Heavies take center stage

Dean Juipe

Thursday, Jan. 17, 2002 | 9:30 a.m.

Boxing fans will have a choice of two cards to choose from Friday night in Las Vegas, and in each case the 10-round main event offers an experienced heavyweight who has met some of the best fighters in the division. The trouble, however, for Jorge Luis Gonzalez and Danell Nicholson is that they have continually lost upon reaching the national stage.

Gonzalez, 37, of Las Vegas, is 31-7 with 27 knockouts and will be meeting late replacement Derek Bryant in the main event at the Paris Las Vegas.

Nicholson, 34, of Chicago, is 39-4 with 30 KOs and will take on Melvin Foster in the main event at the Orleans.

Both Gonzalez and Nicholson have their assets, as well as their liabilities.

Gonzalez was a renowned amateur from Cuba before settling here and taking up residence as a "house fighter" for the MGM. While entertaining audiences with his rousing style and dominating lesser opposition, Gonzalez was beaten by Riddick Bowe and then went into a tailspin that also includes a loss to fellow local heavyweight Cliff Couser.

Gonzalez was to have faced another local, Charles Shufford, at the Paris until the latter pulled out of the fight this week due to a strained left biceps. To replace Shufford, promoter Cedric Kushner flew in Bryant from Philadelphia.

Bryant is 11-0 with nine KOs.

Also scheduled on that all-heavyweight card: Willie Williams, 16-4, vs. Greg Pickrom, 11-5-1, 10 rounds; Davarryl Williamson, 12-1, vs. Kevin McBride, 25-3-1, eight rounds; Jean-Francois Bergeron, 12-0, vs. Jason Nicholson, 16-15, six rounds; Willie Palms, 9-1-1, vs. Tali Kulihaapai, 8-0, six rounds; and Olanda Anderson, pro debut, vs. Sean Williams, 8-13-1, four rounds. First bell is 6:30 p.m. in the Paris Theatre.

Over at the Orleans, Nicholson will try to resurrect his career and will be fighting for the first time since losing by sixth-round TKO to David Tua last March 23 at the Texas Station.

While Nicholson was a member of the 1992 U.S. Olympic team -- losing by decision to Cuba's Felix Savon at Barcelona -- and owns a 1994 decision victory over current World Boxing Association champ John Ruiz, his career has been sidetracked by defeats at the hands of Jeremy Williams, Andrew Golota, Kirk Johnson and Tua.

Once incarcerated for armed robbery, Nicholson will attempt to bounce back again, this time at the expense of the 23-10-1 Foster.

Also scheduled at the Orleans on the monthly Guilty Boxing card: Juan Valenzuela, 12-4, vs. Manuel Ruiz, 25-12-2, 10 rounds, welterweights; Artur Petrosyan, 8-4-1, vs. Adam Gonzalez, 8-4, six rounds, lightweights; Jonathan Nelson, 4-2, vs. Nelson Estriponan, 3-0, four rounds, welterweights; Alex Valardez vs. Mariano Soriano, four rounds, lightweights; and bouts featuring junior middleweight Eddie Salas, 3-0, and junior welterweight Cedric Fergusen, 4-0, against opponents still to be determined. First bell is 7 p.m.