Unification Bout About to Become a Reality

So what’s holding up the announcement of the long-awaited heavyweight title unification fight between Evander Holyfield and Lennox Lewis?

“We have a contract from Don King that is not signable,” said co-promoter Dino Duva.

A questionable Don King contract? Now there’s a shock.

Duva, however, remains confident that the objectionable details will be cleared up this week and Holyfield and Lewis will finally agree to a match that has been talked about since Holyfield beat Mike Tyson in their infamous ear-biting rematch in June 1997.

Holyfield-Lewis is planned for March, perhaps in Las Vegas although Duva says New York’s Madison Square Garden is also a strong contender.

Holyfield will receive about $20 million for the fight, Lewis about $10 million.

KING-DUVA II

While doing business with King on one front, Duva is battling him on another, hoping to win a court injunction in New York that will allow Duva to promote a Felix Trinidad-Pernell Whitaker fight in December or January.

King is disputing a contract Trinidad has signed with Duva’s Main Events organization. But if the injunction is granted, King will be unable to interfere with Trinidad’s next fight.

Duva is talking with promoter Bob Arum about setting up a May showdown between the winners of November’s Oscar De La Hoya-Ike Quartey bout and the Trinidad-Whitaker match, if it happens.

So what’s it like, dealing with both King and Arum?

“It’s up and down,” Duva said. “You can’t take anything for granted. You have to get a good contract, a firm contract. And even then, you don’t know what is going to happen. That’s the way this business is.”

QUITTING TIME

Julio Cesar Chavez’s decision to quit in his corner after the eighth round of his fight against De La Hoya last month should not have come as a great surprise.

The sport’s biggest bullies, most effective intimidators and loudest mouths almost always seem to be the first to quit when a fight turns against them.

It happened to Sonny Liston, whose menacing stare wore down many an opponent--until the day in 1964 when he realized he couldn’t beat the brash young Cassius Clay, and so chose to quit in his corner.

It happened to Roberto Duran, who was known for his hands of stone, but turned out to have a heart of sand. Thoroughly whipped by Sugar Ray Leonard in a 1980 fight, Duran quit, uttering his famous “No mas!”

It happened to Tyson, who quit fighting against Holyfield, started biting and got himself disqualified.

And now it has happened with Chavez.

It seems that the tougher they claim to be, the faster they fold.

MORE GOLD FOR GOLDEN BOY

In this space a week ago, it was announced that the California State Athletic Commission is looking for more than 300 fighters who have refunds coming to them because of a change in the state’s pension plan for fighters.

Among those commission officials have discovered they owe money is De La Hoya, who has $20,000 coming. If you want it, Oscar, the deadline to apply is Dec. 31.

QUICK JABS

In Monday night’s main event at the Forum, middleweights Dwain Williams (13-2, 11 knockouts) and Eric Mitchell (12-2-1, five knockouts) will fight a 10-rounder. Also on the card will be a semifinal match in the Forum’s junior-lightweight tournament, matching Javier Jauregui (39-8-1, 30 knockouts) against Ricardo Rivera (15-4-1, seven knockouts) in another 10-rounder. A six-round women’s bout pits Blaire Robinson (3-0, two knockouts) against Robyn Covino (1-5, one knockouts). First fight is at 8.

Orlando Canizales, former International Boxing Federation bantamweight champion, will fight at the Reseda Country Club on Thursday night. His opponent will be the World Boxing Federation’s super- bantamweight champion, Juan Manuel Chavez--if Chavez can clear up his visa problems in time to get to Reseda. Also on the card will be former pro football player Alonzo Highsmith, a heavyweight. First fight is at 7:30 p.m.

IBF lightweight champion Shane Mosely was honored as fighter of the year by the World Boxing Hall of Fame on Saturday night. . . . If you get U.S. Satellite Broadcasting (USSB), you can see for yourself how Tyson holds up Monday under the tough questioning expected at his second hearing before the Nevada State Athletic Commission in his bid to regain his boxing license. The hearing will be shown on Channel 900 beginning at 9 a.m.