Thursday, April 18, 2002 | 8:53 a.m.
Dean Juipe's column appears Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. His boxing notebook appears Thursday. Reach him at [email protected] or (702) 259-4084.
Boxing fans in the United States are reliant on television to provide a look at one of the sport's supposed stars, Joe Calzaghe.
A native of Wales who has fought exclusively in that part of the world, Calzaghe is a super middleweight with a 32-0 record and a vaunted punch. He's headlining a card from Cardiff to be televised by the Showtime cable network Saturday, with ex-champ Charles Brewer in the role of opponent.
"We've spoke of fighting in the United States for the last 16 months," Calzaghe said during a conference call this week. "One day, hopefully, if the money is right, I'll come over and fight."
With Calzaghe arguably reluctant to leave home -- he was once scheduled on a Top Rank card in Las Vegas but the fight fell through -- it's up to men like Brewer to meet him on his home ground.
"I've been there and done that," Brewer said of going on the road. "I've been in this position quite a few times and I know what to expect.
"If I had any bargaining power, the fight wouldn't be where it is."
Brewer is 37-8 and feels he was victimized by a pair of close decision losses to IBF champ Sven Ottke in Germany, as well as a third-round stoppage loss at the hands of Antwun Echols. He's obviously coming into this fight looking for vindication.
"I have a diverse experience," Brewer said. "I've had to deal with adversity. I know what it's like to win a fight and not get the decision."
But he also admits he may not have gotten this fight if it weren't for the impression that he may be over the hill.
"The door of opportunity opened up to me with a loss," he said. "(But) the label of an 'opponent' goes over my head. I'm a world-class contender."
Calzaghe agreed.
"I think Brewer is a tougher fight than the other three champions," he said, referring to Ottke, the WBA's Byron Mitchell and the WBC's Eric Lucas. "He's a good fighter. I've watched him and I have a lot of respect for him."
Calzaghe, who owns the lesser World Boxing Organization title at 168 pounds and has notable wins over Chris Eubanks and Omar Sheika, said he has given up trying to unify the belts.
"Too much politics," he said. "We looked into it for four years but there's always stumbling blocks."
He has also dismissed the possibility of meeting light heavyweight champion Roy Jones Jr., which once was the focal point of entire magazine pieces related to Calzaghe.
So he takes what's available and has to be happy to have an American TV network interested in promoting his career.
"I'm a very hungry fighter and nothing goes to my head," Calzaghe said. "I never look too far ahead."
That approach has him concentrating on the task at hand.
"I'm going to fight fire with fire," he said. "Brewer is known as a banger and he can box, too. He's one of the best couple of fighters at my weight.
"But I'm a fast starter myself and I've never been down. I've proven I can take a shot ... and be sharp ... and not get caught. I think the guy who takes the shot better will win, because it's inevitable that we're both going to get hit."
Calzaghe looks for a rugged bout because he feels Brewer will give it his all.
"He's got nothing to lose," Calzaghe said. "He's under no illusion: He knows it's going to be a tough fight. And I've got the pressure of fighting at home."
Mitchum, who trained and lived in Las Vegas for several years, is 19-4-1 with eight KOs.
Also scheduled: Jesse Feliciano, 3-1, vs. Domingo DelAngel, 4-3, six rounds, junior welterweights; Alex Velardez, 2-0, vs. Rodolpho Macias, pro debut, four rounds, lightweights; Lonnie Nelms, 0-1, vs. Jamal Hodges, 1-5, four rounds, featherweights; and Marco Aruaz, 3-3, vs. Adam Gonzalez, 8-7, four rounds, junior lightweights.
Johnston, 29, is 33-2-1 and has posted three wins since a loss and a draw to Castillo in 2000.
Gonzalez, 28, is 48-4-1 and has not been beaten since a 1996 knockout loss at the hands of Luisito Espinosa. Included in that 12-fight run is a decision win over current IBF junior lightweight champ Steve Forbes.
Also scheduled: Kelly Pavlik, 12-0, vs. Wendell Hall, 19-8, eight rounds, middleweights; Cristian Bejarano, 6-0, vs. Ruben Galvin, 12-1-2, six rounds, junior welterweights; Anthony Bartinelli, 15-5-1, vs. Larry Banks, 10-6, six rounds, middleweights; and a women's four-round flyweight fight between Elena Reid, 6-1-2, and Luz Rodriguez, 1-2-1.
Vic Drakulich of Reno was named to referee the Mayweather vs. Castillo fight, with Jerry Roth (Las Vegas), John Keane (England) and Anek Hongtongkongkam (Thailand) serving as judges.
A Bones Adams vs. Manny Pacquaio fight is being discussed. Pacquaio, of the Philippines, is the IBF super bantamweight champion, while Adams is a Las Vegan coming off a pair of tough losses to Paulie Ayala. ... Wayne McCullough is considering but hasn't yet signed a contract from promoter Frank Warren of Great Britain. Included in the deal would be a June 1 fight in England on a card featuring junior welterweight Ricky Hatton. "I'm just looking for the best path for me," said McCullough, a Las Vegan and former WBC bantamweight champion who fought for America Presents until that company went under last month. The latter firm still owes McCullough $10,000, prompting the fighter to say "I can't complain with how I was treated by them and I still haven't given up hope of getting the $10,000."
archive
