Boxing Notes : Tyson Acid Test for ‘Mouthpiece of Champions’

Who is the bravest man in boxing today?

Here’s one vote for Dr. Richard Kaufman, a dentist who designed the so-called “Mouthpiece of Champions,” a device that resets the jaw of a boxer and supposedly improves his ability to take a punch.

Kaufman claims no boxer has ever been knocked out while wearing it, but he admits it was worn by Michael Olajide when he was stopped by Iran Barkley and by Donny Lalonde when he was stopped by Sugar Ray Leonard. Said Kaufman: “I don’t count TKOs.”

Anyway, Kaufman’s mouthpiece, and his reputation, face by far their toughest test July 21, when Carl Williams wears it into the ring to fight Mike Tyson. Williams, known for his tinkling chin, has yet to be knocked down while wearing the Kaufman Special.

Kaufman said part of Williams’ problem in taking punches was the poor condition of his mouth, with many rear teeth missing, causing a misalignment of his jaw. Kaufman says the mouthpiece resets Williams’ jaw in a position that makes his entire body “kinesiologically stronger.”

And, Kaufman adds, the same type of mouthpiece was worn by Bonecrusher Smith when he fought Tyson, and it will be recalled that the Clutcher did, indeed, stand up for 12 rounds. So how does the good doctor think The Truth will do against Tyson? “With my mouthpiece, he can probably go at least five rounds with Tyson,” Kaufman said. “If he keeps his ... hands up.”

For Sale: Two slightly tarnished Golden Boys. Well-spoken, marketable, rare white variety, popular with the opposite sex, do great pre- and post-fight interviews. Looking for title shots despite recent setbacks.

Sold, to ABC, which sprung for the weekend package of Donny “Golden Boy” Lalonde vs. World Boxing Council light-heavyweight champ Dennis Andries on June 24, followed by Bobby “Matinee Idol” Czyz vs. International Boxing Federation light-heavyweight champ Prince Charles Williams on June 25.

Lalonde, coming off a creditable showing against Sugar Ray Leonard in November, deserves another shot at his former crown. Czyz, coming off a loss to WBA champ Virgil Hill, is the type the networks seem to love, win or lose, and he and Williams fought an exciting match last time, the Prince winning on a ninth-round TKO.

Of course, the most attractive match would have been Czyz-Lalonde, but that would’ve violated the Golden Rule of Network Boxing: Don’t knock off a Golden Boy sooner than you have to.

Lou Duva and Shelly Finkel flew out to Los Angeles to observe 6-6, 315-pound Tony Mandarich in a boxing workout. Mandarich, the Michigan State offensive tackle chosen second in the National Football League draft by the Green Bay Packers, has said he wants to fight Tyson and is willing to postpone his football career a year to do it. Duva and Finkel, rejecting suggestions that it is all a negotiating ploy, came away impressed.

“I never saw a guy as ferocious and strong as this guy,” Duva said. “He’s all strength and he outweighs Tyson by 100 pounds. He can pick Tyson up and throw him out of the ring.”

Sorry Lou, but any boxing person can answer that claim in just three words: Too Tall Jones.

IBF middleweight champ Michael Nunn will defend his title against former IBF champ Iran Barkley, on HBO, in August. The questions are where and when. In the running are Trump Plaza (Aug. 11), the Las Vegas Hilton (Aug. 12) and Caesars Palace (Aug. 19). Promoter Bob Arum wants Trump, because he believes the Los Angeles-based Nunn’s career needs some East Coast exposure, but Nunn’s manager, Dan “Hollywood” Goossen, wants to keep Nunn fighting in front of friendly West Coast fans.

More Duva on Mandarich: “He’s a better athlete than Tyson. He runs a 4.6 40 (yard dash).” Sorry, Lou, but that’s been tried already, by Alfonzo Ratliff and Tyrell Biggs, among others. Problem is, you run out of ring after 20 feet.

Don King’s idea of staging an undercard of Hollywood stars boxing one another to prop up a Tyson-Jose Ribalta fight in Los Angeles is the same as telling the public, “This fight is garbage,” in different words.

The self-styled “World’s Greatest Promoter” sold Tyson-Williams to Trump for a bargain-basement $1.5 million -- half his original asking price and the lowest site fee for any Tyson fight since he won the title in November 1986. And, he let potential Tyson opponent Adilson Rodrigues, with whom Tyson could have made about $10 million in Brazil, get away. Instead, “Maguila” will fight Evander Holyfield July 15.

Reyes Cruz and Joe Manley turned him down, so Buddy McGirt faces Derrick Kelley at the Felt Forum in New York May 25, in preparation for a CBS network date with Tony Baltazar on July 9.

In a recent spasm of lunacy, I turned to Mitch Green for some insight into the Tyson-King alliance. How long, I asked Blood, did he think Tyson and King would stay together?

“Not long,” he said, sounding serious and thoughtful. “Not long at all.”

Why? “Because I’m going to kill both (of them).”