Sequels Promise Old Thrills : Boxing: Four world title rematches include Chavez’s quest to regain glory after first defeat.

Double or nothing.

Risking their reputations and seeking various combinations of respect, redemption and ridiculous riches, four pairs of fighters are scheduled to renew acquaintances at the MGM Grand Garden tonight.

Tonight could mean the end of Julio Cesar Chavez as a power in boxing. Or it could be the beginning of his last surge to greatness. Tonight could erase former or current luminaries Terry Norris, Julian Jackson and Azumah Nelson from anybody’s list of elite fighters. Or it could start them all back on the road to dominance.

Or given the state of boxing these days, it could simply set up four more re-rematches.

“This is the biggest card in the world,” said World Boxing Council middleweight champion Gerald McClellan, one of the few participants not prone to overstatement. “This is the one.”

The biggest of the big, of course, is Chavez’s chance to prove that his knockdown and then defeat at the hands of Frankie Randall, 32, amounted to nothing more than a slip-up, a careless, WBC super-lightweight title-losing moment after 89 victories, 77 knockouts, and a draw.

Randall (49-2-1, 39 KOs) is in the first title defense of his career and has been a touch edgy in recent days. He took everything Chavez had to throw at him in their first fight Jan. 29, and sent back even harder, sharper shots, spilling Chavez in the 11th.

Chavez, who says he barely trained for that fight, still complains about two points that were deducted from him by referee Richard Steele because of low blows. Mills Lane is scheduled to referee the rematch.

“I feel it’s going to be just the same as the first fight,” Randall said. “Why should I do anything different? I won.”

To summon him out of his self-described recent lethargy, Chavez, 31, has brought in trainer Emanuel Steward, who handled Evander Holyfield successfully for his successful rematch against Riddick Bowe last year.

The Randall camp says it isn’t concerned about any changes Steward makes.

“Frankie wanted Julio as quickly as possible,” said Randall’s trainer, Aaron Snowell. “Because Julio can remember what happened last time, and he can come in with whatever style he wants, but once he feels Frankie’s punches, it’s going to be just like last time.

“That’s why we’ve worked so good together, because I’ve never tried to change him.”

Chavez is not subtle about his strategy.

“I will kill him slowly,” he says.

A look at the other fights:

--WBC junior-middleweight champion Simon Brown (41-2, 30 KOs) vs. Norris (37-4, 23 KOs)-- Dec. 18 in Puebla, Mexico, Norris tried to annihilate the 30-year-old Brown, who had backed out of two previous matches, and got knocked out in the fourth round--and lost his title.

“I’ve got my head on straight this time,” said Norris, 26, adding that he has cooled his desire to knock out everybody he faces.

“I’m an old veteran at this,” Brown said. “I’m going to pull some more tricks out of the bag.”

--McClellan (30-2, 28 KOs) vs. Jackson (49-2, 45 KOs)--Last May 8 here, the two heavy hitters slugged at each other from the opening bell, with underdog McClellan getting up from a low blow and knocking out Jackson in the fifth round to take his title.

McClellan, 26, has won 20 consecutive fights and, with another victory over the 33-year-old Jackson, could edge into the pound-for-pound best fighter debate and force Jackson out of the middleweight picture for good.

“This fight could either make me or break me,” Jackson said.

--WBC super-featherweight champion Nelson (37-2-2, 26 KOs) vs. James Leija (27-0-2, 13 KOs)--Although it was overshadowed by the controversial Pernell Whitaker-Chavez draw that followed it last Sept. 10 in San Antonio, the draw for Nelson-Leija was equally bizarre.

Leija, 27, seemed to control Nelson, 35, early, then tired as Nelson stormed back in the later rounds. The fight was first announced as a decision for Nelson, then had to be corrected minutes later when an addition error was discovered.

Nelson is the longest-running champion in the sport, and was devastating in his last rematch, an eighth-round technical knockout of Jeff Fenech.

“Everybody knows what I do in a rematch,” Nelson said. “Leija is a good boxer, but he’s not in my class. If this guy goes the distance with me, no question, I will retire.”

Tonight’s Fights

* WBC super-lightweight champion Frankie Randall vs. Julio Cesar Chavez.

* WBC junior-middleweight champion Simon Brown vs. Terry Norris.

* WBC middleweight champion Gerald McClellan vs. Julian Jackson.

* WBC super-featherweight champion Azumah Nelson vs. James Leija.