Columnist Dean Juipe: LV’s Phillips seems like forgotten man at 140

Dean Juipe

Thursday, Jan. 3, 2002 | 10:12 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.

Junior welterweights have the national stage this weekend, with Diobelys Hurtado taking on Ricky Quiles in Miami on Friday and James Leija meeting Mickey Ward the following night in San Antonio. Those two nationally televised fights, plus one later in the month between Arturo Gatti and Terronn Millett in New York, have a former 140-pound champion contemplating his own position in the division.

"People don't talk about me much or maybe they've forgotten that I'm still fighting," said Las Vegas resident Vince Phillips. "But I fought almost all of the guys at the top of the division and I'd like to get my name back out there again.

"I've got a lot of options, but things would really look bright for me if I could get another big fight or two."

Phillips, 34, is 43-6-1 in a pro career that dates from 1989.

He is best known for handing current undisputed champion Kostya Tszyu his only loss, having stopped the well-respected slugger in the 10th round of a 1997 fight in Atlantic City that earned Phillips the International Boxing Federation belt.

While a rematch with Tszyu isn't out of the question in that Phillips has a connection to Tszyu's promoter and fought on his most recent Las Vegas card, he realizes it may take a noteworthy interim fight to increase his bargaining power.

"I'd fight this Ricky Hatton guy or Randall Bailey," Phillips said of bouts that have been discussed, the former a 27-0 prospect who would figure to be a significant test.

Phillips certainly has experience on his side and has not only fought Tszyu but Ike Quartey and Vernon Forrest, as well as Ward and Quiles (who are in separate fights this weekend).

"I'd love to fight Tszyu again," Phillips said. "But if I have to fight somebody in the top 10 first, that's fine. I've never been in better shape."

Tyson reportedly was angered by the presence of media inside the Hotel Melia Habana, and he supposedly grabbed at least three large glass balls from a Christmas tree near the entrance and lobbed them at the reporters.

There were no injuries or serious damage and Tyson later checked out of the $500-per-night hotel with his two bodyguards. Video footage exists of Tyson in Havana, but none has surfaced of the incident.

In a related item, little or no progress seems to have been made pertaining to solidifying an April 6 fight in Las Vegas between Tyson and Lennox Lewis. But this much is known: The latter had a better holiday than Tyson, as Queen Elizabeth II of England bestowed a "Commander of the British Empire" honor on the heavyweight champion. Lewis is now entitled to list the letters CBE after his name.

Headlining Jan. 12 at the Flamingo in Laughlin will be Terrance Lewis, 30-9, and Corey Sanders, 21-6. Also scheduled on that card: Dale Crowe, 21-4-2, vs. Talmadge Griffis, 20-1-3, 10 rounds; Taurus Skykes, 16-1, vs. Russell Chasteen, 14-5, eight rounds; Willie Chapman, 13-12-1, vs. Sean Williams, 8-12-1, four rounds; Mark Tullius, 2-2, vs. Buck Trap, 1-0, four rounds; and Olando Anderson in his pro debut vs. an opponent yet to be determined.

Six nights later, Jan. 18, a pair of local heavyweights are matched in the headlining bout at the Paris Las Vegas. Charles Shufford, 17-2, will take on Jorge Luis Gonzalez, 31-7, in the centerpiece bout, with these fights filling up the undercard: Willie Williams, 16-4, vs. Greg Pickrom, 11-5-1; DaVarryl Williamson, 12-1, vs. Kevin McBride, 25-3-1; Jean-Francois Bergeron, 12-0, vs. Jason Nicholson, 16-15; and Willie Palms, 9-1-1, vs. Tali Kuligaapai, 8-0.

The Nevada State Athletic Commission has appointed new member John Bailey to arbitrate a pending dispute between IBF junior lightweight champ Steve Forbes and his handlers, Cameron Dunkin and Garnik Khachikian. The NSAC also appointed Dr. Tony Alamo to arbitrate a similar dispute between Khachikian and another local fighter, featherweight William Abelyan. Both items are expected to be resolved this month. ... Junior lightweight champs Acelino Freitas and Joel Casamayor will arrive in Las Vegas next Wednesday night from their respective training camps in California, as their Jan. 12 showdown at the Cox Pavilion nears. Also on that card: David Tua vs. Phil Jackson, heavyweights; Wayne McCullough vs. Alvin Brown, super bantamweights; J.C. Candelo vs. Angel Hernandez, junior middleweights; Oscar Andrade vs. Carlos Madrigal, junior bantamweights; and a women's bout between Laura Sarrano and Brenda Vickers.