THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 2, 1994 TAG: 9410020214
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BOB MOLINARO
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 74 lines
Sometime in the 10th round, when he had seized control of Saturday night's title fight, Pernell ``Sweetpea'' Whitaker spun Buddy McGirt around in a neutral corner, peeked over the challenger's shoulder and shot a wink and a quick grin in the direction of McGirt's rooting section.
By then, McGirt was no longer the whirlwind of the first three rounds, and Whitaker was displaying his trademark ability to remain calm in the eye of the storm.
In the second round, McGirt clipped Whitaker with a right hand, knocking the champion on the seat of his pants.
Whitaker was more chagrined than hurt. Nobody could know it then, but McGirt was throwing everything he had at Whitaker. In the process, wearing himself out.
As he did against Julio Cesar Chavez, Sweetpea started slowly. As he did in San Antonio 13 months ago, Whitaker finished the much stronger man. In time, McGirt would take on the look of a loser. Left eye swollen. Blood running from his mouth.
McGirt pranced into the ring dressed in a purple robe. Written on the back were the words: ``2nd Time Around.''
There will be no third time for McGirt. He and Whitaker are the same age, 30. But beginning in the fourth round, McGirt began to look very old. And slow. And weary.
For Whitaker, this one was easier than the first McGirt fight in Madison Square Garden 19 months ago, when the loser was fighting with one arm.
It was at the end of the sixth round Saturday when Whitaker began to fully impose himself on McGirt. Sweetpea landed the final seven punches of the round, without a reply from his opponent.
By the final three rounds, Whitaker was on cruise control, toying with McGirt, who looked at times as if his legs wouldn't carry him across the ring.
And there was Whitaker, still strutting back to the corner after every round, his back arched, his head turned toward the McGirt rooters, looking like he could go another 12 rounds.
About 50 minutes before Whitaker and McGirt began what was perhaps the best sports attraction Hampton Roads has ever seen, the ring announcer - the ``Let's Get Ready to Rumble'' pretty boy - asked the crowd, ``So, would you like to be in a movie?''
Sounded good to the Scope patrons, who sat up straight and listened as the tuxedo in the middle of the ring explained that HBO needed crowd reaction shots as backdrop for a theatrical production it is doing on Mike Tyson.
``Well, then,'' boomed the tuxedo, ``make believe you're in the Atlantic City Convention Hall and Mike Tyson just knocked out Michael Spinks. Bam! Let's hear it.''
And the people cheered, and waved their arms, and stomped their feet as if it were the chariot scene from ``Ben Hur.''
``Now, ladies and gentlemen,'' said the tuxedo, ``you're in Las Vegas and Mike Tyson just knocked out Trevor Berbick to win his first heavyweight crown. Let's hear it.''
Wait a minute. You're in Las Vegas?
As Forrest Gump fans know, Hollywood can do almost anything with special effects. But imagine trying to pass off a group of Southeastern Virginians as a high-rolling Vegas crowd. I give up, which one of us was playing the part of Charo?
``OK,'' said the tuxedo, ``this time you're in Tokyo.''
Needless to say, the main event couldn't start soon enough for the restless patrons.
And when it was over, Whitaker jumped on the ropes and saluted the people who had come to Scope to cheer for him, waving to the people in the $20 seats at the top.
This fight was good business for Norfolk. For the champ, it was business as usual. by CNB