casinos resort near Kansas City is also in the running, but Mohegan Sun has the inside track for a bout that would match two former champions at 175 pounds. "Pazienza hasn't jumped to take it, but (trainer) Kevin Rooney wants him to and he's trying to convince him," Arum said.

* OUT OF TOWN: Four Las Vegas fighters have out-of-town bouts within the week. Up first is Friday's (no TV) fight in Australia between IBF junior welterweight champ Kostya Tszyu, 18-0, and Las Vegas challenger Jan Bergman, 32-0. "Some people think he has a chance, but I think he'll get blown away," oddsmaker Herbie Lambeck said of Bergman, who he made a 5-to-1 underdog. "I don't think he can punch with Tszyu." Saturday in Los Angeles on pay per view, former super bantamweight world champ Kennedy McKinney, 29-2-1, of Las Vegas, meets late replacement Nestor Lopez, 16-1-2, on the undercard of the Marco Antonio Barrera vs. Jesse Magana main event. Also Saturday, local welterweight Leroy Owens, 10-14-3, takes on an opponent yet to be determined in Tulsa; no TV. "I'm going to give it all I've got and stop being used," Owens said. "I hope to get back over the .500 mark and get some good fights. If I can't do it, I'll quit." And Tuesday at Philadelphia, local welterweight Skipper Kelp takes on USBA champ Tony Martin on a USA-televised card.

* QUICK HITS: Veteran judge Lou Tabat has told the Nevada State Athletic Commission he's retiring after this year. ... The commission has placed Benji Marquez on indefinite suspension for testing positive for marijuana after his Aug. 30 main event at the Aladdin. ... Among the items on the commission's Friday agenda is licensing Evander Holyfield for a Nov. 9 fight with Mike Tyson. At least one neutral party, fellow heavyweight Riddick Bowe, feels Holyfield should quit instead. "He should bow out and forget about boxing," Bowe said. "He just doesn't have the firepower. I'm afraid for him. Evander is not as strong as he used to be." Bowe defeated Holyfield last November. ... Former three-time world champ Humberto Gonzalez officially retired this week with a 41-3 record at 108 pounds. He'll be honored Saturday in LA and later at a WBC function in Mexico City. ... Showtime will replay the Tyson vs. Bruce Seldon fight Saturday (8 p.m.) and Monday (10:15 p.m.). ... The Aladdin has added a Sept. 21 card promoted by Forum Boxing that will feature junior welterweights John Avila, 22-2-1, and Hector Quiroz, 22-1, in the main event. Also scheduled is local junior lightweight James Crayton, 20-4, vs. Arnulfo Castillo, 22-0. ... Looking good: junior lightweight Regilio Tuur improved to 43-3-1 with a televised one-round win over the competent Jose Vida Ramos, 28-3, last Friday in Atlantic City; and lightweight Tiger Martinez showed some promise in raising his record to 17-0 with a TV win over the game Gerald Gray, 16-3-1, Tuesday in New York City. ... Next up locally: Monday at Arizona Charlie's, former WBC lightweight champ Gabe Ruelas vs. Angelo Nunez.