THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Thursday, January 5, 1995              TAG: 9501050554
SECTION: SPORTS                   PAGE: C8   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: BY LEE TOLLIVER, STAFF WRITER 
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH                     LENGTH: Short :   46 lines

RUPA TAKES 1ST STEP IN POST-DUVA CAREER WHITAKER'S FORMER SPARRING PARTNER IS GOING IT ALONE.

Welterweight Nick Rupa shared many a common denominator with world champion Pernell ``Sweatpea'' Whitaker during his stay in Lou Duva's boxing stable.

They shared a ring at Wareing's Gym, a trainer in George Benton and, most of all, frustration from not fighting often enough.

``I feel the same way (as Whitaker did), that's why I'm not with (Duva) anymore,'' said Rupa, who returns to the ring Friday at the Pavilion for his first fight in nine months.

``I want to fight every month or so to keep in it. I wasn't fighting very much at all, and when (Duva) came up with a fight for me, it was often with only a couple of weeks' notice. Hey, I realize Sweatpea is the man there, but I just wasn't getting enough work.''

So Rupa, a 29-year-old native of Trinidad who grew up in Canada, left Duva's Main Events and struck out on his own. He left, he said, without any animosity and still works out at Wareing's, where Whitaker is a fixture.

``Nick is a good kid,'' Duva said. ``On any given night, he can fit in with anybody that's out there. He's not the biggest puncher, but he's got a heart as big as his whole body.

``I think a lot of the kid, and hopefully he can put it all together.''

``I'm just real happy to be fighting again,'' said Rupa, who is scheduled to put his 21-3-1 record on the line against Levon Rouse in an eight-rounder.

After an extensive amateur career that included a loss in the finals of the Canadian Olympic trials, Rupa turned pro in 1989. He hooked up with Duva a year later and said he owes much to the Main Events organization. But his only concern now is to have a good showing Friday and line up another fight as soon as possible.

``I'd like some sort of U.S. (Boxing Association) title shot in the spring and something bigger soon down the road,'' he said. ``Just so long as I'm fighting.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo by MORT FRYMAN, Staff

``I want to fight every month or so,'' says Nick Rupa, 29, who left

Lou Duva's stable, complaining of a lack of activity.

by CNB