THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, September 28, 1994 TAG: 9409280576
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE CARLSON, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 92 lines
Virginia boxing commissioner Doug Beavers is breaking from procedure to prevent the perception of impropriety when Pernell ``Sweetpea'' Whitaker fights James ``Buddy'' McGirt.
Beavers has appointed retired Hialeah, Fla., policeman Bill Connors to referee Saturday's World Boxing Council welterweight title fight at Scope. Connors, 57, said he has been a referee since 1965 and worked about 10 world title fights.
``I'd say this is probably the biggest championship fight I've ever worked,'' Connors said.
In the past, Beavers has always assigned Al Rothenberg of Virginia Beach or Chris Wollesen of Portsmouth to work major fights in Virginia, and has a policy of using only Virginia referees for big fights.
``This fight is significant enough that I don't want either camp to be concerned about the choosing of officials,'' Beavers said. ``I made an exception this time so both fighters can concentrate on the fight and not the political shenanigans.''
The judges are selected by the sanctioning body, which in this case is the WBC. Two of the judges, Nevada's Chuck Giampa and Californian Rudy Ortega, worked the last Whitaker-McGirt fight in March 1993. The third judge will be Steve Weisfeld of New Jersey.
Beavers said it will be the first time a world title bout in Virginia was not refereed by a Virginia official, which has created controversy at times with Whitaker hailing from Norfolk. Beavers, the boxing commissioner since 1981, said he made the decision Monday after mulling it over for almost two weeks.
In 1991, Whitaker defended his lightweight world title against Poli Diaz at Scope with Rothenberg as the ref and two of the three judges at ringside from Virginia. Home Box Office announcers Jim Lampley and George Foreman implied that night Diaz couldn't win with what Lampley called ``Norfolk, Va., judges.''
When Whitaker defended his welterweight title in the spring at Scope against Santos Cardona, Rothenberg - who has known Whitaker since the fighter was a boy - was the third man in the ring again, and one of the judges was Jim Traylor of Virginia Beach.
``We've never had hometown decisions here in Virginia,'' Beavers said. ``I feel more comfortable with Virginia officials. They work for me, and they've been trained by myself and Rothenberg.
``If the referee doesn't perform correctly, you not only can get a wrong decision, you can get somebody killed. That's why I normally don't give up the referee.''
McGirt manager/trainer Al Certo contended all along that his side would walk if a Virginia referee or judges were assigned to the fight.
``I'm satisfied,'' Certo said of the officials. ``But believe me, Buddy ain't going to leave it up to those guys.''
Beavers said the change of heart to choose someone other than a Virginian as ref was his decision.
``I want to make sure the perception is they've got an even board going in,'' Beavers said.
Kathy Duva, a publicist for Main Events, Whitaker's promotional firm, said there were no New York officials when Whitaker fought on McGirt's home turf 19 months ago at Madison Square Garden.
``I suppose it's fair to have the same situation here,'' Duva said.
TICKET UPDATE: Mike Boorman of Main Events said as of Monday, 5,200 tickets for Saturday's fight had been sold and another 1,200 have been given out as comps. He said the gross is already almost $25,000 beyond the nearly $200,000 netted by Whitaker's fight at Scope in April against Cardona.
``It's the best Scope show we've ever had,'' Boorman said. ``If we don't sell out, we're not going to be that far away.''
Boorman said the arena capacity will be 10,500. The $100 ringside seats and all but a few $50 seats have sold out.
The largest crowd ever for a live boxing event in Virginia is the 8,365 fans Whitaker drew in his professional debut at Scope in 1985, a record that could fall Saturday. ILLUSTRATION: FIGHT FACTS
Who: Pernell ``Sweetpea'' Whitaker (33-1-1, 15 knockouts) vs.
James ``Buddy'' McGirt (64-3-1, 44 knockouts) in a 12-round
championship bout
When: Saturday about 10:30 p.m.; first bout is at 7:30.
Where: Scope.
At stake: Whitaker's World Boxing Council welterweight title
belt. McGirt is the WBC's top-ranked challenger.
Tickets: Available at Scope box office, Wareing's Gym and all
TicketMaster outlets for $50, $30 and $20 ($100 ringside seats are
sold out).
TV: HBO.
Radio: WGH, AM-1310.
by CNB