THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, March 4, 1995 TAG: 9503040539
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE CARLSON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. LENGTH: Medium: 94 lines
Pernell ``Sweetpea'' Whitaker stood up beside Julio Cesar Vasquez at a press conference Thursday. Whitaker looked at Vasquez, looked back at the media and sneered: ``You all had this guy about 6-foot-8.''
Whitaker was exaggerating. But then so were Whitaker's promoters - not the media - who claimed Vasquez would have a 5-inch height and 9-inch reach advantage in their World Boxing Association junior middleweight bout tonight at about 10:15 at the Atlantic City Convention Center (HBO). Vasquez said he is 5-9, three inches taller than Whitaker, and probably has about a 4- or 5-inch reach advantage.
Vasquez's most dramatic size advantage is his head. It's enormous, and shaped like a cinder block. His cheeks are so puffy it looks like he's got golf balls in his mouth.
Otherwise, he's only moderately larger than Whitaker.
``I don't think size is going to make a difference in this fight,'' Whitaker said.
Vasquez knows how to fight. He's 52-1 and the world champion at 154 pounds, which is almost 20 pounds heavier than the lightweight division in which Whitaker competed his first seven years as a pro. Whitaker is moving up from 147 pounds for this bout. Both weighed 153 3/4 Friday, 30 hours before the opening bell. Whitaker's camp figures Vasquez, a bigger man than Whitaker, could be several pounds heavier when they step into the ring.
Vasquez has defended his title 10 times since he won it from Hitoshi Kamiyama just 26 months ago. Heavy handed, Vasquez has 35 career knockouts.
``He may miss you with nine punches and knock you dead with the 10th,'' Whitaker co-manager Lou Duva said.
But Vasquez has heavy feet, too. He's a plodder with all the grace and subtlety of a bull.
Whitaker said he will use movement and angles, turning his opponent and never staying right in front of Vasquez long enough to give the Argentinian time to load up.
The plan is to box Vasquez in the center of the ring and score with jabs and counter punches.
``I'm not going to be far from him,'' Whitaker said.
Ronnie Shields, who will make his debut as Whitaker's head trainer tonight, said ``Vasquez is not a quick fighter, but he's very strong. Nobody who ever walks right in on Pete will ever beat him. The only shot he's got is to catch Pete off guard.''
So here's the big challenge for Whitaker, in a bout in which he is supposedly pushing the limits a bit - don't get blase and caught with a big shot.
There were many times in recent years where that was the only worrisome thing for Whitaker's camp, and he handled the likes of Azumah Nelson, Poli Diaz, Rafael Pineda and Santos Cardona with relative ease.
Las Vegas oddsmakers expect he'll do the same tonight. Whitaker is a 6-1 favorite.
``He's just an average, basic fighter,'' Whitaker said.
``You have to have a little more than that going for you against me.''
Regardless of what happens, Whitaker will drop back down to welterweight to defend his World Boxing Council 147-pound title.
A victory over Vasquez would give Whitaker his sixth world title in a fourth weight division.
Although such records are sketchy, it is believed that no fighter has ever won more than six world titles.
According to Boxing Illustrated editor Bert Sugar, Thomas Hearns won world titles in six different weight classes, which is a more impressive feat.
Vasquez is fighting in the U.S. for only the third time in his nine-year professional career. He will make about $500,000, while the challenger Whitaker will rake in three times that.
``This will be the most important fight of my career,'' Vasquez said through an interpreter. ILLUSTRATION: TEDDY B. BLACKBURN
Sweetpea Whitaker: Opponent is "average, basic fighter."
FIGHT FACTS
WHO: Pernell ``Sweetpea'' Whitaker (34-1-1) vs. Julio Cesar
Vasquez (52-1).
AT STAKE: Scheduled 12 rounds for Vasquez's World Boxing
Association junior middleweight (154-pound) championship.
WHEN & WHERE: About 10:15 tonight, Atlantic City Convention
Center ballroom.
TV: HBO
RADIO: WGH, AM-1310
Julio Cesar Vasquez's height, reach edge was exaggerated.
Chart
[For a copy of the chart, see microfilm for this date.]
by CNB