By Jack Welsh
Don King wasn’t too happy not having one heavyweight champion he could call his own and that’s why he came up with two, plus adding a couple of former rulers in kicking off the division’s Battle for Supremacy Nov.13 in what should be a sellout in Madison Square Garden.
The effervescent promoter also views this action of four 12-rounders as a rendezvous with destiny in a format to establish an undisputed champion just like he did in 2001 when Bernard Hopkins became the only middleweight king by TKOing Felix Trinidad in the12th round.
This cavalcade of clout has King taking the public back to an era when heavyweights made the “Sweet Science” thrive and such drama looms in the wings again with HBO Pay-Per-View handling the action domestically while KingVision televises internationally.The first bell is 9:00 PM ET/ 6:00 PT.
With the Garden price scaled from $75 to $800, the heavy cast includes: John Ruiz (40-5-1, 28 K0s), Chelsea, MA., defending his WBA heavyweight title against Andrew Golota, WBA No. 5 contender (38-4-1, 31 K0s), Chicago,Ill.
Chris Byrd (37-2-1, 20 K0s), Flint, MI., risks his IBF heavyweight crown with Jameel McCline, No.1 contender (31-3-3, 19 K0s), Port Jefferson, NY.
Hasim “The Rock” Rahman (39-5-1, 32 KOs), former WBC / IBF heavyweight champion, Baltimore, Md.,takes on Kali Meehan, (29-3, 23 K0s),WBA/ IBFAsia Pacific champion, Wyongah, Australia, in a WBC/WBA/ IBF heavyweight elimination.
Evander Holyfield ( 38-7-2, 25 KOs), four-time world heavyweight champion, Atlanta, Ga.,goes against Larry Donald, (41-3-2, 24 K0s), former NABO heavyweight champion, for the NABC heavyweight crown.
Joel Fisher, senior vice-president, sports properties, Madison Square Garden, lauds the unique card “as a New York fight fan’s dream.”
“We are excited to showcase some of the most popular heavyweights and look forward to seeing the division’s hierarchy become clearer as the boxing renaissance continues at Madison Square Garden. This is truly a Don King extravaganza,” Fisher reflected.
RUIZ, GOLOTA MAY KICK OFF BRAWL.
The sports’ analysts do not think of Ruiz and Golota as a couple of slick boxers-punchers in this pairing. However, New England’s “Quiet Man” will be facing one of the biggest hitters he has faced as a pro in the re-styled Polish import and that includes Roy Jones.
The most ardent fight buff views Ruiz as a mauler, especially reflecting on his three struggles with Holyfield in 2000-2001 when he had a lost, draw and victory.
“I see my mental focus for this fight better than it has ever been. In every fight I have, I always go out expecting to win. I just have to go out there and do it again. I know I am going to work Golota real hard from the beginning because I know that will frustrate him. You can expect me to be very active in the ring, throwing lots of punches moving around in the ring. There’s no question Golota is one of the hardest hitting heavyweights, but I’ll be ready for whatever he brings to the table,” said the WBA incumbent.
Sam Colonna, who trained the Warsaw import in his first 22 fights and his last three bouts, feels Golota will be tested in his fight with Ruiz.
“Ruiz is difficult and he’s physical. Byrd is one thing. Ruiz is another. Ruiz might spin you, hit you behind your head,punch you on your hips or hold you. You have to know he is going to try get Andrew to snap. It’s my job to make sure that does not happen,” Colonna advised.
Golota, who fought a draw with Byrd Apr.17 in New York fo the title, is very confident to win the title this time.
“The reason I am coming in at 235 is because I have to be faster for this fight. Ruiz will try to make this fight a wrestling match but I’ll try to keep him away with my jab and the uppercuts. I will try to move as much as possible, so he can’t hold me and lay on me. But that’s all I can say because I know the Ruiz people are reading the papers. If I don’t win this fight, I’ll retire. I’m getting too old to train this hard, like three months, for nothing.”
BYRD, McCLINE ARE PALS UNTIL BELL
Perhaps the most competitive match-up of the night will be Byrd defending his IBF belt against McCline---even though they are the best of friends out of the ring.
The families are very close and McCline considers Byrd his idol. The families met in Las Vegas in July, 2001 after McCline knocked out Michael Grant in one round. They have even stayed at each other’s home, sharing babysitting duties.
The wives,Tracy Byrd, and Tina McCline, are also very close but when their husbands trained for the Garden fight, the families did not speak and avoided all contact. Tracy said,” we hate it but it has to be this way.”
Byrd, 34, in his third title defense, said that though “Jameel and me are good friends, this fight is a competition, nothing personal. I am really looking forward to this fight. Style-wise, I love this match-up.Jameel is the biggest, most athletic guy I’ve ever fought. I think when the fans see us in the ring, they will think McCline will beat me easily. But I know how to fight big guys. By the third or fourth round, it will be a different story. The key to all my fights is to frustrate the guy in front of me. and keep him off balance. At this level you can’t take anyone lightly. This is going to be a great fight.”
McCline, who trained in Hackensack, N.J. is awed by the Garden’s huge card.
“When I was a kid, I used to run the streets of New York City. Now I’m fighting at the Garden. It‘s a dream come true. Chris is my friend and I respect him as that and as the champion he is. I am looking forward to the fight and I will be victorious,” McCline predicted.
“A few years ago I was asked who my boxing idols were. I mentioned two, Riddick Bowe because he was a big man and one of the few guys to show athleticism and Chris Byrd because he is a little guy who will fight anybody, anywhere, anytime. He shows a lot of heart, and wonderful skills. He is just someone I look up to. When I got to know him as a person he was even better than what I thought of him before. Here I am fighting a great person, a great fighter, and a great man.”
ROCK WANTS BIG K.O. OVER MEEHAN
Hasim “Rock” Rahman can’t forget being the only fighter in history to win and lose the undisputed world heavyweight championship to Lennox Lewis in a seven month rush in 2001.
The 33-year-old former champion from Baltimore, Md., is anxious to be back in action on Don King’s super production Saturday but he won’t be satisfied just getting past the fast-rising Meehan.
“I’m looking to make a big statement, I just don’t want to win a decision. Kali Meehan is a strong, tough young fighter but I want a devastating knockout. I feel better than ever right now and I know I am a lot smarter fighter than ever before. I’ve got the pieces to the puzzle and it is a matter of putting them all together,” said the affable “Rock”.
“It might take some effort because Meehan is a tall, durable guy with a good jab and good speed who likes to take it to you. Thell Torrence, who learned it all from the legendary Eddie Futch, is my trainer and that’s a plus considering he has also worked with Riddick Bowe and Ken Norton among others top names.
Torrance was impressed with Rahman’s approach after just three weeks after working in Pat Barry’s gym in Las Vegas.
“I agreed to work with the Rock because he was willing to work within my program. From the beginning, he has been honest with me, telling where he has been, where he is now, and where he wants to go. Rahman’s personality sometimes takes me back to my early days with Riddick Bowe because he is a good-natured funny fellow.”
Rahman isn’t soft-pedaling Meehan in declaring he thought the 34-year-old Australian deserved better than he got on losing a split 12-round decision to Lamon Brewster Sept.4 at Mandalay Bay.
Meehan turned pro in 1997 in Auckland, N.Z., but he didn’t get a change to fight in America until Apr.10 when Don King put him in Damon Reed, who was stopped in six rounds.
Trainer Mark Janssen said he didn’t think Kali would get a title shot so early against Brewster, who wound up with a broken jaw.
“We were robbed and we were shocked and he was disapointed he didn’t stop Brewster. Kali was about 70 percent and we should have been 90 percent. Brewster is a tougher style. Meehan has good power and he will prove that on what he does to Rahman. Still, Rahman doesn’t handle distance well.
Meehan, 6’,5”, coming in at 236, is in awe fighting on King’s glitzy show of heavyweights less than eight months after jetting to the United States.
“To be here fighting on this show is great. When I was a little boy, I wanted to fight. Then as my career progressed, I wanted to fight in America. Now to be fighting in Madison Square Garden, and also fighting with the greatest heavyweights of my era, is something.”
HOLYFIELD COULDN’T GET TITLE SHOT
It seems safe to say speculation will be rampant in and out of the Garden whether or not Holyfield is really in New York for his swan song.
After all, the 42-year-old unmatched icon of the heavyweight crown four times hasn’t fought in a year.
And the straight-shooting Holyfield admitted it wasn’t the fight he wanted. It was the only one he could get.
“This is the first step I have to take, looking over my past fights. I have made some adjustments and realize I have to be totally dedicated and ready to fight. I couldn’t get a championship fight and I
couldn’t let a whole year go by. My last fight was James Toney, Oct 4 a year ago.”
Holyfield, whose mega-wealth has been well-documented as a country squire holding court on a lavish. Mansion outside Atlanta.
“The big thing is I’m in this game because I believe I can win it. I have a passion for the game. I go to sleep and wake up still wanting to fight.”
Donald, a pro of merit since 1993, America was pleased Monday on King’s Heavyweights Across America where the fighters held public workouts in their hometowns.
“It was very heartening by the big turnout in my hometown. They supported me before I left for New York. I’m looking forward to one of the big challenges of my career in. It can’t get any better than facing Evander Holyfield.
(Jack Welsh is a syndicated columnist headquartered in Las Vegas and a regular contributor to Ringsports.Com and other national sports publications.)