Dean Juipe's boxing notebook appears Thursday. His sports column appears Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. Reach him at [email protected] or 259-4084.
In spite of his 23-1 record, Lance Whitaker was never an especially impressive member of the heavyweight division.
But with a new manager, new trainer and new name, those around him expect to see a measurable difference.
Whitaker, a native of Los Angeles who recently moved to Las Vegas, has taken the first step toward legally changing his name to Goofi. Not Goofi Whitaker, but just Goofi.
That will take some getting used to, as will the image of Whitaker as a polished professional if it's to come about.
"I've seen a metamorphosis," his trainer, Phil Borgia, said during a Wednesday conference call designed to promote Whitaker's Saturday fight with Jameel McCline from the Jacob Javitz Center in New York. "He's a frightening human being when he steps into the ring. He's the total opposite of what he personifies outside the ring."
Whitaker and his new manager, Rock Newman, are building the fighter's image around his love of children. Toward that end, some 15 to 20 youngsters of varying backgrounds will accompany him as he makes his way toward the ring for a fight that will be televised by HBO.
"He's a good guy who likes to have fun and likes kids," Newman said. "He's a friend to everybody."
As for the name change, Newman seems to have encouraged it.
"It fits his personality," he said. "He wants to make other people happy and wants to be a role model for kids."
Whitaker's former manager and trainer, Dan and Joe Goossen, respectively, would question Newman's assessment in that Whitaker left them -- and the America Presents promotional firm that each was affiliated with until this fall -- on less-than-ideal terms.
But Whitaker and Newman say the fighter is better off for it.
"The commitment wasn't there," Whitaker said of America Presents. And as for his improvements in the ring, he says "Everything is sharper."
Newman expounds: "I see a distinct difference ... the utilization of his jab and shortening up of his punches ... now he has a solid two-sided attack ... and he has sharpened his ability to not get hit, which is very important in this division."
If McCline brings the firepower he showed in his last two fights, both stunning wins in Las Vegas, Whitaker's chin is certain to be tested. McCline, ranked No. 5 in the most recent Sun ratings, is 26-2-3 and coming off consecutive one-round wins over Michael Grant and King Ipitan.
McCline could put an end to this Goofi business in a hurry, although most prognosticators (outside of this office) believe Whitaker will win. Newman is sure that he will and goes on to predict that Whitaker ... er, Goofi, ... will be a world champion "perhaps 12 months from now and certainly within 18 months."
The HBO card also includes a companion heavyweight bout of some interest between David Izon, 27-3, and Fres Oquendo, 21-0.
The Cox Pavilion on the UNLV campus has landed the Acelino Freitas vs. Joel Casamayor junior lightweight title fight that's scheduled for Jan. 12. That card, which also includes local featherweight Augie Sanchez vs. Robbie Peden, initially appeared headed for Miami. ... The Nevada State Athletic Commission will finalize a penalty for boxer Zab Judah at a Friday afternoon meeting in Reno. Judah accosted referee Jay Nady and threw a chair in his direction following a Nov. 3 loss to fellow junior welterweight Kostya Tszyu at the MGM. ... Later that same day, heavyweight Oleg Maskaev (21-4) and David Vedder (21-19-5) tangle in the main event of a card at the Reno Hilton.
Mandatory IBF heavyweight challenger Chris Byrd told the Flint Journal he would accept "step-aside" money to allow champion Lennox Lewis to fight Mike Tyson. "I wouldn't want to interfere with a mega-fight like that," Byrd said of taking a buyout that could be as much as $500,000. But he also said "I want to fight Lewis. I'm the only one who deserves to fight him for the title. Tyson doesn't deserve it. I mean, who has he fought?" ... An Oscar De La Hoya vs. Fernando Vargas fight is being negotiated for May 4 in Las Vegas. ... Incarcerated former junior lightweight champion Diego Corrales of Sacramento has signed a contract with James Prince, who will manage and promote Corrales when he is released next year.
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