Douglas Weighs In on Question of Condition : Boxing: The champ says he’s in top shape despite reports that he may be packing too many pounds.

One huge question surrounds James (Buster) Douglas entering his first heavyweight title defense Thursday night against Evander Holyfield at the Mirage.

What is Douglas’ physical condition?

A picture of Douglas with flab around his stomach has been seen nationwide. Douglas admits that he has a tendency to gain weight between fights. But he believes that he is in as good a shape, if not better, than when he knocked out Mike Tyson to win the title in February in Tokyo.

“I’m prepared to fight 12 hard rounds,” Douglas said after working out Monday afternoon. “I’ll come in at the weight I came in at the last fight, 230 to 232 pounds.

“I compare my condition (to the Tyson fight) the way I feel overall coming into the two fights,” Douglas added, “and I feel comfortable with the way I am. I feel stronger and I continue to feel stronger every day. It has been a long training period, and I have been under a lot of different processes. I am finally feeling it all come together now as I did in the Tyson fight.”

Douglas’ co-trainer and uncle, J. D. McCauley, had this to say about his fighter’s weight:

“If he’s six or seven pounds past what he was when he fought Tyson and he comes in at 237, it won’t make a difference. Honest truth, the honest truth is we don’t know (what Douglas weighs). We haven’t put him on a scale since we came to camp. We don’t care.

“What I look for in a fighter is how he’s moving, and if he’s doing that OK, then he’s all right,” McCauley added.

Douglas is a superb athlete, especially for a man 6-foot-4 and about 235 pounds. He was wearing a red T-shirt and gray short sweat pants when he entered the ring Monday before a huge crowd of onlookers for his workout.

His long legs looked taut and muscular but were attached to a sizable rear end. There was a noticeable jiggle around his midsection as he shadow-boxed around the ring. But the reports that he was grossly overweight appear to have been slightly exaggerated. Observers who have seen Douglas the last few weeks say he looked much heavier then.

But then there are questions regarding what determines a fighter’s condition. Whereas Holyfield’s body appears chiseled out of granite, Douglas’ body seems finger-molded out of Silly Putty.

It’s not jelly, but it moves.

Sugar Ray Leonard, who will do commentary on the fight for ESPN, said Douglas’ later-round performance will tell more than pre-fight speculation.

“Against Tyson, his legs were great, he had hand speed and the combinations were the most fascinating thing and most impressive things,” Leonard said. “He was throwing three-four-five punch combinations in the later rounds. And he came back against Mike after he was knocked down.”