De La Hoya, Chavez Risking a Jackpot

LAS VEGAS — If Oscar De La Hoya or Julio Cesar Chavez get knocked out tonight in their fights at Caesars Palace, they probably won’t be the first to hit the floor.

Promoter Bob Arum will be, fainting from the horror of losing a potential $100-million fight.

That’s what is really at stake in tonight’s twin bill, planned as an elaborate sparring session in preparation for the next Fight of the Century, Chavez versus De La Hoya, to be held at the same hotel June 7.

But first, the business at hand. De La Hoya (20-0, 18 knockouts), the World Boxing Organization lightweight champion, will move up to 140 pounds for the first time to face Darryl Tyson (47-8-1, 24 KOs) in a 12-round bout, followed by Chavez (96-1-1, 78 knockouts), the World Boxing Council junior-welterweight champion, against Scott Walker (21-3-1, 12 KOs) in a 10-round nontitle bout.

Of course neither Walker nor Tyson views this as a sparring session. So why even risk the June bonanza by staging tonight’s fights?

It certainly wasn’t Arum’s idea. He said he probably wouldn’t sleep much Thursday night because of anxiety over the thought that either Walker or Tyson, both heavy underdogs, might somehow land the lucky punch that could shatter the dream matchup.

Chavez wanted tonight’s fight so the De La Hoya match would be his 100th. But a dispute has arisen over a fight Chavez supposedly had in 1982 in Tijuana against Jose Medina. The respected Fights Facts ring record book and several other boxing record keepers refuse to recognize the bout because there is no verification from the Mexican boxing commission.

De La Hoya wanted tonight’s fight because he feels he needs the work. He fought four times last year but would have gone six months without a fight if he had been inactive until June.

So Chavez and De La Hoya will get the work they want, Chavez against a man whose biggest claim to fame is that he always fights in pink, De La Hoya against a man who has lost two of his last four fights.

Both underdogs feel it will take a knockout to win. Both are cynical about their chances of getting a break from the judges with all that is at stake.

“I’m not coming here looking for a 12-round decision, because I’m not going to get it,” Tyson said.

Tyson, 35, has twice fought for the lightweight title of one of the major boxing organizations in his 14-year career, losing decisions to Jimmy Paul for the International Boxing Federation crown and to Miguel Gonzalez for the WBC championship.

Walker, known as the Pink Cat, has won 13 consecutive fights, the biggest a 10-round decision over former world champion Alexis Arguello who, in his late 30s, was attempting a comeback.

Plans have already been made for a publicity junket across North America to publicize Chavez-De La Hoya. If something goes wrong tonight, they could always use the money to hype a Walker-Tyson fight.

Doesn’t have the same ring, does it?

Boxing Notes

Also on tonight’s card are Long Beach heavyweight Jeremy Williams in a 10-round bout and former pro football running back Alonzo Highsmith in a six-rounder. . . . Both Julio Cesar Chavez and Scott Walker weighed in at 144 pounds. Oscar De La Hoya was at 140 and Darryl Tyson at 139.