Thursday, June 10, 1999 | 9:26 a.m.
Dean Juipe's boxing notebook appears Thursday. His sports column appears Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. Reach him at 259-4084 or [email protected]
While Johnny Tapia is fighting Paulie Ayala June 26 at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, a much bigger fight for the WBA bantamweight champion is already being discussed.
Promoter Bob Arum said Wednesday during a conference call that a Tapia vs. Prince Naseem Hamed bout could be arranged for early next year. Hamed, a featherweight, is 32-0 and has the drawing power that Ayala certainly lacks and that Tapia has only envied.
"Johnny doesn't know this," Arum said, "but just this morning I had an interesting conversation with the Prince's brother and I talked to the Prince last week. (A fight in 2000) is very much being discussed."
The bout, if it comes off, would be in Las Vegas. (Hamed may also fight in Las Vegas Oct. 3 against an opponent still to be determined.)
Tapia kept the bulk of his comments relating to Ayala and their upcoming fight. He's training in New Mexico with a new cornerman, Freddie Roach.
"We're bored," he said. "We're waiting. I've been ready for a while, so it's just a matter of staying cool and calm. I'm so anxious for the fight that if they told me to put my shoes on right now, I'd be ready."
Tapia, 32, is 46-0-2 with 25 knockouts.
Ayala, 29, is 27-1 but with only 12 KOs.
With Tapia's last four title defenses having gone the distance, this one may too. Ticket sales are so-so, with some 3,500 sold for an arena that will have its seating capacity scaled back to 7,000 for the pay-per-view card.
"I hope (it's a good fight)," Tapia said. "Paulie's a good guy and I don't disrespect him in any way. He's been doing a lot of talking, but I know that's not him.
"He's a good fighter. He's got speed and a little power."
Tapia has fought only once at 118 pounds and defeated Nana Konadu by decision for the WBA championship last December. Nonetheless he's already looking to pass through the bantamweight division and make his way to super bantamweight (122 pounds) or featherweight (126) in an effort to make some money.
"I would like to go up (in weight), yes I would," he said in response to a question on the subject. "I'm developing; I'm bigger. I'll be stronger as I move up."
Not having lost as a professional, he rightfully takes a great deal of pride in his unbeaten record.
"What really means a lot to me is staying undefeated," he said. "I've been a champion all my life. Now I just wish for bigger and better things."
* WILLIAMS LOSES: Arthur Williams' reign as IBF cruiserweight champion came to an end last Saturday in Biloxi, Miss., when the Las Vegas resident suffered a TKO-7 loss to Vassiliy Jirov.
"He was tough, real tough," Williams said of the 25-year-old Jirov, who improved to 21-0 with 19 knockouts by hammering the champion's midsection. "He hit me to the body real good and hurt my ribs."
Williams, 34, was down in the third round, the result of a left to the ribs. Jirov, a native of Kazakhstan, put Williams away in the seventh when a solid right sent Williams to his knees.
It was a tough fight both ways, with Jirov connecting on 103 power punches and Williams landing 94. Each man was bleeding above his right eye by the second round.
Williams falls to 30-5-1.
* INGWALDSON UP: Las Vegas amateur star Jason Ingwaldson has been training in Big Bear, Calif., in preparation for the U.S. Challenge tournament that opens tonight in Colorado Springs. Ingwaldson is ranked No. 3 of four participants in his 132-pound class.
The winner of each weight class receives an automatic bid to the U.S. Olympic Trials in February.
"Jason's doing great," said his mentor, referee Richard Steele. "He's in top shape and he was able to block himself off mentally by going up to Big Bear. He hasn't been doing anything except training."
Ingwaldson's division seems fairly open, as the top-ranked lightweight, Jacob Hudson of Augusta, Ga., was beaten in the recent Golden Gloves final. Ingwaldson is 0-1 against Hudson.
"We want Jason to win this and qualify for the Olympic Trials as soon as possible," Steele said. "If he can qualify right off the bat, then he can relax."
The U.S. Challenge is one of four events in which the winner qualifies for the Olympic Trials. Ingwaldson moved to Las Vegas from Southern California last year in an effort to improve his skills and make the Olympic team.
"He's given everything up for this," Steele said.
Ingwaldson's first-round opponent will be Mark Burse of Milwaukee.
* QUICK HITS: It appears a certainty that WBC junior lightweight champ Floyd Mayweather of Las Vegas and IBF champion Robert Garcia will fight Sept. 11 in Las Vegas. The specific site is still being negotiated but Top Rank promoter Bob Arum confirmed that the fight was all but made. Mayweather is 21-0 while Garcia, who pulled out of a fight with Derrick Gainer last week in Biloxi, is 32-0. Garcia's handlers walked away from a $400,000 payday in Biloxi when they didn't like the judges the IBF had assigned to the fight. ... The Las Vegas Hilton has taken a July 17 card promoted by Don King that will have IBF junior welterweight champ Terron Millett in the main event against No. 8 challenger Virgil McLendon. It will be the first defense for the 21-1-1 Millett, who defeated Vince Phillips for the title earlier this year. The Hilton got the card -- which may be of only marginal value -- as the result of a recent deal between its parent company, Park Place, and Don King Productions.
Local boxing judge Lou Tabat will make his 50th trip overseas to score a fight when he calls the June 27 clash in Tokyo between WBA junior lightweight champ Takanori Hatakeyama and Lakva Sim. ... Saying "I'll be right this time," local light heavyweight Derrick Harmon is anxious for a rematch with new NABF champion Greg Wright. Harmon, 16-1, lost to Wright at the New Frontier in April and hopes to get a rematch on a card scheduled for July 25 in Kansas City. ... The Cal-Neva in Reno cancelled a card it had scheduled for Saturday. ... The next local card is June 25 at The Orleans with light heavyweight Merqui Sosa pencilled in for the main event. ... Joe Bugner, 50, says he will end his 32-year career Sunday after facing trial horse Levi Billups in Australia. Bugner, who twice fought Muhammad Ali, is 68-13-1.
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