With Glory Years Behind, Weaver Gets Marriott Bout : Boxing: Former WBA heavyweight champion will face George O’Mara.

Former world champion Mike Weaver will fight in the main event of next month’s boxing card at the Warner Center Marriott, promoters said Tuesday.

Weaver, who has a record of 39-16-1 with 28 knockouts, will meet Van Nuys-based veteran George O’Mara in a heavyweight bout scheduled for 12 rounds June 21.

In the alphabet soup of professional boxing, Weaver is, even at age 43, still a champion. He holds the title of the National Boxing Assn. But his glory years are behind him.

Weaver won the World Boxing Assn. title more than 15 years ago--in March, 1980--with a stunning 15th-round knockout of John Tate. He defended his championship twice before losing it to Michael Dokes.

Weaver also wore the World Boxing Council belt, losing that when he was knocked out in the eighth round by Pinklon Thomas almost a decade ago.

O’Mara, 39, with a record of 15-15-3, makes up in courage what he lacks in skill.

“I know the NBA is not a major title, but George is past his prime and he wants to go someplace,” Bob Schoenbrun, O’Mara’s manager, said. “George wants to beat Mike Weaver because it could lead to bigger things.”

Gerrie Coetzee, who is co-promoting the show with Peter Broudy and Don Chargin, is well-acquainted with the work of his main attraction.

Coetzee, who held the WBA title from late 1983 to the middle of ‘84, was the opponent when Weaver first defended his belt. In an October, 1980 bout in Sun City, South Africa, Weaver knocked out his challenger in the 13th round.

Their bout later was voted “WBA Fight of the Year.”

“That was a helluva fight,” Coetzee said. “For both of us. We both needed to go to the hospital after that.”

Coetzee said a rematch was mentioned during negotiations for the Weaver-O’Mara fight. Although he fought twice last year on shows in Sacramento, Coetzee considers himself “retired.”

Weaver, who will turn 44 one week before he meets O’Mara, last boxed when he stopped journeyman Bill Corrigan in the second round of a bout in China in September, 1994.