Mayweather, Norwood eye bout in 2000

Dean Juipe

Thursday, Aug. 5, 1999 | 9:43 a.m.

Each man was there to hype another fight, yet the day may come when Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Freddie Norwood are paired in the ring.

Mayweather, the WBC junior lightweight champion, and Norwood, the WBA featherweight champ, appeared Wednesday at Mandalay Bay to promote a Sept. 11 card on HBO that will have Mayweather fighting Carlos Gerena and Norwood taking on Juan Manuel Marquez.

While Mayweather's optimum fight beyond Gerena is a unification match with IBF champ Roberto Garcia, Norwood could move into the picture by simply adding four pounds.

"I've got a lot of guys near the same weight and I'm content to let the pot bubble and see what happens," promoter Bob Arum said of a group that also includes world champions Cesar Soto, Nestor Garza, Stevie Johnston, Eric Morales and Paulie Ayala. "Right now there's not too much difference in weight between Floyd and Freddie, and that could be a huge fight in another year."

Mayweather, 22, is 21-0 with 16 knockouts and is a minus 1200 betting favorite in the Mandalay Bay sports book for his fight with Gerena, who is a plus 800. Gerena, 28, is 34-2 with 28 KOs but was unimpressive in a January fight in Las Vegas.

"He's not a pushover," Mayweather said of Gerena, who is training in Mexico City. "But I'm going to dig in and prove that I'm the best."

Mayweather's father (and trainer), Floyd Sr., has said for some time he feels his son is the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world today. He reiterated that claim Wednesday, saying "I don't think Little Floyd is going to have a tough time (with Gerena). There's no doubt he's the best fighter in the business."

Mayweather vs. Gerena is the main event of a card that will be held in a 4,000-seat convention area, and one that currently is slated to be blacked out in Las Vegas. Tickets are $25 to $200.

Arum has a Mayweather vs. Garcia fight tentatively slated "for early 2000" and after an easier fight for Mayweather later this year in his Grand Rapids, Mich., hometown.

"Floyd's not quite ready for a breakout pay-per-view fight," Arum said. "Right now he's big enough for a good TV fight and a good gate with a competitive opponent, and the fight with Garcia is doable because there should be some good cable (TV) money."

Assuming Mayweather will keep winning, the pressure may be on Norwood to do the same if they're to meet in the future.

As it is, his fight with Marquez could be a struggle and the sports book lists it as even, with both men at a minus 120. Norwood, 29, is 34-0-1 with 20 KOs. Marquez, soon to be 26, is 29-1 with 22 KOs.

"I've seen Marquez a few times and he's a great fighter," said Norwood's trainer, Kenny Adams. "But Freddie is much, much better."

A victory by Norwood and he could get the winner of a Nov. 6 fight between Soto and Naseem Hamed. Another win there and, presto, Norwood vs. Mayweather would fall into place and become one of the bigger fights of any year.

"I've got to whack this kid," Norwood said of Marquez, putting first things first. "And I will. I'm good at what I do and I won't let anyone down."