Notes on a Scorecard - Nov. 11, 1992

By ALLAN MALAMUD

Nov. 11, 1992 12 AM PT

LAS VEGAS — Most of those who believe the heavyweight championship will change hands Friday night cite the challenger’s superior strength, size and punching power, but one boxing scientist has a different explanation. . . .

“Riddick Bowe will beat Evander Holyfield because of Eddie Futch,” Jackie McCoy said. . . .

McCoy, who has managed or trained six world champions, is in awe of the Futch touch, which has produced 17 world champions. . . .

“Futch is a genius at mapping strategy,” McCoy said about Bowe’s 81-year-old trainer. “If his fighter has good tools--and Bowe does--Eddie will figure out a way for him to win.” . . .

McCoy said that Futch convinced him of his ability as long ago as 1958, when Don Jordan won the welterweight championship from Virgil Akins on a 15-round decision at the Olympic Auditorium. . . .

“Akins had been knocking out just about everybody, and Jordan was a huge underdog,” McCoy recalled. “I managed him and Eddie trained him. I wasn’t very confident, but Eddie kept telling me it would be an easy fight.” . . .

“Futch said it was simply a matter of styles. He said Akins threw everything from wide angles, and that Jordan could whip him by moving inside behind a jab and following up with straight rights.” . . .

The fight went exactly the way Futch said it would, and so did the rematch in St. Louis the next year when Jordan won another decision. . . .

Futch isn’t revealing any strategy this time, but insists that Bowe will be a convincing winner over Holyfield. . . .

Jackie McCoy suggests you listen to him. . . .

About 15,000 tickets have been sold for the bout at the 19,000-seat Thomas & Mack Center, and the gate has reached $6 million. . . .

Holyfield remains a 7-5 favorite. . . .

The weigh-in at the Mirage hotel will be televised today during ESPN’s “SportsCenter” show that begins at 4 p.m. . . .

If Bowe weighs 235 or less, he is in top fighting condition. Holyfield, who expects to weigh between 205 and 210, is always in peak shape. . . .

Holyfield, the little guy, is 6 feet 2 1/2. Former champion Sonny Liston was 6-1. . . .

Pinklon Thomas and Bert Cooper are the two common opponents. Holyfield stopped Thomas in the seventh round in 1988, and Bowe stopped him in the ninth in 1990. Holyfield stopped Cooper in the seventh in 1991, and Bowe stopped him in the second in 1990. . . .

Bowe’s manager, Rock Newman, requested steroid tests for both fighters but was turned down by the Nevada State Athletic Commission. Such tests never have been administered by a boxing governing body. . . .

“I’m getting burned out at having to be heavyweight champion of the world,” Holyfield said at the final news conference Tuesday. “You have to have a really big ego to be heavyweight champion for a long time.” . . .

Holyfield has been champion for two years, eight months longer than George Foreman held the title and 9 1/2 years shorter than Joe Louis. . . .

Nutritionist Dick Gregory on Bowe’s training camp in rural Oregon: “It’s the only place where everybody is careful to lock up their bicycles, but nobody bothers to lock their doors.” . . .

Both fighters competed in the Olympic Games, but neither won a gold medal. . . .

Not one to understate the importance of the event, promoter Dan Duva said, “This is our Super Bowl, boxing’s World Series.” . . .

This will be the first heavyweight title bout between two unbeaten fighters since Mike Tyson knocked out Michael Spinks in the first round June 26, 1988, at Atlantic City. . . .

Colin Hart of the Sun of London says, “Lennox Lewis’ knockout over Razor Ruddock created tremendous interest in the heavyweight division at home. A lot of people already have crowned Lewis as champion.” . . .

Lewis will be an analyst on the cable telecast of Friday’s fight, which will be shown live at 4 a.m. Saturday in England. . . .

The referee will be Joe Cortez, who figures to work longer than he did during the Lewis-Ruddock fight. . . .

Both fighters are working on a percentage of the pay-per-view television sales and live gate. Holyfield is expected to earn between $15 million and $18 million and Bowe $7 million. . . .

Holyfield handler Lou Duva said: “We go by Evander’s grunts. The way he has been grunting the last couple of days, Bowe is in trouble.”