HBO unhappy with addition of Juuko

Dean Juipe

Friday, May 21, 1999 | 10:25 a.m.

The conversation was private, yet animated. And it was obvious what was going on.

Lou DiBella, the senior vice president of HBO Sports, was not too happy to have been told that Justin Juuko had won the lottery and the right to fight Floyd Mayweather on Saturday's boxing card at Mandalay Bay. DiBella wasn't sold on Juuko's credentials and was making it known to Top Rank vice president Todd duBoef.

While it's entirely possible DiBella was simply engaging in a little gamesmanship -- one that would allow HBO some financial consideration for Juuko replacing scheduled opponent Goyo Vargas -- he clearly had his doubts about Juuko being up to the task.

"It's like you just took someone off the street," he told duBoef in a loud voice. "If nothing else, this fight should have an asterisk attached to it."

But there's no asterisk yet and there won't be, assuming Juuko can get down to 130 pounds in time for today's weigh-in. He had been training in Los Angeles for a fight next week at The Orleans, one in which the contract weight was 135 pounds.

In the event he can't make 130 today, he and Mayweather will fight 10 rounds instead of 12 and Mayweather's World Boxing Council junior lightweight title would not be on the line.

Regardless, they are fighting, even if Juuko was delayed in reaching Las Vegas on Thursday by plane troubles in Los Angeles. At least he boarded the plane, which is more than can be said for Vargas, who didn't catch a flight out of Mexico City on Wednesday and, instead, withdrew from his fight with Mayweather on the grounds he was too sick.

"We're a bit disappointed we don't have Vargas on the card," DiBella said later. "What I would say to him is: Shame on you. You had the opportunity of a lifetime and I hope you never get it again."

That opportunity now passes to Juuko, who, like Mayweather, is a Las Vegas resident.

"I know Lou is unhappy," said Juuko's manager, Julie Glenn, "but I think he'll end up eating his words."

Juuko is 31-2-1 but is coming off an unexpected February loss to journeyman Antonio Hernandez in El Paso. Hernandez, after trailing in the fight, rallied to knock Juuko down twice before the fight was stopped in the 11th round.

Mayweather is 20-0 and will be making the second defense of his WBC title. With Juuko not having been added to the card until Wednesday, the sports book at Mandalay Bay did not have a betting line posted on the fight.

"We're glad it turned out for the best," said Floyd Mayweather Sr., who trains his son. "Juuko's a very good puncher and he has good speed. For five or six rounds, he could be quite competitive."

Juuko will be paid $100,000 for the fight, which certainly beats the $3,500 or so he would have received at The Orleans. Mayweather will receive $400,000.

As part of the behind-the-scenes dealing it took to free Juuko from his contract with The Orleans and its promoter, Tony Trudnich, Top Rank promoter Bob Arum agreed to pay Trudnich a substantial fee. He also agreed to put Trudnich's most prominent fighter, James Crayton, in a bout with WBC lightweight champ Stevie Johnston later this year.

Crayton was to have fought Juuko at The Orleans.

"That's no problem," Arum said of his concessions. "We'll do the right thing for everyone involved."

Also scheduled on Saturday's undercard: Lamon Brewster, 20-0, vs. Mario Cawley, 21-1, 10 rounds, heavyweights; Luis Monaco, 7-17-3, vs. Maurice Harris, 13-9-2, eight rounds, heavyweights; Carlos Gerena, 32-2, vs. Angel Aldana, 29-16-1, eight rounds, junior lightweights; and Pamela Barker, 0-1, vs. Patricia Stickler, 0-2, four rounds, lightweights. First bell is 5 p.m. and the Mayweather vs. Juuko fight starts at 7.