BOXING : Nunn Sees Hill on Horizon as He Returns to Davenport

When Michael Nunn defends his middleweight championship for the sixth time tonight at Davenport, Iowa, he could be one bout away from perhaps settling an old score.

Nunn (36-0), the Agoura Hills fighter who grew up in Davenport and won his International Boxing Federation title in 1988, is a heavy favorite over James Toney (24-0-1) of Ann Arbor, Mich. It’s a pay-per-view, outdoor fight, staged in the Angels’ Midwest League baseball park.

Also on the pay-per-view show and also a heavy favorite is unbeaten light-flyweight Michael Carbajal (20-0) of Phoenix. He meets Hector Luis Patri (41-22-11) of Argentina.

A victory by Nunn tonight would set up a fight against Virgil Hill, the World Boxing Assn. light-heavyweight champion. When both were amateur middleweights in 1984, Hill knocked Nunn off the Olympic team in the team boxoff. Nunn has not lost since.

Seven years later, both are unbeaten pro champions. Hill (30-0) will defend his title for the 11th time on June 3, against Thomas Hearns.

Nunn’s trainer, Angelo Dundee, said this week that Nunn could step up to light-heavyweight and challenge Hill.

“Michael’s walking-around weight (between fights) is 170; I think he could easily carry 172 for a Hill fight,” Dundee said.