Tapia heavy favorite vs. Blanco

Dean Juipe

Thursday, Feb. 5, 1998 | 9:05 a.m.

He has switched promoters and bought a house in Summerlin, yet little has really changed with Johnny Tapia.

He still doesn't have a lot to choose from at 115 pounds, he's still talking about going to 118 and he's still fighting nobodies. Luckily, his lifelong fans in Albuquerque don't seem to mind and they've already purchased 5,000 tickets for his Feb. 13 fight at The Pit with a former champion, Rodolfo Blanco.

"I'm ready and anxious," he said this week. "Blanco's a tough guy who used to be a great champion. He's a veteran with lots and lots of experience."

Actually, Blanco is a has-been, a 31-year-old Colombian who has lost four of his last six fights, has lost three of four world-title fights and has slipped to 28-10-1 overall. His lone claim to fame was a 1993 victory over then-IBF champion Dave McAuley, although he relinquished that title in his following fight and hasn't been the same since.

Nonetheless, he's ranked No. 9 by the IBF and he's in with Tapia on a Showtime-televised card that also features WBA junior middleweight champion Laurent Boudouani vs. Guillermo Jones in the companion main.

Las Vegas oddsmaker Herbie Lambeck makes Tapia a 30-to-1 favorite. Fact is, aside from his fight with Danny Romero last July at the Thomas & Mack Center, he has virtually been a 30-to-1 favorite against every opponent he has faced the past few years.

There just isn't that much talent at 115 pounds, and Tapia -- at 42-0-2 -- is the best of the lot despite his diminishing power. He has stopped only six of his 15 most recent opponents.

It's that combination of negatives that has Tapia once again considering what life would be like at 118 pounds.

"I'd have more power," he said. "I have speed, but I can't finish them off at 115. I want to get my power back."

Tapia is the IBF champion at 115. A move to 118 would put him in position to challenge one of those three world champions.

As it is, next week's fight with Blanco is Tapia's second with promoter Don King after being associated with Top Rank from 1988 through the Romero fight. Tapia's contractual arrangement with King calls for three more fights.

"(Top Rank) didn't treat me right, they didn't treat me right at all," Tapia said, repeating a familiar verse. "They've got their sights set on Oscar (De La Hoya) and that's all."

Like De La Hoya, Tapia owns a home and usually trains in Big Bear, Calif., but the recent bad weather there has him working out in a ring at his new home in Las Vegas. He also retains a home in his native Albuquerque, where his fights draw well regardless of the opposition.

Tapia will turn 31 the day of his fight with Blanco.

"I want to put on a good show," he said. "Business before pleasure."

Unknown slugger

The caliber of his opposition hasn't been outstanding yet few world champions can boast of a better record than IBF light heavyweight king William Guthrie. He's 24-0 with 21 knockouts heading into a Friday fight with former middleweight champ and fellow southpaw Reggie Johnson in Uncasville, Conn.

HBO will televise the bout, which could be something of a coming-out party for the unheralded Guthrie. If anything, he has been criticized as dull despite the fact his knockout power has limited the average length of his fights to three rounds.

"It doesn't bother me," he said this week from his home in Wilmington, Del. "I know people don't know me, but one day they will. I'm secure in who and what I am as a person, an athlete and as a family man."

In terms of recognition, Guthrie has been restrained by the apparent lack of quality of his opponents. Even when he won the IBF title last July it didn't leave much of an impression on the boxing public, as he was in with the obscure Darin Allen in a bout for what had been a vacant title.

His two fights in Las Vegas are telltale in that neither Krishna Wainwright nor John Kiser will ever be a significant player. Those fights, in undercard situations, came and went with little notice.

"So far, I've been winning, so I think it's just a matter of time before the fans find out who I am," Guthrie said. "I've come a long way as it is, considering it wasn't that long ago I was in prison."

Earlier this decade he was incarcerated for three years for selling cocaine, although now he has a wife, a new son and a championship to defend.

"I've got a nice streak of knockouts going and intend to keep it that way," he said of meeting Johnson, who is 36-5-1 yet has fought only once since 1996. "I expect him to be my toughest opponent and I see him as a threat. But I'm looking to make it a short fight, as always."

Guthrie likes his prospects in a division that is fairly competitive.

"I think it's the best it's been in 20 years," he said of the light heavyweights. "It could very well be one of the most exciting divisions out there and I'm ready to fight anyone at all."

If he continues to win, bigger fights are sure to follow.

"I'm a blessed man," he said. "Even if no one gets to know me, I really, really feel blessed with everything that's happened to me the last couple of years."

Charlie's card

Arizona Charlie's presents a six-bout card Friday that includes five women's fights, plus a bantamweight main event between Carlos Hernandez and Roberto Alvarez. Hernandez, 11-3, is coming off a Jan. 10 win at Charlie's, while Alvarez, 21-2-1, is coming off a Dec. 27 draw at Charlie's.

The women's portion of the card is topped by a six-round fight between bantamweights Valory Troike and Jayla Ortiz. Each is 3-0.

The remainder of the women on the card have won only four of 17 fights. The pairings: Suzanne Riccio-Majors, 2-4, vs. Judith Mayrand, 1-3-1; Brenda Burnside, 0-3, vs. Sandra Yard, 1-0-1; Penny Cook, 0-1, vs. Trina Ortegon, pro debut; and Marsha Valley, pro debut, vs. an opponent yet to be determined. First bell is 7 p.m.

Whitaker-Quartey

Caesars Palace is on the verge of landing an April 25 fight it will put in the Thomas & Mack Center: Pernell Whitaker vs. Ike Quartey. HBO will televise.

"I'm confident we have it," said Caesars vice president of special events, Tom Pilkington. "We're very excited about it and feel we'll have it secured by the end of the week."

Whitaker, 41-2-1, will challenge Quartey for his WBA welterweight title. Quartey is 34-0-1.

"Sports fans know who Whitaker is and boxing fans know who Quartey is," Pilkington said. "It'll be a good opportunity to see where Quartey's skill level is at. It's a great matchup."

Ticket information has yet to be finalized and will be announced when the bout is officially signed.

Around the ring

Occasional Las Vegan Justin Juuko upped his record to 31-1-1 with a TKO-5 over Didier Schaffer last Saturday in London. Juuko is close to getting a world title try at 130 pounds. ... Despite more losses lately than wins -- including a TKO-9 loss to Chris Byrd in December -- Las Vegas heavyweight Jimmy Thunder, 32-9, continues to get fights. He's now scheduled to face ex-champ Tim Witherspoon April 7 on a USA cable network card. No site yet. ... Heavyweights Lennox Lewis and Shannon Briggs, who fight March 28 in Atlantic City, are about to open training and will share a gym in Miami. ... HBO signed Olympic champion David Reid to a long-term contract Wednesday. He's a 24-year-old junior middleweight who is 7-0 with five KOs as a pro. ... Las Vegas featherweight Augie Sanchez puts his 15-0 record on the line Sunday in Lake Charles, La., with the opponent still to be determined.

DEAN JUIPE is a Las Vegas SUN sportswriter. His office phone number is 259-4084. He can be reached on the Internet at juipe@lasvegassun.com