
                         THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
                 Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, June 25, 1994                    TAG: 9406250399 
SECTION: SPORTS                     PAGE: C8    EDITION: FINAL  
SOURCE: BY STEVE CARLSON, STAFF WRITER 
DATELINE: 940625                                 LENGTH: Medium

SWEETPEA WANTS TO FIGHT, BUT MUST WAIT FOR HBO

{LEAD} Pernell ``Sweetpea'' Whitaker is ready for action, but he's waiting for the lights and camera.

Home Box Office doesn't have a date available for a Whitaker bout, so the World Boxing Council welterweight champion is working out at Wareing's Gym in Virginia Beach and waiting to hear who he will fight and when. HBO will have a lot of say in that.

{REST} That's because in April, HBO signed Whitaker to a four-fight, $18 million deal, which promoter Dan Duva called ``the most lucrative TV agreement outside the heavyweight division.''

Whitaker is antsy for a fight. But 2 1/2 months after he defeated Santos Cardona at Scope, he's still waiting.

``I'm looking forward to something happening soon,'' said Bob Wareing, Whitaker's co-trainer/ conditioning coach. ``It would be nice to have somebody to get motivated for.''

Publicist Kathy Duva said there have been discussions about Whitaker fighting a tuneup that is not on TV and would garner fewer dollars for Whitaker. But Whitaker's stated desire is to fight only high-profile fights against challenging opponents.

``HBO is the broadcaster that has rights to his fights and they don't have any dates, so that's a problem,'' Kathy Duva said. ``And HBO paid a lot of money for his fights and they don't want him to fight for less money somewhere else.''

Things could begin to flush out next week. Buddy McGirt, the man Whitaker took the welterweight title from in 1993 and most likely Whitaker's next opponent, fights Kevin Pompey Tuesday in New Jersey. If McGirt wins, talks of Whitaker-McGirt II could heat up.

Kathy Duva said any champion in the 140- to 154-pound divisions is a potential Whitaker foe. The current world champions at 140 are Julio Cesar Chavez (WBC), Juan Coggi (WBA) and Jake Rodriguez (IBF). In addition to Whitaker, 147-pound champs are Ike Quartey (WBA) and Felix Trinidad (IBF). And at 154 the belt holders are Terry Norris (WBC), Julio Vazquez (WBA) and Gianfranco Rosi (IBF).

Kathy Duva said Whitaker's next bout probably will be scheduled for September or October.

``We're just curious who the hell they're going to get for us,'' Wareing said.

NOTES: Whitaker was presented the Distinguished Virginian Award at the Cavalier Hotel by the Virginia Association of Broadcasters Friday. Past winners include Sen. Harry F. Byrd, the Statler Brothers, Willard Scott, Bruce Hornsby and Larry King. ... Parade magazine is doing a profile of Whitaker, likely the cover story, that will run in August or September. ... Whitaker has had plenty of people from the Main Events stable to work out with recently at Wareing's Gym. ``It's been busy in the gym here,'' Wareing said. Eddie Hopson has been training for a Tuesday tuneup on the same card McGirt is fighting on. So is Arturo Gatti, who will fight for Pete Taliaferro's USBA junior lightweight title. Egerton Marcus, who is positioning for a light heavyweight title bout in the fall, has a bout July 23 against Ernie Magdelena. And heavyweight Alex Stewart is also training at Wareing's, prepping for an Aug. 23 fight against an opponent to be named later. by CNB