Columnist Dean Juipe: Top Rank, HBO unhappy with Mayweather

Dean Juipe

Thursday, Jan. 24, 2002 | 9:57 a.m.

Dean Juipe's column appears Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. His boxing notebook appears Thursday. Reach him at juipe@lasvegassun.com or (702) 259-4084.

It was a scenario Top Rank had arranged and expected Floyd Mayweather Jr. to follow.

Upon his decision to leave the junior lightweights and move to 135 pounds, Mayweather was to have fought a fellow Top Rank client, World Boxing Council champion Jose Luis Castillo. The promotional firm had gotten involved with Castillo in 2000 and kept its ties to him for multiple reasons, with the proposed fight with Mayweather at the top.

But here's Castillo fighting Friday in Laughlin and Mayweather ready to try his hand as a lightweight but declining to fight Castillo in April, much to Top Rank and HBO's dismay.

And Castillo's, too.

"I've seen Mayweather and I feel very confident that I have the talents and strength to beat him," Castillo said in remarks interpreted by Top Rank publicist Ricardo Jimenez. "I totally believe I can beat Mayweather and after seeing his (most recent) fight with Jesus Chavez, there's no question in my mind I can defeat him.

"I don't know what Mayweather is waiting for, but I'm ready to go."

Promoter Bob Arum has admitted he's "exasperated" with Mayweather, who is tentatively scheduled to fight an opponent still to be determined April 30.

As for Castillo, he'll make do for the short term with a Friday fight against Juan Angel Macias at the Avi resort. This is a nontitle fight, but, as is always the case, the champion must win to retain his belt.

Castillo, 28, is 44-4-1 with 40 knockouts in a career that dates from 1990. While he's a tough enough guy who owns two victories over former champion Stevie Johnston, Castillo's four losses were all by stoppage and his chin has come into question.

But he has not lost since 1998 and he was buoyed by his two decision wins over Johnston.

"Those 24 rounds with Johnston brought out the best in me," Castillo said. "They gave me the confidence I needed to become a true world champion."

A former sparring partner for noted world champion Julio Cesar Chavez, Castillo is coming off an August win over the depleted Freddie Ladd although he had a major win over Cesar Bazan earlier in 2001.

He may have a fairly easy time with Macias, who is 26-15-1 with 19 KOs.

Also on the Avi card: Alejandro Moreno, 16-8-1, vs. Jorge Luis Gonzalez, 14-1, 10 rounds, flyweights; Ramon Olivas, 10-0, vs. Carlos Leon, 5-5, six rounds, welterweights; and Dexter Williams, pro debut, vs. Jose Luis Zertuche, 3-0-1, four rounds, junior middleweights.

At last week's press conference in Los Angeles, Oscar De La Hoya derided his May 4 opponent, Fernando Vargas, by saying "It wouldn't surprise me if we see Vargas in his car, driving slowly past and looking into my compound. That's how obsessed he is." Both men are expected to train in Big Bear, Calif., for their fight at Mandalay Bay. ... Ten Goose Sports has signed a promotional deal with former heavyweight champion Tim Witherspoon, who is 44 years old and owner of a 52-11-1 record. "We were looking for the quickest way to prove Tim is still a viable heavyweight," said his manager, Tom Moran, in quotes distributed by the promotional firm. "Tim wants four or five more fights, all with the objective that it leads to a championship." While Witherspoon did lose to Monte Barrett last year, he also stopped David Bostice in one round and took a decision over Eli cier Castillo. "Tim should have one last chance," said promoter Dan Goossen of his aging acquisition.