Arum Has Midas Touch When Signing Olympians

Bob Arum is reaping more than modest dividends promoting the professional fights of the United States’ only boxing gold medalist in the 1992 Olympic Games, Oscar De La Hoya. . . .

Now Arum is about to sign the only U.S. champion in the 1996 Olympic competition, David Reid. . . .

Reid is not the pro prospect that De La Hoya was, but the light-middleweight from Philadelphia produced the most dramatic moment on canvas in Atlanta when he knocked out Alfredo Duvergel of Cuba in the third round for the gold. . . .

Duvergel was comfortably ahead on points, 16-6, before Reid floored him with a short right to the chin. The Cuban beat the count, but the referee stopped the bout. . . .

“I really think Reid’s right hand might have saved boxing as an Olympic sport,” Arum said. . . .

“Most of the matches in Atlanta stunk,” he said. “As usual, there were a lot of rotten decisions. The rules are horrible. There had been rumors that boxing was out in Sydney in 2000 because of all the controversies over the years, but Reid’s knockout got tremendous publicity and it showed just how exciting the competition can be.” . . .

Before the Olympics, Arum aided the defection of Cuban team members Joel Casamayor and Ramon Garbey and arranged for them to make their pro debuts on the Dana Rosenblatt-Vinny Pazienza card at Atlantic City on Aug. 23. . . .

But Casamayor and Garbey later signed contracts with rival promoter Dino Duva, and Arum has filed a lawsuit. . . .

“In the worst-case scenario, I’ll get the fighters back,” Arum said. “In the best, I’ll collect a lot of money.” . . .

Arum was in town Tuesday for a news conference that Julio Cesar Chavez was supposed to attend to hype his fight against Joey Gamache on the Oct. 12 card at Caesars Palace that features De La Hoya against Miguel Angel Gonzalez. . . .

But in the morning Arum got a call from Chavez’s camp saying that he would not appear in L.A. . . .

“Julio has made a vow of silence,” Arum said. “With his tax problems and his wife filing for divorce, he doesn’t want to give interviews.” . . .

Unlike he did for the De La Hoya fight, maybe Chavez will let his fists do his talking this time.

*

This is the season that we’ll learn just what kind of NFL coach Barry Switzer is. . . .

If I’m a Pittsburgh Steeler fan, I’m rooting for the exciting Kordell Stewart to win the starting quarterback job over Mike Tomczak and Jim Miller. . . .

Lucky Oakland Raider fans are being given the opportunity to buy as many tickets as they like for the Aug. 23 exhibition game against the New York Jets at the bargain prices of $41, $51, and $61. . . .

As usual, the University of Oregon seems underrated. . . .

I don’t know who is luckier, the Ducks or USC, that, for the second consecutive season, they don’t have to play each other. . . .

Jack Kemp says he is the blocking back and Bob Dole the quarterback on the Republican ticket. Well, Kemp was the blocking back at Fairfax High when the Colonials lined up in the single-wing formation. . . .

Lance Johnson of the New York Mets has more triples, 15, than the entire Angel team, 14. . . .

Kevin Appier of Kansas City is leading the American League in earned-run average at 3.03. Only twice has an AL champion, Early Wynn of Cleveland in 1950 and Lefty Grove of Boston in 1938, had an ERA above 3.00. . . .

Florida outfielder Gary Sheffield quietly is putting together National League most-valuable-player candidate numbers. . . .

The Seattle Mariners, who were 46-27 at the Kingdome last season when they won the AL West title, have a losing record at home this season. . . .

Jerome Kersey is past his prime at 34, but he will give the Lakers some needed stability on and off the court. . . .

Cedric Ceballos, who has defensive liabilities, might be the Laker who benefits the most from the addition of Shaquille O’Neal. . . .

You might not have known much about Mark Brooks until he won the PGA Championship, but he is the leading money winner on the tour. . . .

Talk about parity. The last 16 major tournaments have been won by 15 different golfers. . . .

I would have gone to the Blade-San Diego Barracuda roller hockey game Monday afternoon at the Forum, but I didn’t want to battle the traffic.