USA Today Notes 8/11/00
Paul Dalrymple
By Dan Rafael
USA TODAY
August 11, 2000
James Page pulled out of Saturday night's mandatory welterweight title
defense vs. Andrew ''Six Heads'' Lewis in a managerial dispute, but the
Showtime show goes on.
The new co-feature for the Evander Holyfield vs. John Ruiz heavyweight fight
is a vacant junior flyweight title bout between Rosendo Alvarez (27-1-1, 17
KOs) and highly touted Colombian Bebis Mendoza (25-0, 22 KOs).
Alvarez and Mendoza were supposed to fight a non-televised bout on the Tim
Austin-Arthur Johnson bantamweight title card Friday on Showtime (11:30 p.m.
ET), but when Page pulled out that bout was moved and elevated.
Big test: Exciting heavyweight prospect Clifford ''Black Rhino'' Etienne
(17-0, 12 KOs) has a new opponent for his Sept. 9 HBO fight. The original
foe, fellow undefeated prospect Fres Oquendo, pulled out because his newborn
is having health problems. The replacement is tough veteran Orlin Norris.
''Norris is a good benchmark for Etienne,'' HBO's Kery Davis said. ''You
will get an idea of how good Clifford is. What you want to do with a young
fighter like Clifford is answer questions. How can he handle a veteran
fighter like Orlin Norris, who has been in with everyone? We'll find out.''
Judah returns: Junior welterweight champion Zab Judah, coming off an
explosive fourth-round TKO of ex-champion Terronn Millett, will return to
action on the undercard of Mike Tyson-Andrew Golota if that bout comes off.
If it doesn't, Judah will fight Nov. 17 on Showtime. Promoter Gary Shaw of
Main Events hopes to match Judah against Sharmba Mitchell in a 140-pound
unification fight before unifying again with Kostya Tszyu next spring.
Clay-Bey OK: Heavyweight Lawrence Clay-Bey (11-0, 8 KOs), a 1996 U.S.
Olympian, has been medically cleared to fight Sept. 17 (Fox Sports Net) and
is training in Denver. His career has been beset by hand and eye injuries.
During a routine prefight exam before a bout with Chris Byrd in April (which
was canceled), Clay-Bey was diagnosed with retinal tears. He had surgery on
his left eye and the right healed on its own.
Quick hits: Promoter Cedric Kushner said a deal is imminent for No. 5
heavyweight Chris Byrd, who holds the World Boxing Organization belt, to
defend Oct. 14 in Germany vs. Wladimir Klitschko. It will be Byrd's first
bout since taking the title from Klitschko's older brother, Vitali, in
April. . . . Junior featherweight champion Bones Adams had surgery Wednesday
to repair a broken knuckle on his right hand. Adams has broken it in his
past two fights, most recently in his title defense last weekend. He'll be
out at least two months. . . . Welterweight Arturo Gatti (32-4-0, 27 KO),
perhaps the most exciting fighter in the game, fights Sept. 8 (ESPN2) in
Montreal's Molson Center. It will be Gatti's first pro fight in his
hometown. His opponent hasn't been announced.