Top Rank Puts Its Money on Michael Nunn

Promoter Bob Arum has signed middleweight Michael Nunn to a two-year contract worth more than $250,000.

The deal calls for Nunn to fight at least six times in each of the next two years for Arum, one of boxing’s top two promoters. Nunn’s North Hollywood manager, Dan Goossen, retains the right to stage additional Nunn fights over the same period.

“This puts us in an excellent situation,” Goossen said. “This means that Bob Arum sees the talent that we see in Michael Nunn, and it means that he is willing to invest in Michael to see him get to the top. Arum has shown in the past that he is able to deliver championship opportunities for his fighters.”

Nunn has won all 11 of his professional fights, the first eight by knockout, after amassing a 168-8 mark as an amateur. The 22-year-old Nunn was an alternate on the 1984 U. S. Olympic boxing team.

“He is a worthy prospect,” said Mel Greb, a matchmaker for Arum’s organization, Top Rank Inc. “We think he is worthwhile and we’ll find out soon.

“He is going to be jumped up to TV 10-rounders real fast. This is not like the old days where a guy fought 40 to 50 times before he got a championship fight. Those guys were burned out by the time they got a shot at the title.

“Everything is hurried up today. A guy has to be ready when his opportunity comes.”

Nunn’s opportunity for a title shot, according to the Top Rank people, should come within the next two years.

His 1986 calendar is already starting to fill up after a busy 1985 in which he fought 10 times.

After breezing through his first nine opponents, Nunn struggled a bit for the first time against tough Jorge Amparo last month in Las Vegas, noticeably tiring at the close of their eight-round fight. Nunn still managed to win a unanimous decision. And in his last fight a week ago, he went 10 rounds for the first time against Billy Robertson and passed that test without a hitch as Robertson failed to win a single one of those rounds.

Nunn is tentatively set to open the new year in a non-Arum fight at Reseda’s Country Club on Jan. 28. On March 9, he will fight on a nationally-televised card at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas.

Should middleweight champion Marvin Hagler and top contender Thomas Hearns--both Arum fighters--meet in a planned rematch next June, Nunn may be in the semi-main event. And there is a possible fight back in his home state of Iowa next fall.

Nunn left Iowa last year to lace on his gloves for Ten Goose Boxing of North Hollywood, the organization that has guided his brief professional career.

“From here on, we see him fighting top-20 fighters,” Greb said, “people like Mike Tinley of Camden, New Jersey, Iran Barkley of New York and Doug DeWitt of Yonkers.

“We think he can handle it. He’s an eager beaver with a deft right jab. He seems to have more power than he has shown so far. I still don’t think he is completely confident of what he has to offer. We think he has plenty to offer in hand speed and power.”