BOXING / TIM KAWAKAMI : De La Hoya Has a Choice for Initial Title

The names of his potential opponents change, and the actual sanctioning body is only marginally relevant.

But barring the unforeseen, on Dec. 30, barely a year after he turned professional, Oscar De La Hoya will fight for a world junior-lightweight title. The only detail left for his handlers to determine is which world junior-lightweight title.

Others wait; De La Hoya dictates.

“Doors that are closed for everybody else are open for Oscar,” said his trainer, Robert Alcazar.

For De La Hoya, at 20 one of boxing’s few widely marketable names, normal rules do not apply.

With their fighter intent on winning a championship by the end of the year and pay-per-view eager to televise any such De La Hoya fight, the fighter’s camp has locked up that late-December date for the first fight at the new Las Vegas MGM Grand, to be shown on pay-per-view.

“Dec. 30, we’re going to fight for a world title and hopefully capture that world title,” De La Hoya said. “Then go on and unify the titles. Just thinking about it gives me the chills.

“I’ve set goals for myself. I have said I wanted to win a world title in one year’s anniversary of when I turned pro. In November, it will be one year. So one more month is no big deal.”

But because of De La Hoya’s sparse pro record, his handlers are exercising some caution. After tonight’s bout against Renaldo Carter, De La Hoya will have had only nine pro fights. He has another match scheduled for Aug. 27 against Angelo Nunez on the charity card at the Beverly Wilshire, then an Oct. 10 fight against Narcisco Valenzuela, the veteran he was supposed to fight July 17 before suffering a bruise on his left hand. Assuming he wins all three, the title shot will be next.

Some in his camp apparently believe it is too soon for a big-time fight; others are pushing for it.

De La Hoya might simply split the difference and pick the decidedly unglamorous World Boxing Organization. At first, it looked as if Genaro Hernandez, the World Boxing Assn. champion, would be the opponent in a battle of two popular Los Angeles fighters. Then De La Hoya’s handlers switched their attention to John Molina, the International Boxing Federation champion.

But both Hernandez and Molina are controlled by powerful interests who could demand options on De La Hoya in return for any title opportunity--a demand that De La Hoya probably will not accept.

This week, the De La Hoya camp focused on Jimmy Bredahl, the WBO champion. This would not be considered a major title bout, which might suit De La Hoya fine.

His major career goal is to equal, then surpass Sugar Ray Leonard’s and Thomas Hearns’ record of titles in five weight classes. One of Hearns’ was a WBO title, and if that’s the sanctioning body best set up for De La Hoya’s junior-lightweight shot, that’s the way he will go. De La Hoya, at 5 feet 11 much taller than most junior middleweights, is expected to grow out of the 130-pound class and go after the lightweight title after winning either the WBA or IBF junior-lightweight titles.

Bob Arum, De La Hoya’s promoter, said that either Molina or Bredahl, an undefeated left-hander from Denmark, would be fine for the Dec. 30 bout.

“We can make a deal with either one,” Arum said, “and the first one who takes the deal will get the fight.”

But this week, with a Molina deal uncertain, De La Hoya’s handlers were clearly interested in Bredahl, and downplaying any suggestion that the WBO title is not worth attaining.

“There are four world championships,” co-manager Bob Mittleman said. “We could go after any one of them.”

*

Co-headlining the Dec. 30 card, according to Arum, will be a rematch of the March fight between IBF and WBC light-flyweight champion Michael Carbajal and Humberto (Chiquita) Gonzalez.

Also, IBF middleweight champion Freddie Pendleton will defend his title against No. 1 contender Rafael Ruelas of Ten Goose Boxing in Van Nuys.

Carbajal and De La Hoya will also co-headline on the Oct. 10 card, which will be held in Carbajal’s hometown of Phoenix. Carbajal will fight Domingo Sosa of the Dominican Republic.

*

Ray Mercer, the gray clouds of justice darkening his every move, looked happy, loose and comfortable Thursday night before, during and after his one-round knockout of undersized heavyweight Tony Willis in Bay St. Louis, Miss.

Mercer, who faces felony charges of attempted bribery in connection with his loss to Jesse Ferguson, said his indictment has made him a better fighter.

This was his first bout since he was indicted for allegedly offering $100,000 in the ring to Ferguson to take a dive. Mercer was down about 20 pounds to 227.

“Everything happens for a reason--I hope it doesn’t go away,” Mercer said of the bribery charge. “I need that motivation. I’ve got to take everything bad or negative and make it positive. I like seeing my name in the paper, I don’t care if it’s good or bad. Just spell my name right.”

Mercer, who said he cannot speak about his case but maintains his innocence, had Arum plotting a grand future Thursday after the knockout.

Arum said he plans to keep Mercer busy, all in tune with trying to get Mercer the shot at IBF and WBA heavyweight champion Riddick Bowe that he lost when Ferguson beat him. After a fight in September, he would like to accept Ferguson’s offer of a rematch with Mercer in October, then go after young contender Michael Moorer on HBO in November.

“A fight I would love to make is against Moorer,” Arum said. “HBO is going to put him on in December . . . they’re going to look as usual to put him against a tomato can.

“But don’t worry about the money. Whatever Ray’s purse is, I’ll pay it. just let Michael Moorer get into the ring with Ray Mercer. Because if Ray Mercer beats Michael Moorer, which I’m sure he will, then he will be the next guy to fight Riddick Bowe.”

That match, Arum said, could take place early next year, when Mercer might be getting ready for jail.

Boxing Notes

At a news conference this week, Don King announced the general format of a tournament involving every big name from the 154- to 168-pound classes except for IBF middleweight champion Roy Jones and WBA super middleweight champion James Toney, both promoted by Bob Arum. . . . Although all of the details haven’t been worked out, one of the more interesting potential matchups is Reggie Johnson, the WBA middleweight champion, against Terry Norris, the WBC junior-middleweight champion. And what does Dan Goossen think about that down-the-road possibility of sending his current titlist, Johnson, against the man who walked away from him to go with King? “It’s too far in advance to even think about it,” Goossen said.

Arum is unhappy with the refurbishing of the Olympic Auditorium, where he has a deal with owner Jack Needelman to stage Top Rank, Inc., cards. “There seems to be inaction on his part,” Arum said of Needelman. “I’m ready to come in there with 27 shows in the course of the year. But I’ve got to have a building that’s presentable and ready to go. And I haven’t seen anything going ahead. There’s no motion there. But he’s got to put at least $5 million into the building to put it in top shape, because I’m not coming in there if it’s a (half-finished) facility. I’m waiting on him. I’ve done everything I can do. He’s got to start by the end of August to get it done (by January).”