He’s Still Facing a Round in Court

Fernando Vargas has big plans. The International Boxing Federation junior middleweight champion is scheduled to fight No. 1 contender Ross Thompson Aug. 26 at Las Vegas’ Mandalay Bay hotel.

And the final details are being worked out for Vargas’ blockbuster match against Felix Trinidad Dec. 2 at a still-to-be-determined site in Las Vegas.

But hold on.

Before Vargas can get to Trinidad, he first has to get by Hilary Dozer. And Dozer says that may not be so easy.

Don’t look for Dozer’s name in the rankings. His arena is the courtroom. Dozer, senior deputy district attorney in Santa Barbara, is the prosecutor in the ongoing assault case against Vargas.

Vargas and four companions have been charged with two counts of assault with a deadly weapon and one count of conspiracy in the beating of a 23-year-old man in July 1999.

A settlement hearing has been scheduled for Sept. 6 in Santa Barbara Superior Court.

Shelly Finkel, Vargas’ manager, says he’s confident a settlement will be reached.

Should that fail, however, the trial date is Nov. 2.

“He could be on trial for a few months,” Dozer said. “It is a requirement for him to be present in the courtroom. That could be a problem in terms of his fight plans.

“This is not his ring. It’s my ring.”

MORE FROM THE LEGAL FILE

A hearing before the Nevada State Athletic Commission has been scheduled for Aug. 16 for promoter Bob Arum. Arum will be asked to explain his admission in testimony in the New Jersey racketeering trial of IBF founder Bob Lee that he paid $100,000 to get a sanction for a 1995 George Foreman-Axel Schulz fight.

Arum could face anything from a fine to revocation of his license. A fine seems the most likely punishment.

But that’s not the end of Arum’s difficulties.

The California State Athletic Commission will also ask Arum to testify on his payment to Lee. That hearing will be held in October.

MORE FROM THE ARUM FILE

Negotiations are on track for a rematch between Shane Mosley and Oscar De La Hoya, tentatively scheduled for Jan. 20, either in Las Vegas or at Staples Center.

“I have 110% assurance from HBO that they are committed to the fight,” said Cedric Kushner, promoter of Mosley, who won the first match between the two fighters in June on a split decision. “Any doubts I had about the fight coming off have been eliminated. For a moment last week, I thought, ‘This can’t come together.’ But, with HBO’s support, I feel it will happen.”

One of the issues is a $10.1-million purse promised to Mosley by Arum, De La Hoya’s promoter. Citing lower-than-expected pay-per-view numbers, Arum has told Kushner that he can’t afford to pay that figure. But with HBO money tossed into the pot, a deal seems certain.

Is Kushner still expecting

$10.1 million?

“We most certainly will not be asking for less,” he said. “Money is always an issue in these matters. It never ceases to be an issue even when the deal is made.”

Kushner has shelved plans for Mosley to fight Arturo Gatti in October. Neither Mosley nor De La Hoya will enter the ring before January.

BIG SCHEDULE FOR BIG GUYS

While the three biggest names in the heavyweight division--Lennox Lewis, David Tua and Mike Tyson--continue to negotiate for upcoming bouts, three-time heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield wraps up training for his fourth shot at a title.

Holyfield will fight John Ruiz next Saturday at Paris Las Vegas for the World Boxing Assn. heavyweight title snatched away from Lewis for his refusal to fight Ruiz.

Or, as Lewis mockingly calls him, “John Louise.”

With the promoters of Lewis, the IBF and World Boxing Council champion, and Tua unable to agree on money, their fight will go to a purse bid Aug. 15, if not sooner.

If Lewis’ side wins the bid, the fight will be held Nov. 11, with Toronto the front-runner to land the bout. If Tua’s side secures the fight, the match will be held No. 4 in Las Vegas.

Details are expected to be finalized this week for Tyson’s match against David Izon, tentatively set for Sept. 8 at the Palace in Auburn Hills, Mich. According to Finkel, negotiations are also underway for Tyson to fight Andrew Golota in Hong Kong in November.

If Tyson really steps up in class to fight Golota and is successful, he will be ready early next year to take on either Tua or Lewis.

GOLDEN MEMORIES

One of the brightest boxing stars of the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles has died.

Steve McCrory, who won the gold medal in the flyweight division (112 1/2 pounds) at the Los Angeles Games died at 36 in a Detroit hospital after a long illness. The nature of that illness has not yet been revealed by his family.

McCrory reveled in his golden moment. Of the night before his Olympic title bout against Redzep Redzepovski of Yugoslavia, McCrory said, “I was smiling in my sleep.”

QUICK JABS

IBF junior welterweight champion Zab Judah (23-0 with one no-contest and 17 knockouts) will defend his crown tonight on Showtime against Terronn Millett (22-1-1, 17). The card, from the Mohegan Sun Casino in Connecticut, goes on the air at 10 p.m.

HBO kicks off a string of five Saturday boxing shows in six weeks tonight with WBA flyweight champion Sornpichai Pisnurachank (19-0, 16) defending his title against Eric Morel (26-0, 16) in Madison, Wis. The telecast starts at 5.

In order to get from Thailand to the fight site, Pisnurachank had to fly 32 hours.