Whitaker Fights to Unify the Lightweight Division

On the threshold of becoming the first undisputed lightweight champion since Roberto Duran ruled the division in the late 1970s, Pernell Whitaker is tired of being a lightweight.

If he defeats Juan Nazario tonight on Caesars Tahoe’s tripleheader card, Whitaker (22-1) will become the king of the 135-pounders . . . whereupon, he says, he will vacate the division. “Maybe I’ll have one more lightweight fight, but what am I going to do--hang around at 135 (pounds) and beat all the guys I already beat?” he asked. “If this wasn’t a unification fight, it’d be hard for me to get up for this. I’m bored. I need new challenges.”

Nazario (22-2) isn’t expected to be much of a challenge. Oddsmakers have made Whitaker an 18-1 favorite. But Nazario is the World Boxing Assn. champion, and Whitaker has an opportunity to add that title to his International Boxing Federation and World Boxing Council championships, thereby becoming the sport’s second undisputed champion, next to Buster Douglas.

Also appearing on tonight’s HBO show in a 5,500-seat arena:

--Whitaker’s Main Events stablemate and fellow 1984 Olympic gold medalist, Meldrick Taylor (24-1-1), who faces Primo Ramos (39-6-1). It’s Taylor’s first bout since losing in the last two seconds to Julio Cesar Chavez in March.

--Hector Camacho (38-0), who meets Tony Baltazar (35-3-1).

This program figures as a buildup to something big down the road, involving the two highest-paid fighters on tonight’s card. Camacho is getting $1 million to fight Baltazar--primarily, it’s thought, to keep Camacho content with Main Events until he can be matched in a rich pay-per-view junior-welterweight show against Whitaker. That’s unless Chavez gets to Camacho first and beats him.

At least, that’s what’s being passed along to Whitaker, who is earning $500,000 tonight.

But a fight against Camacho wouldn’t be the only door open to the slick, hard-hitting Whitaker, should he unify the lightweights tonight. He could also meet Jorge Paez, who still has a Sept. 22 Sacramento featherweight/junior-lightweight showdown against Tony Lopez to take care of.

Whitaker and Taylor, Camacho’s purse notwithstanding, are two of the sport’s best performers. Boxing Illustrated magazine recently ranked them one-two in its top 20 pound-for-pound rankings. Camacho didn’t make the list.

Taylor is talking of moving up to welterweight after having difficulty making 140 pounds for the Chavez fight. Taylor was ahead on the judges’ cards when Chavez stopped him.

Tonight, he fights Ramos, a journeyman from Albuquerque, N.M., at 144 pounds. Taylor’s promoter, Dan Duva of Main Events, is talking to Madison Square Garden about a fight against WBA welterweight champion Aaron Davis.