Columnist Dean Juipe: Mayweather in top shape for Jan. 20 bout

Dean Juipe

Thursday, Dec. 14, 2000 | 10:49 a.m.

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

Floyd Mayweather Jr. has opened training in Phoenix for his Jan. 20 showdown with Diego Corrales at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, and the World Boxing Council junior lightweight champion says there isn't any doubt who's going to win.

"He's taller than I am, but that's all," Mayweather said, referring to Corrales' four-inch height advantage. "We'll weigh the same, but look at my legs, my chest and my arms. Those are assets that I've got that he doesn't."

The bitter rivals, who will be fighting at 130 pounds even though Corrales once believed he was through with that division, will clash in an HBO-televised fight that is worth $1.7 million to Mayweather and $1.4 million to Corrales.

Mayweather remains the betting favorite at a minus 190, with Corrales a plus 150.

"I'm happy and I'm going to be in the best shape of my life," Mayweather said. "I want to make this clear: Floyd Mayweather Jr. is no Angel Manfredy or John Brown or Roberto Garcia.

"I'm not a straight up-and-down fighter like those guys that Corrales beat. I've got special effects.

"You watch how this fight plays out. I'll fight smart and look impressive."

Mayweather has his uncle, Roger, working now as his lead trainer and he's content with what the ex-champion brings to the table.

"I think he's one of the best trainers out there," Mayweather said. "He's stepping up my power and working on having me prepared when I'm set up for the kill."

Mayweather, 24-0 with 18 knockouts, is coming off an Oct. 21 victory over Emanuel Burton in Detroit. But that fight wasn't as easy as initially expected and Mayweather had to settle for a ninth-round TKO.

"I admit I got hit more than I wanted to," he said. "So one of my main goals against Corrales is not get hit as much and to make him pay when he misses."

Corrales is 33-0 with 27 KOs.

"I know deep inside that I'm a way better fighter than Corrales," Mayweather said. "What I'm looking to show with this fight is that I'm the best fighter in the world.

"I believe I'm not going to lose at 130 pounds, 135 pounds, 140 pounds or even 147 pounds when I get there."

While it is a unification fight between the WBC and WBA champions at 140 pounds, neither fighter brings much in the way of drawing power. Nonetheless, Tszyu will be paid $1 million and Mitchell $900,000 for the bout.

"This is going to be a great fight," Tszyu predicted. "It's the type of fight I've been waiting for all my life. It is moving up a level.

"I'll be fighting an equal."

Tszyu, of Australia, is 25-1-1 and is also a former IBF champion at 140 pounds. He defeated Jake Rodriguez in January of 1995 at the MGM in Las Vegas for that latter belt, which he later passed on to Vince Phillips. But he regained a world championship by handling Miguel Angel Gonzalez last year with the WBC title at stake.

Tszyu, 31, and Mitchell, 30, were to have fought in 1996 but the bout fell through.

Mitchell, 47-2, is an athletic fighter with a so-so chin who earned the WBA title in 1998 by defeating Khalid Rahilou.

A Mandalay Bay spokesman said Wednesday that no deal had yet been struck with the promotional firm and that tickets were not yet on sale. Local oddsmaker Herb Lambeck makes Tszyu a 4-1 favorite in the event the fight comes off as tentatively scheduled.

As was the case with Tua vs. Lewis, Masoe vs. Mendoza matched a short man against a much taller one. Taking the analogy further, Masoe, like Tua, is a native of Western Samoa who, like Tua, is trained by Ronnie Shields and, like Tua, managed by Kevin Barry.

Shields, Barry and Tua were all in Masoe's corner for the one-sided, nationally televised fight that ended with Mendoza's hand raised in victory in the third round. Mendoza, 24, held a 7-inch height advantage over Masoe.

The winner improved to 22-3 while the loser dropped to 18-2.

"The WBO had 30 people here and a lot of our regular kids stopped what they were doing and watched," said gym operator Faye Miller. "It was a hands-on clinic by Joe and it gave the kids a chance to see what a real referee does during a bout.

"I know our kids loved it and the check the WBO gave us allows me to say that every bag in this gym right now is new. We bought five new speed bags and five heavy bags and the place looks great."