Friday, Feb. 14, 2003 | 9:33 a.m.
Ordinarily, it's the last thing a fit and athletic man at the age of 31 would choose to do. But Tim Austin is going against convention.
He's looking to put on a few pounds.
Austin, who defends his International Boxing Federation 118-pound championship Saturday night at Caesars Palace, is about to depart the division he has ruled since 1997 and move up to super bantamweight (122 pounds) or featherweight (126) in the next few months.
Known fighters -- such as Manny Pacquiao, Paulie Ayala, Erik Morales and Marco Antonio Barrera -- populate the latter two weight classes and are beckoning a bantamweight king whose "walking around" weight is 125 pounds.
"I'd like to take a few fights at '22 and then go on to '26," Austin said Thursday as he lounged in the sports book at Caesars, where he's a minus 430 betting favorite to defeat mandatory challenger Rafael Marquez this weekend. Marquez, who is 28-3, is a plus 330 underdog.
"I like to challenge myself," said Austin, a former Olympic bronze medalist who is 25-0-1 and will be making his 10th title defense. "I've got other goals I can accomplish."
His trainer, Aaron Snowell, says it's natural for Austin to want to push himself.
"A champion fighter wants to fight other champion fighters," he said. "We're saying we'll fight any of the champions in those other weight classes, but we need the networks to step up and make the deals.
"There are 11 million dedicated boxing fans and every one of them knows Tim Austin. The champions at 122 and 126 know who he is, too, but they don't even want to mention his name."
This reluctance of those in and around Austin's weight class to agree to a fight is somewhat natural, given his strength and speed. Of the previous 10 IBF title fights in which he has participated, Austin has won eight by knockout.
"The skill level Tim has is like what Magic Johnson had," Snowell said. "Magic was so athletic, he could play any position. With Tim's skill level, those pounds he might put on won't take anything away from him.
"He'll have more punching power, and that's what it takes to move up to '22 or '26. Plus, he's hungry, and a hungry fighter is the best fighter."
Of course Austin is facing a hungry fighter himself Saturday, as Marquez gets his first crack at a world title.
"It's going to be a good fight," Austin said. "He's going to bring the fight and there'll be some excitement. People will enjoy it, and I want the people to be satisfied."
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