THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT  
              Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Wednesday, January 31, 1996            TAG: 9601310403
SECTION: SPORTS                   PAGE: C1   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS 
DATELINE: NEW YORK                           LENGTH: Short :   49 lines

SWEETPEA PROMOTER DAN DUVA DIES OF CANCER HE SIGNED WHITAKER, HOLYFIELD, 3 OTHERS AFTER 1984 OLYMPICS

Dan Duva, a major boxing promoter whose fighters included Virginia Beach's Pernell ``Sweetpea'' Whitaker, died Tuesday following a lengthy battle with cancer. He was 44.

Duva had been admitted to Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in New York on Sunday suffering from complications related to his illness.

As the head of Main Events, a family enterprise, Duva promoted or co-promoted more than 100 world championship bouts, including 12 heavyweight title fights that accounted for more than $300 million in gross revenue.

Duva was one of boxing's dominant promoters, along with Bob Arum and Don King. Those who have fought under the Main Events banner include Whitaker, Evander Holyfield, Sugar Ray Leonard, Tommy Hearns and Lennox Lewis.

``Dan was a great promoter, but more importantly, he was a great friend,'' Whitaker said in a news release Tuesday. ``He was not only an important part of my career, but an invaluable part of my life. I will miss him terribly.''

Dino Duva, Dan's younger brother, has been Main Events' chief for the past year. Dan's father, Lou, has long worked with Main Events fighters as a manager and trainer.

Dan Duva founded Main Events as a small family business and began making his mark in boxing in the late 1970s by showcasing fighters who at the time were relatively unknown.

Main Events was involved in world title fights in the late 1970s, but it wasn't until 1981 that Duva moved his organization into the big time with the promotion of the Leonard-Hearns fight for the undisputed welterweight championship. It grossed nearly $40 million.

After the 1984 Olympics at Los Angeles, Duva signed medalists Holyfield, Whitaker, Meldrick Taylor, Mark Breland and Tyrell Biggs, helping to establish Main Events as a premier promoter.

Survivors, in addition to his father and brother, include his wife, Katherine, daughters Lisa and Nicole, son Bryan and sisters Donna Brooks, Denise MacPhail and Deanne Boorman. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo

Dan Duva's Main Events promoted more than 100 championship bouts.

by CNB