THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, February 24, 1995 TAG: 9502240665
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE CARLSON, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Short : 35 lines
Pernell ``Sweetpea'' Whitaker will have a chance to do what many television viewers have wanted to do for years: Punch out Geraldo Rivera.
Whitaker will try to win his sixth world championship belt March 4 at the Atlantic City Convention Center Ballroom against Julio Cesar Vasquez. But first, the Virginia Beach boxer will climb into the ring Monday to spar three rounds with the talk-show host at the Broadcast Boxing Club in New York.
It's boxing hype at its best - or worst, depending on how you look at it. A film crew will record the sparring and feed the tape to television stations via satellite in an attempt to promote the real fight.
The Whitaker-Rivera stunt was dreamed up by publicist Mike Boorman of Main Events, which promotes Whitaker.
``New York is a tough town,'' Boorman said. ``We've got nine area professional teams. We need coverage.''
The real fight is for the World Boxing Association junior middleweight title Vasquez holds. It will be televised by HBO. Whitaker, who has been training at Wareing's Gym in Virginia Beach, will depart with his entourage Sunday. ILLUSTRATION: STAFF FILE
KRT PHOTO
by CNB