Going for Green, Not Gold

Lance Whitaker punched his way along a path toward Olympic gold. Now he’ll put pride aside and start punching for paychecks.

Whitaker, 25, among the nation’s top amateur heavyweights the past few years, will not be in Atlanta next week for the start of the Summer Games.

Instead, Whitaker will make his professional debut tonight against Johnny Keith of Oakland in a four-round bout at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. The fight is on the undercard of a program that features former world lightweight champion Rafael Ruelas and heavyweight crowd favorite Butterbean.

For Whitaker, a resident of Granada Hills and former basketball player at San Fernando High, turning pro was inevitable--almost from the day seven years ago when he was coaxed into boxing by a stranger standing in line at a fast food restaurant. But it wasn’t supposed to happen this way.

Whitaker, with a 6-foot-8, 245-pound frame, 86-inch reach and awesome punching power, quickly ascended the amateur ranks. He was California Golden Gloves super-heavyweight champion at 21 and national champion at 22.

Last year, Whitaker claimed the top spot in the U.S. rankings with a second-round knockout of Thomas Martin in the Olympic Festival gold medal bout in Colorado.

Whitaker’s meteoric rise caught the eye of Lou Duva and Tommy Brooks, trainers of former world heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield. Whitaker, who sparred with former champion Larry Holmes, joined Duva’s traveling training camp early last year with the goal of making the Olympic team before embarking on a pro career.

That was the plan, anyway. But Whitaker’s fast track to fame was derailed in April when he lost close decisions to T.J. Wilson of Atlanta and Charles Shufford of Las Vegas in the Olympic trials in Oakland.

Both Whitaker and Duva claim the judging was unjust.

“I got robbed,” Whitaker said. “Big time.”

But that’s where their agreement ends.

Citing philosophical differences, Whitaker split with Duva and Brooks immediately after the Olympic trials.

“They were good trainers,” Whitaker said. “But I didn’t like their ways from the start.”

Whitaker, by Duva’s estimation, simply lacked commitment.

“I wish him the best,” Duva said. “But the only way he can succeed is to sacrifice. I told him I didn’t think he had the ability to do that.

“We got along fine on a personal level. But on the boxing level, he didn’t put out the way I wanted him to put out and he was tough to discipline. I think he has great tools and he definitely can punch. But the big thing was, I didn’t see any discipline. I don’t know whether he wants to be a fighter.”

Whitaker since has signed up for tutelage under local trainer Joe Goossen, whose stable of fighters includes Ruelas.

After years of putting off a pro career, Whitaker, 40-6 as an amateur, said he has put the Olympic dream behind him and is ready to climb the professional ranks.

As for his commitment, Whitaker, whose soft-spoken style belies his intimidating physical presence, said he has a renewed enthusiasm for training.

“What I’ve always liked about boxing is that it’s a self-motivating, individual sport,” Whitaker said. “Basketball, I liked the game, but I didn’t look forward to working out. Boxing, I look forward to hitting the bag, sparring, working out.

“It would have been nice to make the Olympic team. I know it would have helped my pro career. But I’m not angry because this is what I really wanted to be doing anyway, making money. This is just the beginning.”

Goossen, who works out of Van Nuys, has kept a watchful eye on Whitaker over the years and believes he will contend for a world title within the next few years.

“Believe me, I only work with guys who I think can win world championships,” Goossen said. “He’s told me this is the most comfortable he’s been.”

Whitaker’s work habits have been exceptional, according to Goossen, who described his new fighter as having “a little guy’s work ethic.

“I’m not a big fan of training heavyweights,” Goossen said. “There is so much more competition at the lower weight levels, the guys are hungrier. A lot of big guys are not as motivated as the little guys. But I was quite surprised with Lance.”

As for Whitaker’s skills, Goossen compared him to a young George Foreman--an overpowering puncher with underrated skills.

“This guy is such a dangerous puncher, it’s scary,” Goossen said.

Foreman was a gold medalist in the 1968 Mexico City Olympics before winning the world heavyweight championship in 1973.

But Olympic gold, Goossen said, does not always translate into professional riches.

“The Olympics mean a lot in terms of exposure,” Goossen said. “Sugar Ray Leonard made millions. But there are a lot of [former Olympians] who made dust.

“If you’re good and you’re built up the right way, gold medal or not, you’re going to make money.”

The bout tonight will give Goossen a look at his latest protege wearing small gloves and no headgear. Ten-round main events, Goossen said, aren’t foreseeable until Whitaker has at least 15 professional fights.

“I don’t like to put the cart before the horse, but I have a pretty good idea of how rapidly he’ll progress,” Goossen said. “I like to take it fight by fight.”