World Title on Line for Duarte vs. Vasquez

World Boxing Assn. bantamweight champion Wilfredo Vasquez of Puerto Rico has agreed to defend his title against Frankie Duarte on June 25, contingent upon Vasquez winning his next title defense against Kaokor Galaxy of Thailand.

Details concerning a site and broadcast rights for the Vasquez-Duarte bout have not been determined, according to Dan Goossen, Duarte’s manager. At this point, it appears that the fight will be telecast by CBS at the 950-seat Reseda Country Club.

By the time Duarte, 33, of Venice, steps into the ring against Vasquez, 26, he will have been inactive just two days short of a year. His most recent fight was at the Forum where he beat Albert Davila on a controversial 10th-round TKO to capture the North American Boxing Federation bantamweight title.

Duarte subsequently chose to relinquish that title, but still is ranked sixth by the WBA.

“We’ve been working on this since last June 28, the day after the Davila fight,” Goossen said. “That’s why we gave up the NABF title. We’ve had plenty of offers to defend it, but we always felt it was not the right move. The only logical move is a world title fight.”

Vasquez (27-3-2, 22 knockouts) won the WBA title last October in South Korea by scoring a 10th-round knockout over Chang Yung Park. He since has defended once, fighting to a draw in January against Takuya Muguruma in Japan.

It will be the second title fight for Duarte, who has a 42-7-1 record with 32 knockouts in a career that began in 1973. There was a much-chronicled interruption of nearly five years in that career while Duarte spent his time battling alcoholism and drug addiction.

In February 1987, he finally got his title shot but lost a 15-round decision to Barnardo Pinango, then the WBA champion, at the Forum.

FRANKIE DUARTE

Ring record since 1984

Date Opponent Result 5/30/84 Luis Hernandez W-KO 7/20 David Rojas W-KO 11/20 Carlos Conchola W-D 4/9/85 Richard Sandoval L-SD 9/24 Ron Cisneros W-TKO 10/29 Freddie Jackson Draw 1/28/86 Pedro Gonzales W-KO 3/17 Mike Moreno W-D 5/20 George Garcia W-TKO 7/10 Jesus Salud W-TKO 9/30 Jose Torres W-KO 2/3/87 Bernardo Pinango L-D 6/27 Albert Davila W-TKO

Overall record: 42-7-1, 32 knockouts.