Thursday, Jan. 8, 1998 | 11:42 a.m.
DEAN JUIPE is a Las Vegas SUN sportswriter. His office phone number is 259-4084. He can be reached on the Internet at [email protected]
One of the coolest things for a fighter participating in his first televised main event is the fact his name appears across the country in the weekly TV guides. It's great exposure.
And exposure is what Top Rank had in mind when it elevated Floyd Mayweather Jr. to main-event status for an ESPN2-televised card Friday in Biloxi, Miss. The Las Vegas junior lightweight already is 12-0 in a briskly paced career that has him on the verge of a world-title try at the age of 20.
But before he's rewarded with that title shot, likely to come against WBC champion Genaro Hernandez this summer, Top Rank wants to better acquaint him with the country's mainstream boxing fans. Hence, he's headlining on ESPN2.
"It's a stepping-stone," Mayweather said of his TV bout with Hector Arroyo, a 16-4-2 journeyman from Puerto Rico. "You grow with each fight and I'm fighting the main event because I've grown to main-event stature."
Never lacking in confidence, Mayweather has recorded 10 of his wins by knockout and has emerged as perhaps the most well-rounded professional of the fighters who represented the United States in the 1996 Olympics. He won a bronze medal at Atlanta, completing an amateur career in which he went 84-6 with three national Golden Gloves championships.
Top Rank promoter Bob Arum calls him a star in the making.
"To me, he has the same kind of abilities I see in an Oscar De La Hoya or Sugar Ray Leonard," he said. "He has very quick hand speed and a lot of power."
Mayweather has three consecutive knockouts although he has yet to face top-shelf opposition. It's unclear if Arroyo can offer him a decent challenge.
"Pro boxing is a learning experience," Mayweather said. "Even if you win by first-round knockout, you can still learn something. With this guy, I won't go in there looking for a knockout, although I've knocked out 85 percent of the guys I've faced."
What he'll try to do is look good and come across as an exciting performer worthy of the fans' attention.
"I know I'm going to show off," he said. "I know I'm going to wind up (before swinging at Arroya) and I know I'm going to thrill the crowd. I want people to love me."
He's looking at 1998 as his break-through year and though he's predictably anxious, he realizes he's in good hands.
"I know I will fight for a world title this year," he said. "I know what I'm capable of doing and Top Rank knows what I'm capable of doing. They just don't want to rush me right now and I can respect that."
King Arthur
In what undoubtedly was his finest moment as a professional fighter, Las Vegas cruiserweight Arthur Williams successfully defended his USBA title Tuesday night at Casino Magic in Bay St. Louis, Miss., defeating former world champion Adolpho Washington by unanimous decision. The USA cable network televised the fight.
Williams, 33, improved to 28-4-1 by handing the 30-year-old Washington his fifth loss in 33 pro fights. The hard-fought battle featured almost nonstop thunderous shots from both men, although Williams had the judges' favor by scores of 120-110, 119-111 and 117-113.
He's now in line for a mandatory shot at IBF champion Imamu Mayfield.
Charlie's card
Arizona Charlie's has its monthly card set for Saturday and will offer a 10-round junior bantamweight main event featuring Lupe Gastelum, 8-0-1, vs. Carlos Hernandez, 10-3. Gastelum has won seven straight fights by knockout and neither of his two most recent bouts made it to the second round. He's in with Hernandez, who fought here in September and lost to Olympian Eric Morel.
Details on the five-bout undercard were incomplete. First bell is 7 p.m.
McKinney-Hamed?
Coming off something of an unexpected victory over Junior Jones in New York, occasional Las Vegan Kennedy McKinney appears to be in line for a big-money fight on HBO with rising featherweight star Naseem Hamed. That bout could fall into place soon and come off as early as March, perhaps in Hamed's home country, England.
"Beating Jones changed everything for Mac," said his trainer, Kenny Adams. "I think everyone agrees he was on a downward slide until then. Now he's back and strongly in contention for a big fight. He definitely revived his career, even if he doesn't get a fight with Hamed."
McKinney, 33-3-1, would have to move up a weight division to face the 29-0 Hamed. That's a minor consideration for him, given the money HBO is putting into Hamed's fights.
If they do meet, Adams says he'll tell his man to be cautious.
"I think you have to sit back and wait for Hamed rather than take it to him," he said. "He's so quick and elusive and comes at you at such odd angles, you're better off being patient with the guy and wait for him to make a mistake. You have to have alternate plans, but I think he's vulnerable to the jab and Mac could drop a right hand on him."
Around the ring
With Hal Miller having passed away last month, the local Golden Gloves franchise will now be run by Dave Moody and the gym is being managed by Vic Leonard. The latter is a four-year resident of Las Vegas who spent 25 years as a volunteer with the Chicago Park District before retiring and moving here. ... No movement on a proposed Larry Holmes vs. James Toney heavyweight bout that had been discussed for February in Las Vegas. ... WBA heavyweight champ Evander Holyfield is obviously content to wait for Mike Tyson to be reinstated. "I think 1998 will be a great year for me and 1999 will be too," Holyfield said on the USA cable network. "If (the Tyson) fight comes about between now and then, I probably will take it." ... Congratulations to the IBF, which now requires a fighter to beat a ranked fighter before he can be moved into the No. 1 challenger's spot. ... WBC heavyweight champ Lennox Lewis, 32-1, will receive $8 million for facing Shannon Briggs March 28 in Atlantic City. Briggs, 30-1, is to get $2 million. "I need it bad," Briggs told the Associated Press, happy to have won the Lewis sweepstakes after a proposed Lewis-Holyfield fight was derailed by Holyfield's indifference. ... The Julio Cesar Chavez vs. Miguel Angel Gonzalez fight is back on for March 7 in Mexico City. It was postponed from Oct. 25 due to Chavez suffering an elbow injury. ... Local super bantamweight Wayne McCullough fights Saturday in Studio City, Calif., in a fight to be televised by Fox. Heavyweight Peter McNeeley, 42-3, is in the main event against Larry Menefee, 10-1. ... The Nevada State Athletic Commission expects to relicense all of its officials for 1998 at its Friday meeting. ... Bam Promotions returns to The Orleans Jan. 23. ... Forum Boxing of Los Angeles has asked for eight 1998 dates for shows at the Tropicana, the first of which is Feb. 21.
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