Ayala expects more rough tactics from Tapia in Saturday’s rematch

Dean Juipe

Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2000 | 10:19 a.m.

Paulie Ayala is approaching Johnny Tapia much as a stalking animal would its wounded prey. He's leery and untrusting.

He expects the unexpected.

"You'd have to be naive not to," Ayala said Tuesday, sitting comfortably in a near-empty Grand Garden Arena at the MGM, where he and Tapia will meet Saturday night in a rematch of the 1999 Fight of the Year.

In the congenial setting, Ayala reinforced his position as one of the most accessible and focused fighters in the game today. The reigning World Boxing Association bantamweight champion came across not only as a polished professional but as a contemplative and resourceful individual, albeit one who is anticipating trouble.

"I won't be surprised at anything he might try," Ayala said. "Johnny's a warrior whose pride has been hurt. He's going to do everything he can to win this fight."

In their first encounter, 15 months ago at Mandalay Bay, Tapia's extracurricular activities nearly blemished the actual fight. Security was called to extract some 16 members of his entourage from the dressing room, where only six handlers were certified, and a ringside scuffle only accentuated the hostility.

Tapia also shoved Ayala before the opening bell.

"I've read where he said he was going to try that again," Ayala said with a smile. "He may think he's going to get away with it, but I'm not going to let him do that to me.

"But I will say when he did it the first time, it stirred me up, too."

Now scheduled for 12 rounds after initially being announced for 10, Ayala vs. Tapia will not have a recognizable title at stake as it is being fought at a contract weight of 124 pounds. Ayala, whose WBA belt is at 118 pounds, will retain that championship regardless of the outcome of this fight.

Despite the fact Ayala won their first fight, Tapia is a minus 175 betting favorite in the MGM sports book. Ayala is a plus 155.

Tapia will be paid $600,000 and Ayala $400,000 for a fight expected to fill all 8,000 seats in the scaled-back arena.

Tapia, 33, is 48-1-2 with 25 knockouts.

Ayala, 30, is 30-1 with 12 KOs.

Armed with a scouting report compiled the previous day at Tapia's camp, Ayala has been warned that Tapia is noticeably bigger and may even dwarf him. Tapia weighed 153 pounds as he began training for this fight, while Ayala never weighs more than 130.

What if Tapia can't make the 124-pound weight limit?

"I'd still fight him," Ayala said. "But I'd want him to be fined and me to be compensated. I'm hoping we can just do the fight and abide by the contract, because I feel I've already given up enough."

It was Ayala who gave in on the weight issue, as Tapia said he no longer could make 118.

"I don't want to give him any excuse to pull out," Ayala said, fearful that Tapia could yet jeopardize the fight in some manner. "Even during our conference call he was talking about only having to make 126, but he's got a copy of our contract."

Actually, Tapia owes Ayala a note of thanks for graciously taking the fight.

"Obviously, losing to me really bothered him," Ayala said. "So I'm giving him a big opportunity to scratch that loss off, although he's taking a big chance fighting me again.

"I could have made more money, but rather than argue about every little thing I just agreed to whatever they wanted."

If anything, Ayala is sympathetic to some extent toward Tapia, who underwent hospitalization in Las Vegas for depression earlier this year.

"I read about that in the papers," Ayala said. "I just prayed for him, so that he'd come out of it for his own sake."

Adding, "I don't see what there is to be depressed about," Ayala said he has bent on every issue in getting the rematch arranged.

"This is all about pride to Johnny, but all of my pride is out the window," Ayala said. "Not that I'm swallowing my pride, but pride is not a problem for me like it is for him. I leave that at the altar."

Nor is Ayala put off by being the underdog and making less money than a man he beat by majority decision last year.

"This isn't Johnny's show," Ayala said. "It's more of a chance for him to avenge his loss and regain his sanity. It's more a fight for fight fans."

Their first fight was a study in counterpunching, with each man taking as much as he gave. This time, Tapia is expected to move a little more and try to keep Ayala at bay with his jab.

"I think he's going to run," Ayala said. "But the thing is, his reach isn't any greater than mine so he has to come in at some point.

"I think whatever strategy he has will go out the window by the sixth round. That's what happened before when I took his fight away from him. Frustration set in and I think that's what will happen again.

"This fight might start off differently but it will end the same."

The last one ended with Ayala winning by scores of 114-114, 116-111 and 115-113.

"I know I'm not going to get knocked out," Ayala said, mentioning that Tapia hits less hard than a man he faced in October, Thailand's Saohin Sorthanikul. "Psychologically, the thought of being hurt or knocked out isn't even there. I spar bigger guys all the time, so that's not a problem."

When you get right down to it, Ayala expects the rematch to follow a similar course.

"I'm not a one-dimensional fighter, that's why I've been able to make it this far," he said. "I adapt. Johnny could out-point me but I don't think he could hurt me and I don't think he's going to win.

"He's going to want to hit me hard, as opposed to that rat-a-tat-tat stuff he's apparently doing in the gym. But I'm a warrior too, and I like to fight.

"I'm just as serious as I was the first time. There's nothing Johnny can do this week to throw me off."