Columnist Ron Kantowski: This purse is worth fighting over

Tuesday, May 17, 2005 | 10:51 a.m.

Ron Kantowski is a Las Vegas Sun sports writer. Reach him at ron@lasvegassun.com or (702) 259-4088.

It used to be that if you wanted to watch two women fight over a million dollars, you had to be there when a CEO of some Fortune 500 company made the mistake of introducing his wife to his personal assistant at the office Christmas party.

But that was before Annika Sorenstam came along. And the Williams sisters. And Mia Hamm. And Michelle Wie, Marion Jones, Diana Taurasi and Danica Patrick, the 23-year-old sprite who nearly stole pole position at the Indy 500 this weekend from all those Brazilians with the heavy right feet.

And it was before Bob Arum put up more than $1 million of his own money -- or at least money belonging to Las Vegas-based Top Rank Inc., the boxing promotional firm he founded -- for a winner-take-most women's boxing match set for Mandalay Bay Events Center July 30.

The fight, which will headline a Showtime pay-per-view card, will feature Christy Martin, the so-called Coal Miner's Daughter (apologies to Loretta Lynn) against Lucia Rijker, the so-called baddest woman on the planet. So called by me, anyway.

Martin (46-3-2) may be one of the few female fighters the cigar-smoking boxing fan may recognize, in that her picture has appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated. As Arum pointed out, that puts her one up on Oscar De La Hoya, Bernard Hopkins, Vitali Klitschko and Erik "El Terrible" Morales.

You may not have heard of her opponent, but by now, you've probably seen her. Rijker (17-0) is the one who put Hilary Swank in a coma in the Oscar-winning movie "Million Dollar Baby."

"I was appalled by how mean Lucia was in that movie," Arum said in making the official announcement of the "Million Dollar Lady" promotion at the Coral Reef Lounge at Mandalay Bay Monday. "She (was portrayed) as a nasty, nasty person which is why I was appalled. She's not exactly sweet, but she really is a nice, nice person."

Don't let Arum fool you. Rijker looks meaner than the Charlestown Chiefs' team bus in "Slap Shot." She's got a scowl that would make the one your ex-wife used after you stayed out too late with your drinking buddies look like Mona Lisa's smile.

I almost went up to her Monday and apologized for something I didn't do.

When Martin stepped to the podium to say a few words, the first one she thanked was God. When it was Rijker's turn, the first ones she thanked were Hilary Swank and Clint Eastwood.

Actually, the fighters behaved like ... well, proper young women (although Martin is now 38), leaving it up to Arum to extol their virtues as legitimate pugilists capable of carrying a $34.95 pay-per-view extravaganza. It will be the first time a women's fight has served as the main event in a major arena.

It also will be the first time a woman will walk away from a sporting event in a major arena with a $1 million check in her handbag. Each fighter is guaranteed $250,000, with the winner earning an additional $750,000 bonus from Arum, harkening to the day boxers were known as prizefighters instead of purse collectors.

Arum bristled when a reporter used the word "circus" in conjunction with the promotion, despite the fact he once promoted Mia St. John, who couldn't fight her way out a paper bag but looked great posing in one (and little else) in Playboy magazine.

"This fight makes a statement," Arum said just after Helen Reddy finished singing "I Am Woman" via digital download. "Women's sport and women have to be treated fairly and equally."

Kudos to Arum for being a pioneer, but I might point out that the $1 million he will pay to the Martin-Rijker winner is not exactly equal to the $30 million and deeds to Boardwalk and Park Place that he gave De La Hoya for his schooling against Hopkins. But, as Arum indicated, it's a start.

Only he called it a "history-making event."

"People, if given a compelling event between women, will show up and support it," he said. "This fight will demonstrate that. It's what's happening now and it's about time.

"The winner will get a prize of $750,000 and that prize will make this the first time in the history of sports that a woman will receive $1 million for winning a sporting event. That doesn't happen at Wimbledon or the LPGA."

No, it could only happen in Las Vegas.

And this time, I mean that it a good way.

I think.