Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!americast-post Newsgroups: americast.twt.sports From: americast-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: americast-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: Bowe could put Newman on top, too Date: Wed, 11 Nov 92 14:23:38 EST Message-ID: \SE D;SPORTS;BOXING \HD Bowe could put Newman on top, too \BY Morris Siegel \CR THE WASHINGTON TIMES \DT LAS VEGAS LAS VEGAS - It doesn't seem the same without Bob Arum and Don King around when there's a big fight on tap like there is Friday night when underdog Riddick Bowe tries to take away Evander Holyfield's world heavyweight championship. It really doesn't feel the same, like old times. It feels better. If they are missed, Rock Newman, who manages Bowe, is not among the mourners. You wouldn't be disappointed either if the two scoundrels tried to do to you what no goodnicks Armum and King tried to pull on Newman, a one-time Washington disc jockey who could soon make Forbes magazine's highest-paid sports earners list if his man, Bowe, stays hot. Would you trust a guy who wanted to pick your pocket, literally? It's not only Messrs Arum and King that Newman had in mind yesterday morning when he sarcastically thanked all of boxing's brigands who made passes at Bowe when he was a nobody hanging around in Brownsville, the toughest part of Brooklyn, and had already signed up to let Newman call the shots for him. "I want to thank them for being so helpful - Butch Lewis, too," Newman added, going public with the names of all the dudes who tried to make off with the fighter who will make around six million, win or lose, Friday plus another ton if he wins. Many think he'll win easily, although Holyfield remains a slight choice at the exit polls of the casino sports book. "King called me today to wish us luck," Newman said. Does Newman believe the guy whom he says tried to fightnap his gladiator? His answer is a weak smile. Dishonesty and disloyalty are not uncommon in professional boxing circles and are practiced openly and rather expertly by the list of suspects Newman spoke of yesterday. The way Newman put it, he wanted to acknowledge Arum, King and Lewis, among a few others he ticked off, "for leaving the door open for me with Riddick." There were no compliments intended there. "King and Arum and those other guys didn't do the dirty work personally," Newman explained. "They sent emissaries - to wine Riddick, dine him and his family, once the word started getting around that this kid was a comer who was already good." At the time, about two years ago, that King, Arum and former heavyweight champion Larry Holmes, also mentioned by Newman as being ineligible for his own truth squad, Bowe and Newman couldn't have been thicker. "I mean we were tight, real tight," he added. "I remember Riddick and I were walking and he says to me, 'Rock, want to hear somthing funny? You won't belive this, but Don King called today. "Said he was interested in managing me. "I told him I already had a manager, you. He said he could do better for me than you could, that nobody ever heard of you and, besides, I needed him more than he needed me.' " King was riding high then, managing and promoting a fighter named Mike Tyson. "King's gonna call me back tomorrow," Bowe told Newman. "You can listen to our conversation if you want to." Newman did. Nothing King promised suggested to Newman he was in danger of losing the fighter that other nationally known fight people walked away from. Shady deals and trying to steal are nothing new to boxing or to the savings and loan business either. With King and Arum, who take turns despising one another except when there's a buck to be made, Newman could wind up one of the biggest figures in the game Friday night. One solid punch by Bowe is all Newman needs to become Mr. Big, manager of the winner and new world heavyweight champion. Not bad for a man whose boxing career began when his radio stadion sent him to cover Sugar Ray Leonard's fights. Not bad at all for a former sports talk show host. You're next, Ken Beatrice? This article is copyright 1992 The Washington Times. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM