Heavyweights Sink a Little Lower

In one match, you have an aging former heavyweight champion back in the ring to face one of the most colorful and unique fighters in the sport. In the other, you have a heavyweight champion who can walk down the street largely unnoticed against a challenger the casual fan has never heard of.

Which is the more appealing match?

Sad to say, it’s the first. Sad because it illustrates how far the heavyweight division, once the most glamorous in boxing, has fallen.

Tonight at the Scope arena in Norfolk, Va., Larry Holmes, truly an aging former champion at 52, will take on Eric Esch, better known as Butterbean, in a 10-round main event.

Also tonight at Las Vegas’ Mandalay Bay Events Center, World Boxing Assn. heavyweight champion John Ruiz will face Kirk Johnson.

Despite the shrill histrionics of Ruiz’s promoter, Don King, Holmes and Butterbean will draw more attention.

Old Man and the Bean

Holmes, who once boasted that Rocky Marciano couldn’t carry his jockstrap, will now further deflate his image by taking on a former tough-man star who is as much a circus act as a fighter.

Holmes has a legacy to be proud of. If he hadn’t been in the unfortunate position of following Muhammad Ali as heavyweight champion, Holmes would be better remembered as one of the best in heavyweight history. Possessor of a tremendous jab and excellent power, he won his first 48 professional fights, one short of Marciano’s record, and was heavyweight king from 1978-1985, defending the title 19 times.

But like all too many fighters, Holmes found retirement unacceptable, returning again and again to the ring, holding out hope he’d eventually escape from Ali’s shadow. Instead, he has cast a shadow over his own accomplishments for a new generation of fans.

Fighting Butterbean--whose assortment of opponents has included a truck driver, a sawmill worker, a bartender and, yes, even an occasional professional fighter--is hardly going to enhance the reputation of Holmes (68-6, 44 knockouts), whose last fight, two years ago, should have been his last fight.

“Fighting is something I’ve done all my life,” Holmes said. “In spite of my age and what people may say, wish, hope or pray for, I’m still good at what I do and I don’t mind bragging about it.

“Some things are worth coming out of retirement for. This is to eliminate some of the gaudiness and honky-tonk from the sport.”

Encouraging Butterbean will eliminate the honky-tonk?

Butterbean (63-1, 47) figures he’s just getting started. By moving beyond the usual four-round fights--he was once dubbed king of the four-rounders and given a bogus belt along with the bogus title--and taking on Holmes, Butterbean hopes to finally lure his ultimate opponent into the ring: Mike Tyson.

Considering his last performance against Lennox Lewis and his dismal prospects for the future, Tyson might finally be reduced to fighting Butterbean.

And Butterbean might actually have a chance to win.

How sad is that for the state of the heavyweight division?

Fight for Recognition

Ruiz (37-4-1, 27) emerged from his three grueling matches against Evander Holyfield as the WBA champion, but the credibility Ruiz has long sought did not come with victory.

Ruiz holds the distinction of being the first Latino heavyweight king, but his title has been tainted by the fact he beat a washed-up Holyfield and that Lewis is regarded as the undisputed champion everywhere but the WBA.

“John Ruiz was knocked out in 19 seconds [by David Tua in 1996],” said King, “and he can’t seem to get past that. He doesn’t get the recognition, and I just can’t understand it.”

Said Ruiz: “I don’t know what I have to do, fight Holyfield a fourth time?”

No, no, anything but that. The first three holding, head-butting marathons failed to produce a single memorable moment.

In Johnson, Ruiz will be facing an unbeaten fighter at 32-0-1 with 23 knockouts. But to truly gain acclaim, Ruiz would have to beat Lewis.

Black and White Fight

Ruiz thinks his title isn’t appreciated?

Clifford “The Black Rhino” Etienne (24-1, 17) is the International Boxing Assn. Continental Americas heavyweight king. How obscure is that?

He’ll put that dubious title on the line tonight at the New Orleans Arena against veteran Francois “White Buffalo” Botha (44-4-1, one no-contest, 28 knockouts).

Running Feud

Not scheduled to meet until their Sept. 14 showdown at Mandalay Bay, Oscar De La Hoya and Fernando Vargas ran into each other earlier this week while doing dawn road work in Big Bear, where both are training.

The two fighters were bolstered by their entourages, who did most of the talking and the finger pointing.

“You’ll have to get up earlier than this to beat me,” yelled Vargas.

De La Hoya noted Vargas was wearing a rubber suit, presumably to work off excess weight. Vargas says he is right on schedule to come in at 154 pounds.

Save it for September, guys.