Chavez Faces Mayweather in His Television Debut

When Mort Sharnik first discussed the bout, Don King’s bull had a nice ring to it. Junior-lightweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez, possibly the best boxer nobody has seen, was going to defend his World Boxing Council title against Roger Mayweather, a former champion himself. A good matchup. But the best part, to Sharnik’s mind, was that King had located it in a Tijuana bullring. Sharnik, who makes all the fights for CBS-TV, was in love with the theatrical possibilities.

Sure, CBS wanted it.

But Sharnik and CBS soon lost the theater, if not the match.

“What I hear,” said Sharnik, a little disappointed, “King thought they were talking dollars when they were talking pesos.” Today’s fight quickly went to the Riviera in Las Vegas, where currency conversion is no problem.

It’s possible CBS wouldn’t have bought the fight had Sharnik known it would be held in a Las Vegas ballroom. All the same, there’s no panic over the presentation. Sharnik has been a fan of the undefeated Chavez for a while and has just been waiting for the right (read: English speaking) contender to showcase him.

“It’s American TV,” Sharnik said, “and if somebody doesn’t speak English, you have a hard time. So you need a strong American contender to get them in there. I introduced (Mexican) Salvador Sanchez to America but I had to wait for Danny Lopez to do it.”

This time Mayweather, himself a former junior lightweight champion, has been brought in to fill the bill. Mayweather, of Las Vegas, may view his role differently, however.

Though he had been stunned in the first round of his title defense last year by Rocky Lockridge and appeared to have suffered damage to parts of his head other than just his jaw, he is certainly on the comeback. After the Lockridge fight he met Tony Baltazar and pussy-footed for 10 rounds to lose a close decision. But he’s regained his confidence and has won twice since then and has climbed back to No. 3 in the rankings.

Still, this fight is all about Chavez.

“He’s a handsome kid with a certain marvelous confidence,” Sharnik said. “But subdued. So persistent and implacable. He just keeps coming.”

It’s just too bad about that bull ring.

Attn. Guinness: Promoter Don Fraser, who may have used a gimmick or two in his time, has landed the Weaver triplets for his next show at the Irvine Marriott. The triplets, younger brothers of former heavyweight champion Mike Weaver, are Floyd, Lloyd and Troy, and they are identical in all respects except that brother Floyd has already made his pro debut.

Fraser is the promoter who once gave us, among other things, the first California bout between women, way back in 1976. Is this, too, a first? “I’m saying it is,” said Fraser. “Let somebody prove different.”

Boxing Notes Later this month, CBS-TV will show a Milton McCrory welterweight defense and a Gene Hatcher junior welterweight defense. . . . Don Fraser’s Irvine Marriott gold mine opens again July 22 with his biggest name yet, Sean Mannion, who lost a decision to junior middleweight champion Mike McCallum. Mannion will be put in with Anaheim’s Bert Lee. . . . The Boxing Hall of Fame will induct former champions Ruben Olivares, Kid Chocolate, Kid Gavilan, Floyd Patterson and Gene Fullmer at its sixth annual meeting in Los Angeles, Oct. 26. Also to be honored are Gil Clancy, boxing writer Jack Fiske and Jackie McCoy.