THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, April 12, 1996 TAG: 9604120748
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ED MILLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CUPECOY BAY, ST. MAARTEN LENGTH: Medium: 75 lines
Wilfredo Rivera ran into Pernell ``Sweetpea'' Whitaker in a hotel lobby Wednesday night, smiled and clasped his hand on Whitaker's shoulder.
If Whitaker's people are to be believed, it was the most aggressive move Rivera will make all week.
Rivera, who will try to take the World Boxing Council welterweight title from Whitaker tonight, is not known as an aggressive fighter. He's a counterpuncher who keeps his hands up.
Whitaker, of course, is no knockout artist either. He's a classic counterpuncher and is perhaps the most difficult man in boxing to hit.
Earlier in his career, when Whitaker was known for his backward jogs around the ring, this 6-mile-by-6-mile island might not have been big enough to accommodate these two. But look for Whitaker to be the aggressor tonight.
``With this guy, Pete has to make the fight,'' trainer Ronnie Shields said. ``Otherwise, no punches will be thrown. I hate that, because I like the other guy to make the fight.''
Shields may hate the method, but oddsmakers think he will like the result. Whitaker (37-1-1, 16 KOs) was an 8-1 favorite Thursday night.
Rivera, who is from Puerto Rico, is 23-0-1 and is the WBC's No. 1 contender. Still, he's virtually unknown. That's reflected in the purses the fighters will earn tonight. Whitaker will make about $2 million; Rivera, $185,000.
Whitaker doesn't look at film of his opponents and said he knows next to nothing about Rivera.
``He's been watching Geraldo Rivera,'' joked Mike Boorman, publicist for Main Events, Whitaker's promoter.
Whitaker does know that he's battling a cold, and he's in no mood to stay in the ring any longer than he has to.
``I'm going to try to get in and out of there as soon as possible,'' he said.
Whitaker also promised some of his patented ring showmanship.
``I've got a special move for St. Maarten. I'm just not going to say what it is yet,'' he said.
Showboating aside, Shields plans to have Whitaker jump on Rivera early, loading up on arm and body shots to bring the challenger's hands down.
``(Rivera) is a slow starter, but he comes on late,'' Shields said. ``We want to win the first five or six and put those rounds in the bank, then see what this guy's got.''
Rivera has a good left hand, but Shields has not seen Rivera fight a southpaw yet. Whitaker is a lefty who has fought three lefthanders in a row. Rivera is righthanded.
``The guy's looking to get lucky,'' Shields said. As is any long-shot challenger. But Rivera insists he'll make a fight of it.
``I want people to like the fight,'' Rivera said. ``I want it to be a good show.''
Rivera's trainer, Jose Bonilla, said his fighter is ``ready for anything.''
``If (Whitaker) comes to fight, it's better. If he comes to box, it's better,'' said Bonilla, who, like his fighter, speaks little English, but got by without an interpreter at Wednesday's press conference.
Rivera already appears to be having the time of his life, eating up the attention brought on by his title shot. He grinned and gave a thumbs-up to photographers, then shook some of their hands after they snapped his picture Thursday. He's said and done nothing to antagonize Whitaker, and there doesn't seem to be an ounce of bad blood between the fighters.
The only hint that this isn't all business came at Thursday's weigh-in. Several of Rivera's supporters shouted ``Viva Puerto Rico'' and taunted Lou Duva, Whitaker's co-manager.
Whitaker took exception. While posing for a picture with Rivera, he had words for the challenger's supporters.
``He's a good man,'' Whitaker said, turning to look at Rivera. ``You can pick him up afterward.'' by CNB