Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2001 | 10:31 a.m.
It says it right there beneath his put-up-your-dukes pose on his publicity photo:
Jameel "Bigtime" McCline Next Heavyweight Champion Whether the prediction is merely idle braggadocio or an insight to the future remains to be seen of course. But say this for the 6-foot-6, 257-pound slugger from New York: He looks the part.
"I never thought twice about it," McCline said with a laugh, referring to the speculative line that accentuates the promotional photo. "But it seemed like a good idea. Besides, it's going to come true."
Outgoing and personable, McCline makes his Las Vegas debut Wednesday night at the Hard Rock when he takes on King Ipitan in a 10-round bout that tops a six-fight card promoted by Cedric Kushner.
For McCline, who made himself available for a lengthy interview Monday in his suite at the St. Tropez, seeing his name in lights in Las Vegas is a dream come true in itself.
"I got here and saw my name up there on the Hard Rock sign and went 'Whoa, it's a good thing I had the best training camp in my life and did all the extra stuff I could to get me ready for this fight,' " he said. "Being here and seeing my name in lights is a reminder that this is serious."
It is serious in that Ipitan stands as McCline's most daunting opponent to date and that a loss would devalue his promo photo -- and career -- accordingly. But McCline isn't expecting to lose, maybe not for quite some time.
"I've boxed almost everyone in the world," he said, "and I've never really gotten hurt. I'm devoted to boxing and I think I'm on a run to the championship."
McCline is a rarity in that he appears to have evolved from competent sparring partner to full-fledged threat. As a sparring partner he has worked against any number of top-flight heavyweights, including Lennox Lewis, Evander Holyfield, Michael Grant, Andrew Golota, Henry Akinwande, Hasim Rahman, Larry Donald and Zeljko Mavrovic.
He helped Lewis prepare for two of his 2000 victories, versus David Tua and Grant.
"I think it's great going to camp with Lennox and I can't wait to go again," McCline said. "Being with him, you get to see so much of what it takes to become a champion.
"Lennox is big, fast and strong. The way I look at it, where he's at right now is where I plan to be in another year or two."
Time could be on McCline's side in that Lewis expects to retire within a year or so, and McCline could be ready for the limelight by then. If not, he never will be, because at 30 years old he's a late bloomer of sorts in a very competitive sport.
A five-year prison term delayed his professional debut until 1995 and two decision losses within his first five fights further set him back. Gary Bell and Greg Pickram got the best of him at a time when McCline was being used as an opponent.
"I was in over my head," he said of his slow start.
"But a friend of mine helped me out," he continued. "I was 2-2-1 and he said to me, 'Where are you going to go with this?' I said I still considered myself the best and that I would someday become the champion, and he said 'That's going to be tough to do if you keep losing.' "
Shortly thereafter McCline turned down a $5,000 purse to fight fringe contender Vaughn Bean, as he decided he wasn't ready for the challenge (and likely loss) even if he needed the money.
He has not lost since and will bring a record of 23-2-3 with 14 knockouts into the fight with Ipitan, another big man who is 19-2-1 with 13 KOs.
"I've seen Ipitan and I'd have to say he might be my first quality fight," McCline said. "But my skills are so much better than his. He's got a big physique but he comes out like a robot.
"He doesn't have the moves I do."
McCline had but one amateur fight and admits "I didn't know a left hook from a fish hook" when he turned pro. But he has since graduated into a promising fighter and claims a win last July over Sedreck Fields (who once defeated Shannon Briggs) as his best to date.
Fields, 12-11, has a spot on Wednesday's all-heavyweight card, as he'll take on Gerald Nobles, 18-0, in the semi-main event. Also scheduled: Talmadge Griffis, 15-1-2, vs. David Na'il, 13-5; Chester Hughes, 7-0, vs. Jeremiah Johnson, 6-0-1; Todd Diggs, 2-1-3, vs. Alphonzo Davis, 4-6-1; and Keith Govan, 6-2, vs. Stacy Frazier, 6-1. First bell is 7 p.m. and the main event goes at 9.
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