Money No Challenge for Nunn

A janitor at the Las Vegas Hilton was sweeping up after an evening of prizefighting last March. His broom came across a small slip of paper that looked suspiciously like a fighter’s prize.

He picked it up. Pay to the order of Michael Nunn, the bank check read, the sum of $1,000,000 .

“Actually, a million and change,” Nunn remembered.

The middleweight from North Hollywood had just successfully defended his International Boxing Federation championship by flattening some Italian speed bag with legs named Sumbu Kalambay in the first round. Nunn showered, changed into some clean sweats and stuffed his payday into his pocket.

Strolling back through the hotel, Nunn was approached by some autograph hunters. He had a pen in his pocket. He pulled it out. Something else fell out, but nobody noticed. Not until the janitor noticed later that night.

Needless to say, the janitor did not run out and try to cash the check.

“Where’s he gonna go?” Nunn wondered. “7-Eleven?”

In the archives of mislaid paychecks, Nunn’s million-dollar (and some change) mistake breaks the old record of $40,000 set by golfer Roger Maltbie, who left his winnings on a bar counter after a tour victory in 1975.

This tale of carelessness, told by Nunn and his manager, Dan Goossen, is meant to illustrate Nunn’s indifference to the color of money. Oh, he likes the stuff all right. He just bought his mother a new home in Davenport, Iowa, his hometown, and bought a new house in Agoura Hills.

“Mike wants more than just money,” Goossen insisted. “He’s not in boxing just to get rich.”

That poor janitor, meanwhile, returned the check without even wanting a reward. Refusing one, in fact.

“We had to practically stuff it down his shirt,” Goossen said.

“Can you imagine that guy, if he’d kept that check?” Nunn asked. “Can you imagine him ordering a cup of coffee and then pulling the million-dollar check out and telling the waitress: “All I got is this?’ ”

Michael (Second to) Nunn is a man whose income has gone from none to some, fast on its way to more. He will risk his undefeated record and IBF championship belt Aug. 14 at Reno against Iran (the Blade) Barkley, a man who, in his last two fights, knocked out Thomas Hearns in three rounds and got robbed by a 12-round decision that went to Roberto Duran.

The winner of the Nunn-Barkley fight is expected to get a shot at either Hearns or Sugar Ray Leonard, whose draw last month might have been exasperating, but at least kept the middleweight class the most interesting division in boxing.

Who really won Hearns-Leonard?

“Tommy won the fight,” Barkley believes. “He won it easily enough to get the decision. Didn’t nobody give Tommy a chance but one person--me. Leonard is tough and courageous, but he just don’t punch as hard as Tommy--or me.”

“If I was paid to be a judge,” said Nunn, who probably would have lost the check anyway, “I would have to say that Sugar Ray Leonard lost to Thomas Hearns. But, since Ray’s my all-time favorite, my idol, I’m not sorry how it turned out.”

So, if you beat Barkley . . .

“When I beat Barkley.”

When you beat Barkley, who do you want next--Leonard? Hearns? Duran?

“I’ll beat them all,” Nunn said, shy like most boxers.”

This bout against Barkley surely will be Nunn’s biggest test yet. Nunn, 26, began his career banging out first-round victories over a bunch of local tomato cans at a ring in Reseda. Eventually he worked his way up to fights with more respectable opponents such as Charlie Boston, who was ranked once, and Mike (Moving On) Tinley, a tough guy from Philly.

Finally, last July, Nunn stopped 1984 Olympic champion Frank Tate in the ninth round to take the IBF title. Since then he has defended it against Juan Domingo Roldan and against Kalambay, knocking out both to improve his record to 33-0.

Barkley is no pushover. He is a rough customer from the Bronx who first started fighting thanks to his sister, Yvonne, whom he described as “a tough 135-pounder.” She used to beat up guys from the neighborhood, then made the Blade fight any guy too large for her to handle. Barkley is the type who is not easily discouraged by a good puncher.

“And we still don’t know for sure,” promoter Bob Arum chimed in. “Is Michael Nunn a good puncher or isn’t he?”

Nunn scoffs at the whole idea, saying he not only can punch, but he can take one. He is not scared one bit of the guy whose right hand put Hearns on his back in three.

“Somebody’s always trying to label me, doubt me,” he said. “Bob Arum can say whatever he wants. People been saying I’m a snapper, I’m a runner, I can’t punch. But I’m 33-0, so I’m doing something right. Tell Barkley to leave his hands down and jump right at me. See if I can punch.”

Michael Nunn is putting his mouth where his money is. He has a championship belt and is about to receive another nice purse. All he needs is a decent wallet.