THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, July 24, 1996 TAG: 9607240583
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JAMES C. BLACK, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE LENGTH: 70 lines
CHESAPEAKE - Greg Page came to the pre-fight weigh-in ready for business.
He shed the multi-colored polo shirt, navy Michigan shorts and black Nike cap and stepped onto the scale. He flexed his biceps as the needle registered 244 pounds.
Page stepped off the scale and back into his attire, completing his standard weigh-in procedure. It lacked the fanfare that used to accompany a Page trip to the scales for a heavyweight bout.
Page, a former World Boxing Association champion, is far removed from the casino boxing rings of Las Vegas and Atlantic City. Page, 37, is on the comeback trail, and Tuesday night the trail led to Blakely's Restaurant & Lounge in Chesapeake.
Page knocked out Frank Hines just 1:06 into the first round. The comeback started two months ago in Portsmouth, where Page also scored a first-round KO.
Page, who lives in Las Vegas, also spends time in Martinsville, where he helps train fighters.
``I bounce back and forth,'' Page said of his time between Virginia and Nevada. ``It's a very good facility in Martinsville. There's nothing for the guys to get into.''
Except the ring - a place Page found he could not stay away from.
Page won the WBA title with an eighth-round knockout of Gerrie Coetzee in 1984. But his reign was brief: He lost a 15-round decision to Tony Tubbs in his next fight five months later.
After suffering a technical knockout to Bruce Seldon three years ago, Page retired. Since then, he has spent time instructing. Working with Jimmy Adams Management, Inc., Page has helped train Oliver McCall, Michael Nunn and Tony Tucker.
Like any trainer, Page concentrates on the basics: running, conditioning and techniques. He also has a strong emphasis on discipline.
``It's hard work and you can't take anyone for granted,'' Page said.
More importantly, young fighters must be prepared to listen and accept criticism.
``I was headstrong when I first got with Greg,'' said Tiwon Taylor, 22, who was scheduled for a four-round bout Tuesday evening. ``He told me to relax. He brought me out of that.''
When Page hit the professional boxing scene in 1979, he was compared by some to Muhammad Ali. The similarities were many: Both men are 6-foot-3, both did a lot of bouncing around in the ring, both were born in Louisville, Ky., and both attended Central High School.
But even though Page would eventually win a belt, he knew the comparison was too much.
``It was a privilege but you can't be compared with him,'' Page said days after Ali lit the torch during the opening ceremonies for the Atlanta Olympics.
Page, like Ali and so many other boxers, found it impossible to accept retirement and now has the desire to pursue another title.
``When Mike Tyson fought Buster Mathis (Jr.), I said to myself, `Look at this,' '' Page said, unimpressed with Tyson's third-round TKO in December.
Page began the comeback with a first round knockout of Robert Jackson Jr. in May at the Portsmouth Elks Lodge. He followed that performance with two more first-round knockouts to improve to 41-12 with 33 KOs.
``I am better off now than I was then,'' said Page. ``I know the whole aspect of boxing.''
However, Page says chasing another title will not be a long endeavor. He figures to box for two years and then settle down with his wife and three daughters in Nevada. That's until the competitive juices call him back to the ring to train.
``Most likely, I will be back in the gym with some more guys,'' Page said. ``You say you're not going to do it, but you can't sit still.'' ILLUSTRATION: L. TODD SPENCER photo
Former heavyweight champion Greg Page is on the comeback trail,
which went through Chesapeake Tuesday night. by CNB