A Mountain of a Project

Dressed in sweats, wearing headphones and looking like Godzilla at 6 feet 8 and 240 pounds, Lance Whitaker was jogging down Van Nuys Boulevard when an LAPD patrol car pulled alongside and briefly turned on its siren to attract his attention.

“Hey, are you Whitaker?” the officer inquired.

“Yeah,” Whitaker responded cautiously.

“We watch you box, man,” the officer said.

“Mt. Whitaker,” as he calls himself, is 12-0 with 12 knockouts in his blossoming professional boxing career. Friday night in Atlantic City, N.J., he’s scheduled to fight Joe Ballard (11-2) in an eight-round heavyweight bout televised by Fox Sports West.

A former basketball player at San Fernando High, Whitaker is quietly taking small but important steps toward becoming a prominent heavyweight.

“Lance was a late bloomer,” said Joe Goossen, his trainer. “He was quickly rushed through the amateur ranks and I don’t know how much time was spent on fundamentals. It’s just teaching him the fundamentals of boxing.”

Since turning pro in 1994, Whitaker, 25, has dedicated himself to learning everything Goossen has to offer. Goossen, a Sherman Oaks resident who trained world champions Michael Nunn and Gabriel and Rafael Ruelas, talks glowingly of Whitaker’s potential.

“He’ll be heavyweight champion, and he’ll be there for years,” he said. “Guys fighting him now are lucky they get him before he realizes the full grasp of the game.”

Six days a week, even on New Year’s Day and Christmas, Whitaker can be found jumping rope, punching bags or sparring at Goossen’s small gym behind Engine Company No. 39 in Van Nuys. It opens at 10 a.m., but Whitaker is always there a half-hour early.

“I know boxing is a very serious business,” Whitaker said. “You have to put 110% effort into it. And it’s a rough game.”

How rough? Whitaker was watching on pay-per-view, or, as he put it, “pay-per-chew,” when Mike Tyson bit off a chunk of Evander Holyfield’s ear.

“I was embarrassed, upset, very shocked,” he said. “Of all the things, he bit his ear off.”

Whitaker prefers to let his punches do the talking. His size and strength make it difficult to find opponents. Twice in the past few weeks, potential opponents for his Atlantic City bout pulled out.

As he learns to weave, punch in combinations and develop his jab, Whitaker will become more imposing.

In combination with his “Mt. Whitaker” nickname, his left hook is called the “rock slide” and his straight right is the “avalanche.” An “earthquake” happens when one of his victims hits the canvas.

“The amazing thing is this guy is a phenomenal learner,” Goossen said. “He can move, has a heck of a jab and he’s very powerful. He’s got an innate defensive ability, an instinctive survival mode.”

Whitaker started boxing in 1992. He was a Goodwill Games silver medalist in 1994 and Pan American Games bronze medalist in 1995. He lost two close decisions in 1996 during the Olympic trials to deny him a spot at the Atlanta Games.

He’s a big man who acts gentle outside the ring. When he’s running at Balboa Park in the evening, he can be found dunking a basketball, shooting a half-court shot or speaking softly with softball players in awe of his size.

“It’s so beautiful around there,” he said of the massive Encino recreation center.

Whitaker is a true Valley guy determined to follow his dream.

‘I believe I’ll be the heavyweight champion of the world,” he said. “It can be done.”

Eric Sondheimer’s local column appears Wednesday and Sunday. He can be reached at (818) 772-3422.