Columnist Dean Juipe: Jr. lightweight title defense on undercard

Dean Juipe

Thursday, Jan. 14, 1999 | 10:13 a.m.

Dean Juipe's boxing notebook appears Thursday. Hisis sports column appears Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. Reach him at juipe@ lasvegassun.com or 259-4084.

No division in boxing has as many great young fighters as the junior lightweights.

Of course there's Floyd Mayweather, seemingly the best of the 130-pounders and already the World Boxing Council champ at the age of 21.

And there's Robert Garcia, the 23-year-old International Boxing Federation champ who's fighting on Saturday's Mike Tyson vs. Frans Botha undercard at the MGM Grand Garden.

In addition, the division includes World Boxing Association champ Takonon Hatakeyama of Japan, plus a solid group of prospects like Justin Juuko, Diego Corrales, Jesus Chavez and Angel Manfredy.

The seven fighters mentioned are a collective 177-5-3, and the rugged Manfredy has three of those losses (two to open his career).

Obviously, these guys could have some good fights with each other some day and Mayweather and Manfredy started the ball rolling in that direction with a fight in Miami last month.

All of them have to recognize the value of making these showdown fights, even if they're currently preoccupied with lesser challenges.

"I can't think past John John Molina," Garcia said of his opponent, a two-time former IBF junior lightweight champ. "I believe he'll be my biggest test. This is the fight that will prove I'm a good boxer."

While it's allowable for Garcia to show the proper respect toward Molina, he may be overreacting. Molina, 33, is 45-5 with 30 knockouts but is nearing the stage where can be classified as shopworn. He lost each of his last two title fights, including one at 135 pounds to Shane Mosley last May.

Now Molina is back at 130 and looking to invigorate his sagging career at Garcia's expense.

"Garcia's a great boxer and I admire him," Molina said. "But I'm an experienced fighter and I've trained very hard for this. I hope to be the winner."

Molina will receive $70,000 for making the attempt.

Garcia, who is 31-0 with 24 KOs, is getting a healthy $200,000.

He won the IBF title last March by decisioning Harold Warren and he has defended it once, coming off the canvas to knock out Ramon Ledon in the fifth round last October.

Prior to those title fights, his ring resume was fairly nondescript although decision wins over Derrick Gainer and Daryl Pinckney brought him some acclaim. The truth is, Garcia has always been highly regarded even if his portfolio is littered with forgettable names.

Maybe that's why he's still a little leery of Molina.

"I know it won't be easy because he's strong and he's smart," Garcia said. "I'm thrilled to be fighting someone like him. My career is just beginning and I want to get more experience. I want to keep this title for a few years and then maybe move up to 135."

* MGM UNDERCARD: Unfortunately, what would have been the most interesting fight on the Tyson-Botha undercard was postponed two weeks ago when WBC featherweight champ Luisito Espinosa came down sick and had to withdraw from his match with Cesar Bazan.

Nonetheless, including Garcia vs. Molina there are three 12-round fights scheduled on a card that has nine bouts in all.

The remaining schedule includes: Goyo Vargas, 38-6-1, vs. Ben Tackie, 18-0, 12 rounds, lightweights; Zab Judah, 18-0, vs. Wilfredo Negron, 17-3, 12 rounds, junior welterweights; Duncan Dokiwari, 12-0, vs. Fres Oquendo, 10-0, six rounds, heavyweights; Lance Whitaker, 17-0, vs. Alex Stewart, 43-8, 10 rounds, heavyweights; Fernando Zuniga, 13-1, vs. Efrain Munox, 1-6-1, six rounds, middleweights; and a women's bout between Corinne Vanreykdegroot, 2-0, and Heather Shoffner, pro debut.

Purses of interest: Vargas, $45,000; Tackie, $25,000; Judah, $20,000; and Negron, $7,500.

First bell is 3:30 p.m. and the Tyson-Botha fight is scheduled to start by 8:30 p.m.

The local pay-per-view blackout was lifted Monday and the card is available for $46. In an unusual and unexpected twist, the ban on local casinos showing the fight on closed-circuit remains in effect.

The MGM has been reluctant to issue a ticket count but plenty of seats (ranging from $200 to $1,200) remain available.

* ORLEANS CARD: The Orleans has a Friday card in place that offers the NABF super middleweight championship as its main event. In it, veterans Thomas Tate (35-5) and Merqui Sosa (33-7-2) will joust for the title Tate took from Joseph Kiwanuka in October of 1997. Tate, 33, has successfully defended the title twice, beating Anwar Oshana and Demetrius Davis, and is looking to get another crack at the world title that has evaded him.

Sosa, also 33, is a former NABF champion at 175 pounds who is now back to 168.

Also scheduled: Chris Linson, 15-2-1, vs. James Crayton, 27-9-2, 10 rounds, lightweights; Napoleon Tagoe, 16-1, vs. Troy Weaver, 12-4-2, eight rounds, light heavyweights; Steven Speidel, 7-2, vs. Alfonzo Davis, 3-5-1, six rounds, cruiserweights; Fernando Yguado, 1-0, vs. Marlon Haynes, 1-0, four rounds, junior middleweights; and a women's bout between Hannah Fox, 9-0, and Fredia Gibbs, 5-1.

First bell is 6 p.m. and tickets are $15 to $40.

* QUICK HITS: Joe Cortez, who is refereeing the Judah vs. Negron fight on the MGM undercard, has also been selected to referee the Michael Grant vs. Ahmed Abdin heavyweight fight Jan. 30 in Atlantic City. In addition, Cortez is co-hosting an entertainment show Feb. 14 at The Forum in Inglewood, Calif., that will be held for the benefit of victims of Hurricane Mitch. ... Nevada Attorney General Frankie Sue Del Papa issued a release Wednesday that indicates her office will participate in the Boxing Task Force of the National Association of Attorneys General. Hearings by that task force will be held Jan. 19-21 in New York City and will look for ways to improve the health, safety and ethical standards of the sport and its participants. Kirk Hendrick and Keith Kizer of Del Papa's office will represent Nevada. ... Former heavyweight champ Razor Ruddock is 3-0 si nce a three-year sabbatical and has taken a just announced Jan. 21 fight with Tony LaRosa in Marksville, La. ... IBF cruiserweight champ Arthur Williams of

Las Vegas raised his record to 30-4-1 with a first-round knockout of Archie Jimmerson last Saturday in Pensacola, Fla. It was a nontitle bout for Williams, who was appearing on the Roy Jones vs. Rick Frazier undercard. ... Leftover tidbit: When Frans Botha fought Axel Schulz in 1995 in Germany, the bout was seen on RTL television and attracted an astounding 68 percent of the potential viewing audience that night. RTL said 18 million homes picked up the telecast.