U.S. OLYMPIC FESTIVAL : Shutout Round Carries Whitaker : Boxing: He piles up enough early points to survive rally, win match and move into super heavyweight final.

The closer you are to Lance Whitaker in a boxing ring, the safer you get.

Maurice May figured that out in the second round of Friday night’s super heavyweight semifinal of the Olympic Festival.

Problem was, it was too late.

By then Whitaker, a 6-foot-8, 232-pound mound of muscle, already had forced a standing eight-count and was well on his way to a 17-9 victory.

On Sunday, Whitaker will face Reginald Blackmon of San Diego in a gold-medal match. It will be only the 17th bout of Whitaker’s amateur career.

Obviously, school is still in session. But Whitaker, from Northridge, is learning fast.

“We’re ahead of schedule,” said Charles (Blue) Allen, Whitaker’s trainer. “We’re still gaining experience.”

May, a seasoned amateur fighter who placed third in this year’s national tournament, provided the latest lesson. In fact, according to the electronic scoring system being used at the Festival, May won each of the last two rounds by a point.

The system counts scoring blows as they are landed. Whitaker won the first round, 10-0.

After Whitaker stung him with three jabs and a solid right in the first minute of the match, May persistently and somewhat effectively bore in on his attacker.

Whitaker, who said he was a bit surprised by May’s strategy, was so intent on creating room for himself that he was twice warned for pushing May away.

“I wanted him to come up the middle more and box a little more,” Allen said. “But give May credit. He’s been around. He knew that on the outside he was getting clobbered.”

On the inside, May attempted to wear Whitaker down with body shots as Whitaker struggled to create working room. As a result, both boxers threw an extraordinary number of punches.

Standing toe to toe, May, who is 6-6, 220 pounds, was no match for Whitaker’s strength. On several occasions, even blows May managed to deflect knocked him off balance.

“I know I’m stronger than all these guys,” Whitaker said. “But you can’t win fights with muscle. You have to think.”