Cruiser champ on mission

Dean Juipe

Thursday, Nov. 6, 1997 | 9:50 a.m.

If Evander Holyfield is fighting for God, Nate Miller is fighting for country.

The WBA cruiserweight champion has taken his Saturday fight with Fabrice Tiozzo at the Thomas & Mack Center and turned it into an us-versus-them showdown with the Frenchman. Miller, from Philadelphia, says he's determined to retain his championship and, somewhat directly, prove American fighters are superior to their European counterparts.

"As opposed to what he sees in France, fighters over here are warriors," Miller said Wednesday. "Tiozzo might be a good fighter in France but he's here in the U.S. now and he has to prove himself against a name fighter like me."

Miller, 30-4, and Tiozzo, 36-1, are meeting in the primary undercard bout beneath the Holyfield vs. Michael Moorer main event. It'll be Miller's fifth title defense, while Tiozzo comes in as a former light heavyweight champion who is moving up in weight at the somewhat advanced age of 28.

Miller, who is being paid $250,000, is a --250 favorite in the sports book at The Mirage. Tiozzo, who is getting $100,000, is a +200 underdog.

"Miller fights the same all the time," Tiozzo said through an interpreter, explaining why he thinks he'll win. "I adjust as I go along and I'm very comfortable with that."

After being apprised of Tiozzo's statement, Miller tacked on his own addendum.

"He may say I fight the same all the time but what he's got to realize is I've got a big punch," Miller said. "He's going to feel it early, too. My job in this fight is to go out and destroy Tiozzo, get to him quick and make sure it doesn't go 12 rounds."

Twenty-six of Miller's fights have ended by knockout, including a run of seven straight.

"I'm going to do away with him very early and not give him a chance," he said. "He's come a long ways considering he's going to go home with nothing."

Tiozzo, who hasn't lost since dropping a decision to Virgil Hill in 1993, is fighting outside of France for only the third time. His best win was a decision victory over Mike McCallum two years ago -- in France.

Promoter Don King said the Miller-Tiozzo winner may be matched with the winner of another cruiserweight title fight on the T&M undercard: Uriah Grant vs. Imamu Mayfield.

"We're leading to a cruiserweight unification," King said optimistically.

Grant, 26-12, holds the IBF belt on the strength of his upset victory over Adolpho Washington in June. Mayfield, 16-1, is ranked No. 9 by the IBF.

"I'm in the best shape I can be in," said Grant, a grandfather of three and a native of Jamaica who says with a certain degree of uncertainty that he's 35 years old. He's in his 18th year of fighting professionally and until he surprised Washington he was regarded as little more than a tough journeyman.

For example: His last fight in Las Vegas was nine years ago and he was a decision loser to the long-forgotten Joe Lasisi that afternoon.

But he's receiving a career-best $80,000 for this one and he's a --160 favorite despite having more losses than any reigning, legitimate, world champion. Mayfield, 25, is taking home $20,000 and is a +120 underdog.

"This is my first time in a fight of this magnitude," Mayfield admitted. "But I feel I have the equipment to do what I need to do and win."

The only recognizable name on his ring record is Ernest Mateen, and Mayfield won that 1996 bout by fourth-round knockout.

That's one more notable win than Genaro Rios has to his credit. Rios, of Nicaragua, is in with WBA featherweight champ Wilfredo Vazquez in the third undercard title fight at the Mack.

Rios is 11-2, is getting only $5,000 for this fight and is a hefty +600 underdog. On the surface he's no match for Vazquez, a Puerto Rican with a 49-7 record who is the only fighter in the history of the WBA to hold championships in three weight divisions.

He's getting $80,000 for his trouble and is a --800 betting favorite.

Also scheduled: Jerry Ballard, 18-1, vs. Tiwon Taylor, 20-3-1, 10 rounds, heavyweights; Bruno Wartelle, 9-0, vs. Rodney Garnett, 24-5, 10 rounds, light heavyweights; and Daniel Seda, 3-0, vs. Rogelio Luevano, 3-2, four rounds, featherweights.

Tickets remain for the T&M card, plus it will be available locally on pay per view and on closed circuit at four local sites. The Tropicana and the Stratosphere have it for $40, while it's $30 at The Orleans and at the Primadonna in Primm.

Bally's card

Two men who were once "house fighters" at the MGM are paired in the main event of a Friday card at Bally's, as Michael Grant and Jorge Luis Gonzalez will renew acquaintances for a 12-round heavyweight bout to be televised by ESPN.

Back in 1994 when both were under contract to the MGM, Gonzalez was regarded as the stud and Grant as the prospect. Now it's Grant as the stud and Gonzalez as the has-been -- and the MGM is out of boxing.

"He's still dangerous although I don't see him as a threat to me," Grant said. "You can't count anybody out in this game, as George Foreman proved with Michael Moorer.

"So I'm taking this and feeling I can learn something, although I know victory will be mine."

Grant, 25-0, is a rising star coming off a 10th-round TKO victory over former cruiserweight world champion Al Cole. Gonzalez, 25-3, is best remembered in Las Vegas for a disappointing loss to Riddick Bowe in 1995.

"I'm patient -- my time is going to come," Grant said of wading through the heavyweights to get to the top. "I feel like I keep stepping up."

Welterweights Vernon Forest, 22-0, and Ray Oliveira, 30-6, will meet in the only other announced bout on the card.

Quick hits

WBA super middleweight champ Frankie Liles of Las Vegas will headline a Dec. 5 card in Deerfield Beach, Fla., against mandatory challenger Andrei Schkalikov. Liles is 31-1, Schkalikov 29-3-1. ... Claiming fatigue, Hector Lopez has taken himself out of the Nov. 22 main event at the Tropicana. Forum Boxing has replaced him with welterweight Oba Carr, 42-2-1, who will meet Jesus Rodriguez, 30-10. ... John Phillips, who manages Las Vegan Joseph Kiwanuka, said his man will move to 175 pounds after losing to Thomas Tate at 168 pounds last week in Philadelphia. "Joseph was 180 before that fight and he had nothing left by the time he got in the ring," Phillips said. "He was really weak and his legs gave in. What are you going to do? We'll move to light heavy and he'll be stronger." ... Las Vegas middleweight Julian Jackson won by third-round knockout over Eduardo Gutierrez last Friday in Warren, Ohio. Jackson, 37, had Gutierrez down in the second and put him away at 46 seconds of the third. ... Holyfield sparring partner Gary Bell suffered his first loss after 15 pro wins when Robert Hawkins, 15-2, surprised him with a 10th-round KO Tuesday in Tunica, Miss. ... Las Vegan Helga Risoy was beaten by Kathy Collins in Atlantic City when she failed to come out for the third round. ... NABF cruiserweight champ Dale Brown of Las Vegas defends his title next Tuesday in Montreal against Robert Foley.