Columnist Dean Juipe: Shufford gets shot to make big time

Dean Juipe

Thursday, June 7, 2001 | 11:22 a.m.

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

Ready or not, Charles Shufford is going to get a taste of the big time.

Shufford, a Las Vegan who came up through the local Golden Gloves program, is a heavyweight with a 16-1 record that includes eight knockouts. Most of his fights have been in out-of-the-way venues against largely nondescript competition, with the exceptions -- and highlights -- being a victory over marginal prospect Lamon Brewster and another over veteran Jimmy Thunder, both last year.

But now Shufford will face a challenge unlike any he has seen in the past, as he has signed to face World Boxing Organization champion Wladimir Klitschko as part of an HBO-televised doubleheader Aug. 4 at Mandalay Bay. The companion main event offers World Boxing Association 122- and 118-pound champions, Bones Adams and Paulie Ayala, respectively, in a title fight with the super bantamweight belt at stake.

The cast of that card will be formally introduced today during a press conference at Mandalay Bay.

Shufford is accepting a task that former heavyweight champ Frans Botha rejected, and one that figures to make him a considerable underdog. Klitschko is 33-1 with each of his wins by knockout.

Adams, 41-3, and Ayala, 32-1, figure to be evenly paired. Betting lines and ticket information are expected to be released today.

* QUICK HITS: Mandalay Bay has also announced a June 30 card that will have super bantamweight Johnny Tapia in the headlining role, although his opponent has already changed. Tapia, 49-2-2, was to have faced former WBA champ Antonio Cermeno, but the latter has been dropped in lieu of Cesar Soto. (Cermeno may still have lingering legal troubles in Venezuela, where his role in a shooting that left one dead and several injured had him admitting that he had fired a gun but didn't hit anyone.) Two other fights were announced to round out the June 30 card, including: Danny Romero, 41-3-1, vs. Ratanachai Vorapin, 39-5, and Ener Julio, 21-3, vs. Felix Flores, 17-2. ... A Marco Antonio Barrera vs. Erik Morales fight is being discussed for Nov. 17 (or Dec. 1) in either Las Vegas or Los Angeles.

Shannon Briggs is being mentioned as the next opponent for Mike Tyson, time and place to be determined. ... Former IBF junior welterweight champ Vince Phillips of Las Vegas says he has a spot on the June 23 card in Uncasville, Conn., that features current 140-pound champions Zab Judah and Kostya Tszyu in separate events. ... Fernando Vargas and Shibata Flores are expected to fight Sept. 22 at a site to be determined with the vacant WBA junior middleweight title at stake. ... Relics Hector Camacho, 39, and Roberto Duran, 49, will have a rematch July 14 in Denver. Camacho, 73-4, and Duran, 104-15, fought June 22, 1996, with Camacho winning by decision.

The site for Shane Mosley's July 21 title defense remains unresolved, with Caesars Palace in the running but HBO pushing for Indianapolis. ... The undercard for the June 23 Oscar De La Hoya vs. Javier Castillejo main event at the MGM Grand Garden is in place and includes: Agapito Sanchez, 32-7-1, vs. Jorge Monsalvo, 29-1, 12 rounds, super bantamweights; Benedict Ledwaba, 33-1-1, vs. Enrique Sanchez, 28-1-2, 12 rounds for Ledwaba's IBF super bantamweight title; Michael Bennett, 3-0, vs. Donald Macon 6-3-1, four rounds, heavyweights; Jermain Taylor, 3-0, vs. Marvin Smith, 8-3-1, four rounds, middleweights; and Jose Navarro, 4-0, vs. an opponent to be determined, four rounds, junior bantamweights. ... After pulling off a successful card Tuesday at the Fremont Street Experience, Sterling McPherson said he will go after his promoter's license and added that he envisions putting on a card in the near future not just at Lake Las Vegas, but on Lake Las Vegas.