Nunn Steps Up the Competition Against Mexican Champ

For months Dan Goossen, manager of Ten Goose Boxing, has been searching for a credible opponent for his promising middleweight, Michael Nunn.

Credible in this case meaning one who would throw a few punches.

Nunn knocked out his first seven professional opponents. The longest of those fights ended in the fourth round. On two occasions he almost recorded a rare shutout--his opponents managing to throw just one punch.

For that reason, worthy opponents weren’t standing in line for the right to face the former Olympic alternate.

Three weeks ago, Goossen went public with his frustration. In a story in The Times, Goossen said, “He’s destroying people and no one wants any part of him.”

A day later, Nunn was scheduled to fight a champion--albeit the champion of Mexico.

Marcos Geraldo, the Mexican lightweight champion, is no Sugar Ray Leonard, Marvin Hagler or Tommy Hearns, but he has fought them. And Tuesday night at the Country Club in Reseda he stepped into the ring for a non-title engagement with the eager Nunn.

He lost a 10-round decision to Leonard in May, 1979, lost another 10-round decision to Hagler a year later, and was knocked out by Hearns in the first round in February, 1982.

He is 31, a grizzled veteran, and a fighter with more than 60 pro fights, more than 40 of which were won by knockout.

“This is a scary fight,” Goossen said, “but I want Michael to fight someone (good) so the boxing fans around here can see just how good he is.”

Goossen said almost the same thing before Nunn’s previous fight against James Waire, another veteran.

Waire was more than beaten by the time Nunn was through. He knocked Waire down three times in the first two rounds before referee Lou Filippo stopped the fight 2:31 into the third round.

Said Goossen: “I was wondering when (Waire) was going to start fighting back. He never did.”

Geraldo is expected to put up more of a fight.

In March, Geraldo fought to a technical draw against Prince Mohammed, the World Boxing Council’s No. 2-ranked cruiserweight.

Nunn, 22, has not fought a ranked opponent, but he says his experience against topnotch amateurs more than makes up for his limited number of fights as a pro.

“He’s tough and he’s experienced,” Nunn said. “But I saw him fight against Leonard, Hearns and Hagler. He didn’t impress me.”

Said Goossen: “This is the chance we’ve been waiting for. People have been telling me I’m pushing him too fast, but I wouldn’t match him against someone I didn’t think he could beat. And I think he could beat everyone at his level of development.”

In Tuesday night’s preliminary fights, light heavyweight Mike Lynch of Ten Goose made a successful debut, knocking out Mando Martinez of Los Angeles at 2:58 of the second round.

Larry Ponce of La Puente was not as successful in his professional debut as a welterweight. Al Mack (2-0) of Los Angeles won by knockout at 2:26 of the first round.

In a junior lightweight bout, Lamont Baker of Las Vegas won a four-round split decision over Gene Salazar of Bakersfield.

In a bantamweight matchup, Manny Olivas of Ten Goose improved his record to 4-1 with a split decision over Juan Hernandez of East Los Angeles.