Canvassing Foes

P.J. Goossen, perspiring face puffy with welts, wasn’t exactly in the mood to discuss his next fight.

But moments after winning the International Boxing Organization junior middleweight title Wednesday night with a 12-round unanimous decision over Greg Lonon of Las Vegas at the Warner Center Marriott, an out-of-breath Goossen uttered a single surname between pants.

“Duran.” Goossen said. “I guess.”

That would be Roberto Duran, the legendary Panamanian and former four-time world champion whose career has included three fights with Sugar Ray Leonard. Gerrie Coetzee, president of Top Ring USA, which promotes Goossen’s fights, said this month that if Goossen, 26, defeated Lonon, a matchup with the 45-year-old Duran might be next.

But talk, as they say, is cheap. And fact is, Goossen’s payday with Duran has yet to reach even the discussion stage.

Duran (97-12), who lost a close decision last weekend to Hector Camacho in Atlantic City, N.J., is likely to meet Camacho in a rematch before considering Goossen, according to Michael

Acri, an East Coast promoter who has handled most of Duran’s matchups over the past 10 years.

Acri, who promoted the Camacho-Duran fight, said he barely is familiar with Goossen (17-0), who lives in North Hollywood and is believed to be the first San Fernando Valley-born world title-holder.

“I know who he is and I see his name, but nothing has been talked about,” Acri said. “Really, right now we want to see where [Duran] stands. . . . If he stays in shape, I look to get him a few more fights toward [victory] No. 100 and, possibly, a rematch with Camacho.”

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Coetzee said he has talked informally with Al Braverman, director of Don King Productions, regarding a Goossen-Duran matchup. Coetzee said he and Braverman will approach Acri about a fight with Duran in September.

“We’ll be having a conference call of some kind,” Coetzee said. “We should have a fight that will happen in September. It’s our main concern. Now that P.J. is champion, this is going to happen.”

Acri said he would “welcome the possibility” of a Duran-Goossen matchup but has never spoken with Coetzee.

“I’ve heard he’s a decent fighter,” Acri said. “I can tell you one thing--we’d fight him. If they want to reach us, we’ll be here.”

Goossen, who has 11 victories by knockout, appeared sharper against Lonon than in his two previous fights, the most recent of which was in September. Goossen also appeared free of the pain in his right hand that has plagued him for two years.

Goossen said he does not care who he fights next, or whether it is Duran. He said he would like to fight soon, though, perhaps within the next month.

“I’m still a little rusty and sluggish,” Goossen said Thursday. “I didn’t look too impressive [against Lonon]. The better opponent I fight, the better fighter I am.

“You hear a lot of talk about [matchups] but you never know until it happens. That’s all part of boxing.”

Goossen and Duran have one common opponent, Pat Lawlor. Goossen earned a split decision at the Marriott in November 1994. Duran was unable to continue against Lawlor after suffering a torn rotator cuff in the sixth round of their March 1991 fight in Las Vegas.

Coetzee said that if Duran is unavailable, he will try to arrange a fight involving Goossen in Europe. “There are so many options we could take,” Coetzee said. “This title means a lot in Europe. Any American fighter with a title behind his name means a lot.”

Pat Goossen, who trains and manages his son, said he would enjoy seeing P.J. fight Duran.

“I guess he would fit right into that slot,” Pat Goossen said.