Adams, Hamed may fight in LV

Dean Juipe

Tuesday, May 23, 2000 | 9:30 a.m.

When Las Vegas resident Clarence "Bones" Adams was presented with a chance of fighting then-World Boxing Association 122-pound champion Nestor Garza on short notice, he jumped at it.

Despite having little more than a week to train for that March 4 fight at the Mandalay Bay Events Center, Adams won the bout.

Now he sees his path to featherweight kingpin Naseem Hamed as following a similar route.

With Johnny Tapia and Paulie Ayala rejecting a July fight in Las Vegas with Hamed, Adams has suddenly found himself in position to capitalize. He expects to sign for the fight, perhaps as early as today.

"This is the same thing as it was with Garza," Adams said Monday. "Just like that, I'm there."

The fight -- which will have its specific date and site announced soon -- is designed to feature the unbeaten Hamed in his first Las Vegas appearance. He's 34-0 and regularly fights at 126 pounds.

But Adams, 39-3-3, is a scrappy fighter coming off his biggest win and feels he's ready for the challenge. Asked whether his prize money for the fight has been discussed, he said "no, and from my eyes it doesn't even matter.

"This is the type of fight I've been waiting on my whole life. It's just the one I need right now. They say he's the best, but if I beat him look where that would put me."

The fact that Tapia and Ayala declined the fight was fine with Adams.

"I could care less," he said. "Hamed wants to fight a champion and the fight will be in Las Vegas, so I'd say their options are limited. I'm here and I'm anxious for it to happen.

"I should know pretty soon because the fight's not all that far away and they've got a deadline to meet to get things going."

Dean Juipe covers boxing for the Las Vegas Sun. Reach him at juipe@ lasvegassun.com or 259-4084.