Thursday, May 2, 2002 | 9:55 a.m.
Dean Juipe's column appears Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. His boxing notebook appears Thursday. Reach him at [email protected] or (702) 259-4084.
In the moments that followed the fight, it was easy to forget that Bob Arum promoted Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Arum was indignant when the scoring was announced after an April 20 bout at the MGM Grand Garden between Mayweather and defending World Boxing Council lightweight champ Jose Luis Castillo. While Mayweather had taken the fight by 5, 4 and 4 points on the judges' cards, Arum felt Castillo deserved better.
Ordinarily, a promoter goes out of his way to protect a client such as Mayweather, but Arum wasn't interested in finding even a middle ground.
"To me, the scoring was shocking," Arum said Wednesday. "There's no question in my mind that Castillo won five rounds and that Mayweather won six, with the other round too close to call.
"I went into the ring after the fight thinking there was a good possibility that Castillo had won, or that it would be a draw.
"And maybe it should have been a draw, because it was ludicrous for the two judges who gave Mayweather the 12th (round)."
Arum said he took the stand he did to alleviate claims that his higher-profile fighters receive favorable treatment from boxing judges in Nevada, and that his influence partly explains that bias.
"I knew the dot.com guys and the ignorant media would say it's another example of a fair-haired fighter of mine getting a gift decision," he said. "Stuff like that really gripes me, so I was distancing myself from the judges by saying I questioned their scoring."
While Arum also promotes Castillo and is busy arranging a rematch, some observers felt his honesty in assessing the fight at the MGM may have been a sign that he's inclined to part ways with the temperamental Mayweather.
But that's not so, he says now.
"Everything's all right between us," Arum said. "We've got a contract that runs about two more years, and we'll fulfill it."
Yet he has also learned there are times when he has to turn a deaf ear to Mayweather.
"I can't listen to what he says," Arum said. "One day he wants to leave and the next -- such as after the (Castillo) fight -- he tells me I'm the greatest promoter in the world.
"So, regardless of what he says, it doesn't bother me. It rolls off my back either way."
But that's not ideal, is it?
"Of course it's not ideal," Arum countered. "But Floyd is not an ideal person. If I could mold Floyd into a different person, I would. But I can't, so I have accept that he has a charming side and he has a bad side."
As for the rematch, Arum said a decision could be reached by the end of the week but that the Staples Center in Los Angeles has the inside track and that Aug. 10 has been identified as the date. Mandalay Bay and the Paris Las Vegas are also tending offers for the pay-per-view bout.
"Floyd prefers Las Vegas but I'd like to do the fight in Los Angeles," Arum said.
Torres, 41 years old and recently released from a 23-year prison term, made his professional debut last Saturday on an Arum-promoted card in Anaheim, Calif., and won his fight with Perry Williams by second-round TKO.
But Torres was not the least bit impressive and Arum has told him where to go.
"He should retire," Arum said. "I strongly advised him to quit before he gets killed. He may have had talent at one time, but not anymore.
"If he wants to fight again, he'll have to find another promoter."
Torres fancied himself as a light heavyweight but came into the fight at a bloated 199 pounds, alienating trainer Kenny Adams along the way. Against Williams, who is now 0-2, Torres was sent flying in the first round with what ringside observers likened to a phantom punch, although he rallied to win the bout a round later when Williams went down twice.
Torres served his prison sentence, for murder, in Nevada and California.
The popular Las Vegas resident is 32-15-2 with 19 knockouts and is matched with tough guy Ernesto Zepeda, who is 30-5-3 with 25 KOs, in a 10-round fight at 135 pounds.
Having lost six of his eight most recent fights, Crayton decided to scrap styles and is reverting to the smooth, boxer/puncher motif that once made him a marginal contender. In those recent fights, he tried brawling but found it too restrictive.
"I've changed my style again," Crayton said. "I'm done with the 'big man' complex that I had and I'm not going in there just to brawl.
"I'm starting from scratch but with the experience of being smarter. I won't slug now unless I have to."
Crayton, 32, says he is healthy and in shape as this opportunity arrives. The Orleans does not have a betting line up, yet Zepeda would have to be considered the consensus favorite.
"I don't see (Zepeda) being a top-10 fighter, but he gives me a chance to make a step in the right direction," said Crayton, who initially was scheduled to face ex-champion Cesar Bazan before the latter was mugged and injured in Mexico.
"I don't have a lot of wear and tear," Crayton said. "If I can win this fight it should really do my career some good."
Also scheduled: Carlos Rey Lopez, 4-8-2, vs. Ivan Calderon, 9-0, six rounds, flyweights; Larry Banks, 6-11-1, vs. Anthony Bartinelli, 15-5-1, six rounds, middleweights; Michael Lynks, 4-2-1, vs. Jesse Feliciano, 4-1, six rounds, junior welterweights; and Ruben Fuchu, 5-0, vs. an opponent yet to be determined, four rounds, welterweights. First bell is 5:30 p.m.
Ali is not only coming off surgery for a bone spur that was affecting her shoulder, she is coming off a decision win over Jacqui Frazier-Lyde in Verona, N.Y., that drew 6,500 fans and a decent pay-per-view audience. Ali won that fight by six and two points on two cards, while the third judge had it even.
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