Thursday, March 27, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.
While Vaughn Bean may be in an envious position Saturday night as an underdog fighting Michael Moorer, so is Tony Martin.
He's in a no-lose situation as he steps in for a 10-round fight with Julio Cesar Chavez at the in-between weight of 145 pounds. As they say in the sports book, Martin is a live 'dog.
Martin vs. Chavez is the primary undercard bout on a Don King-promoted card at the Las Vegas Hilton that has Bean vs. Moorer as the headliner.
Bettors are wise to Martin and have placed enough money on him that Wednesday he was a +300 to Chavez's --400.
"I'm hoping that's because they've seen my latest fights," Martin said after getting a rubdown in the Hilton spa. He has won four straight to improve to 34-5-1; Chavez, who was also in the spa, is 98-2-1 yet seemingly is on the skids.
"My job in this fight is to make Chavez feel old," Martin said. "He doesn't know how to lose and he doesn't accept it when he does lose. But I want to teach him how to lose by making him feel his age, or older."
The legendary Chavez is 34, while Martin is 36.
"I won't know what he's got left until I step into the ring, but there's no doubt he's no longer at his best," Martin said. "But I'm sure I'll see some good things from him because he's a veteran and he can definitely still get you out. At the same time, I'm a veteran and I can get him out, too."
Martin was an excellent amateur with a 156-21 record who was also the All-Army champion as he competed in the 1984 Olympic Trials. He started his pro career in 1985, fighting frequently in his native Philadelphia.
Always matched tough, Martin somehow has never received a world-title shot despite excelling at the NABF and USBA levels. He still holds the USBA welterweight belt, although he recently relinquished his NABF crown.
It goes without saying that a win over Chavez would put him in a title position. As it stands, he's ranked No. 4 by the IBF, No. 11 by the WBA and an inexplicable No. 22 by the WBC.
"Give me a break," Martin said of the WBC rankings. "Everyone who really knows, knows I'm among the top three in the world."
Most recently, Martin has disposed of Kip Diggs (twice), Robert Hightower and former Las Vegan Skipper Kelp. Tuesday night in Oxnard, Calif., on the USA cable network, Diggs and Derrel Coley fought for Martin's vacated NABF title and it was a war, with Coley finally winning by knockout in the 11th round.
"That's the type of fight I want to avoid," Martin said with a smile.
He's also happy to have this fight with Chavez after his name was initially suggested, then withdrawn, from consideration.
"I'm actually shocked I got it," he said. "I'd stopped training. Then they called me when I was at the dentist's office with my little girl and asked me if I wanted the fight. I've got to admit it threw me off and I thought maybe it was just a gimmick, but I wasn't going to pass this up.
"I wanted Chavez seven years ago after I beat (Livingstone) Bramble, but this might even be a better time to be fighting him."
Around the ring
* HILTON CARD: Moorer has been bet down to --600 in the Hilton sports book, with Bean a +400 for the IBF heavyweight title fight. In addition to that fight and Chavez vs. Martin, 10 other bouts are scheduled, including: Ricardo Lopez, 44-0, vs. Mongol Charoen, 17-1, for Lopez's WBC strawweight title; Laurent Boudouani, 34-2, vs. Carl Daniels, 38-2, for Boudouani's WBA junior middleweight title; Alex Sanchez, 24-1, vs. Victor Burgos, 16-7-1, for Sanchez's WBO strawweight title; Jerry Ballard, 17-1, vs. Lyle McDowell, 18-4-1, 10 rounds, heavyweights; Julio Cesar Green, 19-2, vs. Bernice Barber, 14-5-2, 10 rounds, middleweights; Juan Negron, 24-2, vs. Enrique Sanchez, 10-6-1, 10 rounds, welterweights; Carlos Cruz, 16-5, vs. an opponent yet to be determined, 10 rounds, super middleweights; Nate Jones, 1-0, vs. an opponent yet to be determined, four rounds, heavyweights; plus two women's bouts. ... First bell is 4 p.m. ... The main-event winner will be on Ring Talk with Pedro Fernandez, Sunday on KRLV (1340 AM) at 8 p.m.
* AMATEUR CHAMPS: The Nevada state Golden Gloves champions were determined over the weekend, with winners advancing to regional competition April 4-5 at the Golden Gloves Gym in Las Vegas. State champions include: Justin Jackson, 112 pounds; Juventino Martinez, 119; John Fain, 125; Daniel Felix, 132; Cedric Ferguson, 139; Carlos Mendoza, 147; Harley Kilfian, 156; Kenneth Olsen, 165; Lymie Young, 178; Alfonso Jackson, heavyweight; and Renard Jones, super heavyweight. Martinez, Felix, Olsen, Young, Jackson and Jones are Las Vegans.
* QUICK HITS: Local NABF super middleweight champ Joseph Kiwanuka is visiting family in his native Uganda but will be back in Las Vegas next week to begin training for an April 29 nationally televised fight with Antoine Byrd in Philadelphia. "Joe should have him out in five rounds," said his co-manager, John Phillips. "Byrd is 35, that's why we took him. We'll be ready for the big time after this." ... Former Las Vegan Engels Pedroza is still fighting. Now 30, he lost recently in Florida to fall to 42-9 with 40 KOs. ... Overlooked result from last Saturday: Genaro Hernandez by split decision over Azumah Nelson in Corpus Christi, Texas. ... Just announced: April 19 at Shreveport, La., IBF middleweight champ Bernard Hopkins vs. John David Jackson, and WBA super middleweight champ Frank Liles vs. Segundo Mercado.
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