Columnist Dean Juipe: Boxing title reverts to Las Vegas

Dean Juipe

Wednesday, Sept. 1, 1999 | 10:07 a.m.

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

Las Vegas has a number of identifying traits.

It's arguably the entertainment capital of the world.

It's the fastest-growing city in the country.

It's the gambling mecca of the world.

It's the all-night drinking and partying center of the universe.

And, for much of its modern existence, it has been the boxing capital of the world.

But the latter title, however much pride some residents take in it, became at least marginally debatable in the last couple of years when Atlantic City made a concerted effort to up its share of the big fights and smaller markets and Indian reservations began picking off the bulk of the run-of-the-mill cards.

Those options impacted Las Vegas to varying degrees, even if it was generally agreed the city would never completely relinquish its hold on the super fights that require casino backing and resources.

Yet when Evander Holyfield and Lennox Lewis met for the undisputed heavyweight championship March 13, the fight was held in New York City's Madison Square Garden amid predictions that famed venue was back as a major player in the sport and that it would further cut into Las Vegas' piece of the pie.

But now the Holyfield vs. Lewis rematch is coming to Las Vegas and, more to the point, it will be the third of three fight cards in the city spread over three months that will stand as the three most significant fights of 1999.

Perhaps these events will come to be cyclical, yet the fact of the matter is that Las Vegas has at least temporarily regained and secured its title as the boxing capital.

Up first in the trio of super bouts is the Sept. 18 Oscar De La Hoya vs. Felix Trinidad welterweight showdown at Mandalay Bay, followed by a Mike Tyson vs. Orlin Norris fight that is still unofficial but apt to be held Oct. 23 at the MGM, followed by a Holyfield vs. Lewis fight Nov. 13 at the Thomas & Mack Center that was formally announced Tuesday.

Each of these fights has its peculiarities and flaws, yet they're the biggest (in terms of finances) and the best (in terms of competitiveness) the sport has to offer.

In the case of De La Hoya vs. Trinidad, Mandalay Bay showed its indifference to locals by distributing all of the tickets to various casino high rollers; in the case of Tyson vs. Norris, consider the total ambivalence and lack of reaction Monday night at the Hard Rock when Norris was introduced at a fight card as Tyson's upcoming opponent; and in the case of Holyfield vs. Lewis it's the belief that their first fight was a sham and that Lewis was robbed of a victory that would have negated the need for a rematch.

Nevertheless these fights will serve their purpose from Las Vegas' standpoint, which, simply stated, is generating publicity and attention for the city. Habitually lauded for its ability to continually reinvent itself, Las Vegas remains a tourist destination site that feels the need and has the wherewithal to offer the type of attractions that get people talking and create favorable impressions.

Boxing fits within that framework, and, as a result, serves a purpose beyond identifying the sport's champions. Boxing is a component of what makes Las Vegas special, and this fall boxing will be back here in a big way.