Nunn Evens an Old Score by Making Off With Tate's IBF Middleweight Crown

Nunn Evens an Old Score by Making Off With Tate’s IBF Middleweight Crown

By STEVE SPRINGER

July 29, 1988 12 AM PT

<i> Times Staff Writer </i>

LAS VEGAS —

How long has Michael Nunn been waiting to beat Frank Tate?

Several minutes after Nunn stopped Tate 40 seconds into the ninth round of their scheduled 15-round International Boxing Federation middleweight title fight Thursday night at Caesars Palace, the two met again the pressroom.

Nunn grinned at Tate and said, “That makes it 2-2.”

But who’s keeping score?

It was indeed the fourth meeting between the two fighters, the first three coming back in their days as amateurs. The first time was at the Ohio State Fair in 1981. The second time was a year later at a National Golden Gloves tournament in Albuquerque, N. M. Tate won both those meetings by identical scores of 3-2.

Nunn won the third time, at the 1983 Olympic Festival in Colorado Springs, 5-0.

But the only one people are going to remember is the fourth, the one that had Bob Arum, who holds the promotional rights to Nunn, talking about the North Hollywood fighter as the coming force in the middleweight division.

“You saw a new star in boxing tonight,” Arum said. “Now, when he was first starting out, he stunk up the joint on occasion. But like a young Muhammad Ali, he is settling down. I’m telling you he is the next big superstar in boxing.

“I could see perhaps a fight with Iran Barkley in the spring, maybe for seven figures,” added Arum, referring to the current World Boxing Council middleweight champ.

That would mean not only a big step upward in terms of exposure for Nunn, but in dollars as well. Nunn earned $100,000 as the challenger against Tate.

The type of payday Arum envisioned would be just fine with Dan Goossen, Nunn’s manager. So would the opponent. But Goossen wasn’t ready to stop there.

“Barkley, or Kalambay,” said Goossen, including Sumbu Kalambay, the current World Boxing Assn. middleweight titleholder. “And you can’t discount Hagler or Leonard either.”

All this, of course, remains to be seen. For now, Nunn at least can say he’s got a new world title belt.

Oh yeah, and evened an old score.