Crayton happy with way things worked out

Dean Juipe

Thursday, May 27, 1999 | 10:29 a.m.

This is one case where everything worked out for the better.

Justin Juuko, instead of being paid a pittance to fight James Crayton at The Orleans, received $100,000 to fight Floyd Mayweather last week at Mandalay Bay.

Tony Trudnich, who promotes the boxing cards at The Orleans, received financial compensation for freeing Juuko from his contract on short notice after Mayweather's original opponent, Goyo Vargas, unexpectedly withdrew.

And Crayton not only headlines Friday's Orleans card but has been promised a fight with WBC lightweight champ Stevie Johnston in the fall or winter.

The common denominator of those items is Top Rank promoter Bob Arum, who needed Juuko, was willing to pay off Trudnich and was happy to assure Crayton of a fight with Johnston, who he promotes.

"I ended up with a good deal out of it," Crayton said this week at the Nevada Partners gym. "It's funny how things work out sometimes."

A Crayton vs. Johnston fight -- which Arum called "no problem" -- should fall into place by the end of the year. First up, Johnston defends his title against Argentina's Aldo Rios at Mandalay Bay June 26, then he has a mandatory defense due against England's Billy Schwer.

"I'll wait," Crayton said.

Wait and work, if his torturous sparring sessions at the gym are any indication. He's going hard, and that's part of his redefined style under new trainer Eddie Mustafa Muhammad.

Crayton's Friday opponent is Jorge Luis Lopez, who is 17-7-1 and has lost to two world champions, Cesar Bazan and Takanon Hatakeyama.

"I don't know anything at all about him, but I don't care," Crayton said. "I'm ready to fight and I can't let him get in the way of things."

Initially, Crayton said he was disturbed to learn that Juuko had pulled out of their fight, yet on closer inspection he knew his complaints were groundless.

"I called him a coward at first, but I'd have done the same thing he did," Crayton said. "He lost to Floyd and he would have lost to me, except he got more money for fighting Floyd."

He's already measuring Johnston, who recently defeated Bazan for the WBC title.

"Stevie's a good technician and he stays busy," Crayton said. "But he's not real exciting and sometimes he looks lackluster. I feel I'm the stronger fighter and I think I'll wear him down. I'll beat him with my height, reach and accurate jab."

Also scheduled on The Orleans card: Daniel Rodriguez, 17-1-2, vs. Sergio Sanchez, 8-8-2, 10 rounds, junior lightweights; Dan Juan Futrell, 11-2, vs. Mauricio Borquez, 9-3-3, eight rounds, lightweights; Pedro Morquecho, 19-6, vs. an opponent to be determined, eight rounds, junior bantamweights; and a women's bout between Yvonne Trevino, 8-4-1, and Suzanne Major, 6-5-1. First bell is 7 p.m.