By Putting Up a Fight, Coetzee Hooks Up Cable

Gerrie Coetzee, former world heavyweight champion turned boxing promoter, has secured the cable television contract he needed to give his shows at the Warner Center Marriott a major boost.

But there’s a catch.

Part of the deal struck by Coetzee-operated Top Ring USA, cable television giant American Independent Network and Black Bear Entertainment calls for the 40-year-old native of South Africa to return to the ring.

In less than two months.

On March 9, at either Las Vegas or Atlantic City, Coetzee will fight for the first time in more than two years. His opponent will be determined by the end of the month.

The tuneup is the first step in setting up a long-anticipated match between Coetzee and Larry Holmes to be televised live from South Africa in the spring.

Coetzee and Holmes were set to fight three separate times in the 1980s, but none of the bouts came off.

“Building our deal around Gerrie’s comeback made it stronger because he has such great appeal,” said Michael Kahn, a Los Angeles-based attorney who is Coetzee’s business partner. “Gerrie is one of the last white heavyweights who could really fight.”

Coetzee’s enthusiasm about his return is tempered.

“I’ll have to see what I have left,” he said. “We’ll find that out later this week when I get back into the gym.

“It’s something I’ll do for the promotion. I badly want this to be successful.”

Coetzee weighs 240 pounds, as he did in his prime. However, he knows he is past his prime.

“I’m not going to go out there against Mike Tyson,” he said. “But I won’t be fighting tomato cans, either. I wouldn’t come back if that’s the best I could do.”

Coetzee, who bought promotional rights to monthly shows at the Marriott last summer, is twice retired from the ring.

After losing to Greg Page in December of 1984, Coetzee stayed out of action for almost a decade, returning for two fights he won on knockouts in the fall of 1993. His record is 32-5-1 with 20 knockouts.

“Nobody knew what he could do when he came back the first time,” said Don Chargin, who promoted Coetzee’s bouts. “He hadn’t fought in so long. But I’ll tell you what, he didn’t lose his punch.

“I still haven’t seen anyone punch like he can with his right hand.”

The television contract, which begins with Coetzee’s return bout, calls for Top Ring to supply American Independent Network with weekly boxing events by the end of the year. The Marriott’s monthly events will be aired on a tape-delay basis.

Don Shelton, the network’s president, said the fights will be broadcast to 50 million viewers nationwide during prime-time hours on Saturday nights. Forth Worth, Tex.,-based American Independent Network is carried by 152 stations, including KPAL (38) in Palmdale.

The network previously carried a series of Golden Gloves amateur fights that were “very successful,” Shelton said.

Terms of the contract were not disclosed, but Coetzee and Kahn said the revenue and exposure created by television will enable Top Ring to expand and improve its monthly shows at the Marriott.

“This is going to allow us to put on bouts of world title fight quality,” Coetzee said. “The best way for a fighter to become popular is to be on national TV. The more talented and colorful they are, the faster they move and the more money they can make.”

Top Ring’s next bouts at the Marriott are Jan. 24, and although there isn’t a title fight on the show, the eight-fight event makes for an impressive club card.

The main event is a middleweight bout scheduled for 10 rounds featuring once-beaten Rodney Toney against Armando Campas, a veteran who has faced several champions.

Toney comes to the Marriott based on a recently signed promotional agreement between Coetzee and trainer Lou Duva.

Ranked No. 8 by the World Boxing Council, Toney has a 21-1-2 record with 13 knockouts. His only defeat was to WBC champion Quincy Taylor.

Also on the Jan. 24 card is top junior middleweight contender Sibata Flores, who will meet Augustine Renteria in a bout scheduled for six rounds.

Flores, who has a 30-3 record that includes 19 knockouts, is in line for a world title shot this spring.