Columnist Dean Juipe: Mayweather, Corrales prompt increased security for today’s final press conference

Dean Juipe

Thursday, Jan. 18, 2001 | 10:35 a.m.

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

After what happened Tuesday in Los Angeles, heightened security is expected today at the MGM Grand for the final prefight press conference featuring Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Diego Corrales.

The bitterness that has been evident between Mayweather and Corrales -- who will fight Saturday in the hotel's Grand Garden Arena -- now extends to their entourages.

When Mayweather's manager, James Prince, insulted Corrales in L.A. and Corrales responded with an insult of his own, several bodyguards employed by each fighter's camp rushed the stage.

"It was scary," promoter Bob Arum said Wednesday. "I grabbed Floyd but it's the bodyguards who were up there that I was most concerned about. They were the ones supplying the danger.

"They wanted to fight. It was like they were just waiting to do it."

Arum, who hurriedly put this fight together after Mayweather and Corrales all but squared off in a public setting last November, disapproved of the commotion the bodyguards caused.

"I can't have this," he said. "I want everyone to tone it down. It's nonsense. It's not good for the sport."

As for the possibility that confrontations like this help sell tickets, Arum said it wasn't the case in this instance.

"I think the people who have bought tickets or might buy them the day of the show already know we've got two great young fighters going at it," he said. "I don't think something like we had in Los Angeles helps us any."

Arum anticipates a crowd in the range of 7,000, admitting that ticket sales "have been trailing" initial expectations.

Mayweather, 24-0 with 18 knockouts, will be defending his World Boxing Council junior lightweight title and has been bet down from an opening minus 190 to where he's currently a minus 150 and even a minus 120 in some local sports books.

Corrales, 33-0 with 27 KOs, opened at a plus 150 but is now a plus 110 or even.

The fight's primary proposition bet has it at a minus 150 that the bout will go the full 12 rounds, with a plus 135 that it won't.

"We're definitely appealing," Arum said. "I think we're clearly correct and that we'll win on appeal.

"Sometimes you just have to keep fighting."

The summary judgment, if upheld on appeal, will eliminate the need for a trial. Judge Byrne agreed with the plaintiff that Arum had been serving as De La Hoya's "de facto manager" in violation of California contractual law.

Prior to the court proceedings, De La Hoya had offered Arum $3 million to break their contractual agreement. Arum declined the offer.

Asked Wednesday if he had second thoughts about not taking the $3 million, as opposed to getting nothing if the court continues to rule in De La Hoya's favor, Arum was ambivalent.

"No, I can't worry about that," he said.

De La Hoya's new promoter, Jerry Perenchio of Univision Sports, announced Tuesday that De La Hoya would open training soon for a March fight with Arturo Gatti. No site or specific date was given for the fight, which will be at 147 pounds.

De La Hoya is 32-2 and indicated he will move to 154 pounds following the fight with Gatti, who is 33-4.

"He's been on the decline," Arum said of De La Hoya. "That's what happens when you're fighting but have so many other interests."

NSAC executive director Marc Ratner said he believes Michigan is the only state which routinely gives random drug tests prior to fights, a subject that came to light this week when that state suspended Mike Tyson for three months for refusing to take a drug test prior to his October fight with Andrew Golota in suburban Detroit. "It's not like they singled Tyson out," Ratner said. "That's their policy and we'll abide by their suspension." Unconfirmed but published reports had Tyson failing a post-fight drug test. His three-month suspension is virtually moot, as he has no fights scheduled. ... Tyson's half-brother, local heavyweight Cliff Couser, was acquitted of assault charges Tuesday in district court. "What a relief," he said after jurors found he did not assault a man in a Las Vegas parking lot as charged.

If the Lennox Lewis vs. TBA fight set for April 21 lands in Las Vegas, rookie promoter Fred Starks will withdraw his request to put on a fight card that night in the Cashman Center. ... Local super middleweight Miguel Jimenez takes on Eduardo Gutierrez in the main event of a Jan. 27 card at the Avi resort south of Laughlin. Jimenez is 18-1 with nine knockouts and is coming off a KO-3 victory Dec. 7 in Montabello, Calif., against Armando Campas. Gutierrez is a respectable 38-2. ... The Reno Hilton has added a Feb. 2 card that will offer cruiserweights Saul Montana and Jason Robinson in the main event. ... IBF junior lightweight champ Zab Judah had a sixth successful, if unimpressive, title defense last Saturday when he stopped Reggie Green in the 10th round in Uncasville, Conn.