Columnist Jeff Haney: Cherubic Elder believes his walk with God will lead him to title

Thursday, April 7, 2005 | 9:11 a.m.

Jeff Haney covers boxing for the Las Vegas Sun. Reach him at (702) 259-4041 or haney@lasvegassun.com.

Lightweight contender Ebo Elder, a deeply spiritual young man, believes he is doing God's work in the boxing ring.

Talk about working in mysterious ways: It turns out the biggest job of Elder's career will take place in Las Vegas, a town better known for its pai gow than its piety.

The irony is not lost on Elder.

"The only reason I'm in this sport is that God said he wants me in it," Elder said before a recent workout at the IBA Gym in southeast Las Vegas. "It's so ironic that God would make this happen in Sin City."

Elder (22-1, 14 knockouts), a 26-year-old left-hander from Newnan, Ga., will try to win his first world title on April 23 when he clashes with WBA champion Juan Diaz (27-0, 13 KOs) at Caesars Palace.

It's one of two world championship fights on the card, with Antonio Margarito and Kermit Cintron set to square off for the WBO welterweight crown. A pair of scheduled 10-rounders are also on the card -- Shane Mosley against David Estrada at welterweight, and Calvin Brock against Jameel McCline at heavyweight.

Diaz, who has successfully defended his belt twice since winning it last July, is a 3-1 favorite against Elder.

"Everyone knows what Juan does best," said Elder, ranked No. 5 by the WBC. "He comes right at you, he throws a lot of punches and he has great conditioning. I think we can nullify all that. If not, he's a better fighter than I thought he was."

Greg Elder, Ebo's father and trainer, also predicted an upset in a fight that's likely to be filled with action.

"To stay in there with Diaz, you need to take a lot of punches," Greg Elder said.

Ebo Elder said he'll take inspiration from his performance in his most recent fight, a 12th-round stoppage of Courtney Burton last December.

That grueling bout in Santa Ynez, Calif., a festival of big punches from both fighters, was for Elder quite literally a religious experience.

"The toughest parts of my life are when I hear from God the best," Elder said. "God said, as long as you don't quit I'm gonna come through. I believed it would be a knockout from that moment on.

"In the 11th round I was obviously very tired. I felt beaten down. In the 12th, my left hand got caught behind the rope ... but all of a sudden I had energy, and the next thing I knew (Burton) was lying on the mat.

"After the fight ... it was pure emotion. I was in awe."

The victory set the stage for the world title opportunity against Diaz, which will be Elder's seventh fight since a two-year layoff that followed his lone defeat, to Ubaldo Hernandez in 2001 in Savannah, Ga.

During his break from boxing, Elder moved to New York City for a time and played drums in a series of rock bands.

"I love music," he said. "But there's not a lot of money in the entertainment business, at the bottom."

The same could be said of boxing, he acknowledged.

Elder said a man known as a prophet from his church in Georgia predicted Elder would win a world title in his seventh fight after his return to the sport.

"And No. 8 is the number of new beginnings in the Bible," Elder said. "The best is yet to come."

Asked about a specific strategy against Diaz, Elder showed a flash of his wry sense of humor.

"I'm gonna try my best to hurt his hands with my head," he said.

Although he'll be fighting for a high-profile title on the Las Vegas Strip and for a pay-per-view audience April 23, Elder said nerves or butterflies won't be a factor, thanks in large part to his spirituality.

"God gives me peace," Elder said. "It's almost surreal. I know my purpose in life is so far beyond boxing that this is a walk in the park."

Margarito-Cintron

The welterweight title bout between Margarito (31-4-0, 22 KOs) and Cintron (24-0, 22 KOs) is compelling in itself, although a megafight could be in store for the winner.

"I've been ready to step it up for a while," Cintron, 25, of Reading, Pa., said in a teleconference this week. "After I win against Margarito I will step it up even further. Shane Mosley or Zab Judah, I will be ready to fight whoever thinks they are the best. Just bring them on."

Cintron, a native of Puerto Rico, competed in wrestling, football, track and baseball in high school in Pennsylvania, where he lived with his uncle, former middleweight contender Benjamin Serrano.

He turned pro in 2000 but hasn't fought since last July.

"The layoff has made me hungrier, made me train harder and made me want to get back in the ring that much sooner," he said.

Margarito, 27, of Tijuana, won the WBO belt by beating Sebastian Andres Lujan in February in Atlantic City.

He has the edge in experience, though he'll have to contend with Cintron's power.

"All fights are important, no doubt about it," Margarito said. "This one is a little more important because of what it will mean for the winner. I think a lot of doors will open for the winner."

Oddsmakers have the fight at virtually pick 'em, with Margarito just a slight favorite.

The Caesars Palace card will be available on ESPN Pay-Per-View at a suggested retail price of $29.95.

UNLV boxing

UNLV boxers Greg Murrell and Daniel Reece won gold medals this past weekend at the National Collegiate Boxing Championships at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Murrell, a freshman 165-pounder, defeated Bryan McReynolds of Army by a 5-0 decision, Dan Osbourne of Navy 5-0, and Ryan Healy of UNR 4-1.

Reece, a senior 139-pounder, defeated Isaiah Varisano of Shippensburg 5-0, Adrian Evangelista of Navy 5-0 and Luis Pena of Air Force 5-0.

Also competing at nationals for UNLV:

Orleans card

Unbeaten bantamweight Omar Salado (13-0-1, 7 KOs) of Tijuana takes on Francisco Paredes (13-9, 12 KOs) of Mexico City in the 10-round main event of a card at the Orleans on Friday night.

Las Vegas super featherweight Vincent O'Neil will make his pro debut on the undercard against Jesus Carlos Sanchez (1-4, 1 KO) of Tijuana in a scheduled four-rounder.

Tickets for the show presented by Guilty Boxing, which includes five other undercard fights, are $20 and $30. Doors open at the Mardis Gras Ballroom at 6:30 p.m. and first bell is at 7.