THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, April 20, 1995 TAG: 9504200619
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE CARLSON, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 64 lines
In preparation for the biggest fight of his professional career, Julian Wheeler has been living in the gym. Literally.
Wheeler, a 1992 Olympian and former Navy boxer, has continued to call Virginia Beach home since he got out of the service in 1993. But in six weeks of training for Friday's fight on ESPN (approximately 9:30 p.m.), Wheeler has lived with his trainer in a two-bedroom apartment behind a gym.
``All we do is eat, sleep and boxing,'' said trainer Freddie Roach.
Roach owns the gym, Outlaw Boxing Club, located amidst the glitz of Hollywood Boulevard. Among his clients are movie stars John Travolta and Christian Slater. That's heady company for Wheeler, a native of Lawtell, La., a backroads burg of 900 people.
``It's a big jump,'' Wheeler said.
A big professional jump is what Wheeler (11-0, five knockouts) is hoping for Friday. He'll meet Roberto Garcia (20-0, 16 KOs) for the vacant North American Boxing Federation junior lightweight title at Arizona Charlie's casino in Las Vegas.
It's Wheeler's first scheduled 12-rounder, and his shot at bigger and better things.
``When you win a North American title belt, that puts you in good position to be ranked in the top 10 in the world, and we'll just go from there,'' Roach said.
Wheeler, who will be 24 Saturday, has been on an upwardly mobile career path since he changed managers last August. After being dissatisfied with his first manager's failure to get him fights and advance his career, Wheeler has fought almost once a month since the change. This will be his third televised bout, his second appearance on ESPN.
``They've got me the right fights, especially this one here, fighting for the NABF (title),'' Wheeler said. ``And they're getting me a lot of TV exposure.''
Garcia is a stablemate of Wheeler's Olympic teammate Oscar De La Hoya, a gold medalist and the most heralded of the 1992 Olympians. Wheeler, a traditional boxer, is preparing for a physical fight with Garcia, a banger.
``There's nothing special about him,'' Wheeler said of Garcia. ``He's 20-0, but I don't see where that's any big deal.''
Wheeler will earn his biggest payday Friday. The fight originally was signed for $3,000 and at 128 pounds, Wheeler manager Barrett Silver said. But when the NABF 130-pound title was vacated, Wheeler-Garcia was elevated to a title fight.
Silver said Wheeler's payday will exceed $3,000, although he did not know by how much.
``This fight is extremely important to him,'' Silver said. ``In boxing, there are plateaus and levels. We would like to get to what would be considered a ranking level or championship level. This is a way of measuring where we are in the overall scheme of things.
``It's the moment of truth for Julian. It's like studying for a final exam. It's not graduation.'' ILLUSTRATION: Friday's fight will be the first 12-rounder for Virginia Beach's
Julian Wheeler.
by CNB