Notes on a Scorecard - Nov. 12, 1992

LAS VEGAS —  Riddick Bowe is dedicating his fight against heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield on Friday night to a former neighbor from the Brownsville section of Brooklyn. . . .

“I got a message from Mike Tyson today wishing me all the best and hoping that I knock out Holyfield,” Bowe said Wednesday. “I’m going to dedicate the fight to him.” . . .

Asked if he would like to fight Tyson after the former champion’s release from prison, Bowe said, “It would be an honor.” . . .

The 6-foot 5-inch Bowe, who weighed as much as 245 pounds as recently as July 18 when he stopped Pierre Coetzer in the seventh round, came in at 235 as predicted Wednesday. . . .

The 6-2 1/2 Holyfield weighed 205, five pounds less than for his last fight, against Larry Holmes. . . .

“I want to be quick and use a lot of movement,” Holyfield said. . . .

Holmes, who lost a lopsided decision to Holyfield on June 19, is picking the champion. . . . “The surprising thing will be that Holyfield will be too strong for Bowe inside and Bowe will have to work outside,” Holmes said. . . .

The main event, to be televised on a pay-per-view basis, will begin sometime after 8 p.m. . . .

The card will be staged at the Thomas & Mack Center, home of the Nevada Las Vegas Runnin’ Rebels, because a circus tent has replaced the outdoor boxing arena at the Mirage. Good thing because the nights have been cold and windy here all week.

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One Dodger who refused to go on the disabled list was Tom Lasorda, who bowled a charity match against Holyfield and Bowe Sunday in Las Vegas despite an arthritic hand and sore knee. . . .

The last time there was a fight on Friday the 13th, Jason took the 10-count. . . .

Don King announced plans to showcase Julio Cesar Chavez, Terry Norris, Greg Haugen, Michael Nunn and Julian Jackson in nontitle fights on a Dec. 13 card at the Mirage. . . .

Bob Arum is going to promote six shows at the San Diego Arena next year and hopes to feature Oscar De La Hoya at least once. . . .

Lou Duva has proposed a junior-lightweight fight pitting his Eddie Hopson against Gabriel Ruelas. . . .

Perhaps the best long-range heavyweight prospect is David Tua, 19, of New Zealand, who won the bronze medal at Barcelona and will turn pro Dec. 1 in Virginia Beach, Va. . . .

Tua was recommended to Duva by Kevin Barry, who defeated Holyfield on that controversial disqualification during the 1984 Olympic Games. . . .

The attractive Buddy McGirt-Pernell Whitaker bout is still on for March 6 at Madison Square Garden despite McGirt having to pull out of his WBC welterweight title defense against Genaro Leon Friday because of illness. . . .

Promoter Bobby Goodman would love to stage a heavyweight title fight at Madison Square Garden this year for the first time since Bonecrusher Smith knocked out Tim Witherspoon in the first round in 1986. . . .

The key to the Garden hopes is local fighter Bowe. . . .

Holyfield has said, “Once I retire, I pray to God I will never come back and get hurt.”

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Most predictable election result of the year was Jose Sulaiman being voted to a fifth term as president of the World Boxing Council at the organization’s meeting in Mexico. Term limit legislation was not on the ballot. . . .

No-field, no-hit Pierre Coetzer should be the perfect opponent for George Foreman on Jan. 16 in Reno. . . .

Holyfield has a promoter, manager, three trainers, a cutman, a flexibility and ballet coach, a conditioning coach, a strength coach, a nutritionist and a publicist. . . .

Manager Billy Baxter is bullish on Vernon Forrest, a 140-pounder who fought in the Olympic Games and makes his professional debut Nov. 25 at the Riviera hotel. . . .

California promoter Don Chargin says Holyfield’s experience in big fights--he has fought 10 world title bouts to none for Bowe--could be the difference. . . .

Bowe has had three more matches than Holyfield but has fought 69 fewer rounds. . . .

“I don’t buy the stuff about Bowe lacking heart because he supposedly quit against Lennox Lewis in the Olympics,” Philadelphia promoter Russell Peltz said. “I’ll always remember seeing Duane Bobick chase Larry Holmes all over the ring in the amateurs.” . . .

It was a year ago this week, on Nov. 8, that Holyfield was scheduled to defend his title against Mike Tyson, who pulled out because of a rib injury. . . .

Prediction: Bowe by knockout in the eighth round.