Fulgencio Obelmejias

South Korean challenger Paek In-chul knocked out champion Fulgencio Obelmejias of Venezuela at 2:21 of the 11th round at Seoul to win the World Boxing Assn. super-middleweight championship.

South Korean challenger Paek In-chul knocked out champion Fulgencio Obelmejias of Venezuela at 2:21 of the 11th round at Seoul to win the World Boxing Assn. super-middleweight championship.

Fulgencio Obelmejias' defense of his World Boxing Assn. super middleweight title against Thomas Hearns has been called off, Obelmejias' promoter, Luis Spada, said Tuesday. Spada said the fight, which was scheduled for Nov. 4 in Las Vegas, is off "indefinitely." Obelmejias, a Venezuelan, has said that a rib injury he sustained in a bout with South Korea's Chong Pal Park has prevented him from fighting.

Fulgencio Obelmejias' defense of his World Boxing Assn. super middleweight title against Thomas Hearns has been called off, Obelmejias' promoter, Luis Spada, said Tuesday. Spada said the fight, which was scheduled for Nov. 4 in Las Vegas, is off "indefinitely." Obelmejias, a Venezuelan, has said that a rib injury he sustained in a bout with South Korea's Chong Pal Park has prevented him from fighting.

Raul Perez will defend his World Boxing Council bantamweight championship tonight at the Sports Arena against Lucio Lopez. Perez, 22, a tall, skinny boxer from Tijuana, won the title from Colombian Miguel Lora in Las Vegas last November. Lopez (28-2-1), from Argentina, is the South American champion. Lora defended the WBC championship several times without so much as a close fight until Perez (42-1-1) upset him on the undercard of the Michael Nunn-Fulgencio Obelmejias card.

Major boxing shows have apparently been scheduled within three days of each other in November at the Las Vegas Hilton and Caesars Palace. Promoter Bob Arum announced Tuesday he has booked a championship tripleheader at the Hilton for Friday, Nov. 4, featuring Thomas Hearns and Michael Nunn in separate title bouts. Caesars Palace, meanwhile, is expected to announce Thursday that Sugar Ray Leonard and Donny Lalonde will meet for two world titles on Monday, Nov. 7.

Thomas Hearns, the only fighter ever to have won world titles in four weight divisions, will go for a fifth against Fulgencio Obelmejias, the World Boxing Assn. super-middleweight champion, this fall at Las Vegas. Hearns, who lost his World Boxing Council middleweight championship to Iran Barkley on a third-round knockout two months ago, will fight Obelmejias in late October or early November.

To Michael Nunn, the best compliment he received after winning the International Boxing Federation middleweight title from Frank Tate was that he fought like a young Sugar Ray Leonard. Nunn enjoyed hearing that because Leonard and--to a lesser degree--Muhammad Ali were his idols growing up. "I caught Ali at the end of his career and caught Leonard at the beginning," Nunn said Thursday. "I think I remind people of them because of head movement, foot speed and hand speed.

To Michael Nunn, the best compliment he received after winning the International Boxing Federation middleweight title from Frank Tate was that he fought like a young Sugar Ray Leonard. Nunn enjoyed hearing that because Leonard and, to a lesser degree, Muhammad Ali, were his idols growing up. "I caught Ali at the end of his career and caught Leonard at the beginning," Nunn said Thursday. "I think I remind people of them because of head movement, foot speed and hand speed.

Being an International Boxing Federation champion is not generally considered a license to mint money. The boxing organization, established largely to accommodate the whimsical matchmaking of former heavyweight champion Larry Holmes, does not command much prestige or even attention. The hardiest of boxing fans might be hard pressed to name more than one such titlist. But, as they might say, the only thing worse than being an IBF champion is not being champion at all.

If Gene Tunney had never fought Jack Dempsey, who would ever have heard of him? What if Gentleman Jim Corbett had never boxed John L. Sullivan? Suppose Joe Frazier had never met Muhammad Ali? Would any or all of them have been a cipher in boxing history? Would it have been enough for Rocky Marciano to knock out Joe Walcott--or even Ezzard Charles or Roland LaStarza? Didn't he have to KO Joe Louis to ensure his place in pugilism? Marvin Hagler is the undisputed middleweight champion of the world.