THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, August 26, 1995 TAG: 9508260501
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE CARLSON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. LENGTH: Medium: 83 lines
In March, Pernell ``Sweetpea'' Whitaker watched Gary Jacobs work out and was appalled by his mediocrity.
``It's embarrassing for me to step in the ring with him,'' Whitaker said at the time.
Now, Whitaker must avoid being embarrassed when he steps out of the ring tonight (10 p.m., HBO) at the Atlantic City Convention Center.
Anything less than a dominating victory by Whitaker over the Scot would be reason for sheepishness. After all, Whitaker is one of only four men to win world titles in four weight classes. The others are Sugar Ray Leonard, Roberto Duran and Thomas Hearns.
Gary Jacobs doesn't fit in that group. A struggle or even a loss to such a no-name would be a black mark for Whitaker.
It's not likely. Las Vegas oddsmakers are not posting odds on the fight because it's projected to be so lopsided.
History is on Whitaker's side as well. This will be the 17th world title fight of his career. According to research done by the company that promotes him, Main Events, in the previous 16 Whitaker has:
A 14-1-1 record, with the ``1-1'' part requiring an asterisk because of two highly questionable decisions (loss to Jose Luis Ramirez; draw with Julio Cesar Chavez);
Won 143 of 172 rounds (83 percent) on scorecards;
Faced opponents who, at the time they fought Whitaker, had a combined record of 743-48-11 (94 percent winning percentage);
Met nine world champions and four No. 1 contenders.
Into this elite company comes Jacobs for his first world title bout. He is the No. 1 contender for Whitaker's World Boxing Council welterweight title and does have a decent record (41-5). But his Scotland, British and European titles don't exactly have Whitaker's camp cowering.
Jacobs' handlers, meanwhile, are kowtowing.
``Pernell Whitaker probably doesn't have a bigger fan than me,'' Jacobs' veteran manager Mickey Duff said. ``He's the best fighter I've seen in my lifetime perhaps, certainly the best boxer.
``But win or lose, Gary Jacobs is going to acquit himself as a great fighter. Anyone who thinks this is a one-sided fight doesn't know what they're talking about.''
All bluster aside, Jacobs said he knows the only way he can win is to stop Whitaker (35-1-1), who has only been knocked down four times in 37 fights and was only seriously hurt once - by Roger Mayweather in 1987.
Jacobs is a straight-ahead, all-pressure-no-finesse southpaw who is always in good shape but doesn't pack much power.
It should be an easy night's work for Whitaker, who has only had two knockouts in 16 title fights. The last one was in August 1990 against Juan Nazario, the bout in which Whitaker unified the lightweight division.
``You'll see (Whitaker) slipping a lot of punches and using a lot of defense in this fight,'' Whitaker trainer Ronnie Shields said. ``And you'll see him move a little more than in the last two fights. The guy he's fighting, he comes straight at you. You can't miss him.''
Shields' primary concern is that Whitaker fights on the outside to avoid getting head-butted. He wants Whitaker to rattle off five- and six-punch combinations and get back outside and use his precision jab.
``Jacobs only fights one way, it's the only way he knows how to fight,'' Shields said. ``He comes right at you and tries to brawl you. I want Pete to frustrate the guy early in the fight.''
Whitaker's purse will be between $1 million and $1.5 million tonight, depending on gate receipts and overseas television revenues. Jacobs will make $125,000, the biggest payday of his 10-year career. ILLUSTRATION: BILL TIERNAN/Staff file
This is Pernell Whitaker's 17th world title fight of his career. The
Norfolk boxer has a 14-1-1 record.
VANDYSTAT/ALLSPORT PHOTO
[Color Photo]
Even though challenger Gary Jacobs has a decent record, oddsmakers
aren't touching this bout.
TALE OF THE TAPE
FIGHT FACTS
[For a copy of the graphics, see microfilm for this date.]
by CNB