Mike Weaver

Pinklon Thomas, the World Boxing Council's heavyweight champion, will defend his title June 15 against Mike Weaver, a promoter says. Thomas, 25-0-1, won the title on Aug. 31, 1984, with a 12-round decision over former champion Tim Witherspoon. Weaver, ranked as the WBC's No. 1 heavyweight contender, lost his World Boxing Assn. title to Akron's Michael Dokes on a first-round knockout on Dec. 10, 1982. Weaver's record is 27-10-1.

He fought in glamorous places such as Sun City, South Africa, and Las Vegas. Now he fights in a converted hotel ballroom in Woodland Hills. His fights attracted international crowds. Now he is lucky to draw 1,000 people. He fought the best in the world. Now he fights the best the San Fernando Valley can attract. He fought for titles and big money. Now he fights for pure enjoyment and small change.

Michael Dokes was knocked out but not senseless. He had the sense to know his career may be over. The former World Boxing Assn. heavyweight champion was knocked out Wednesday night by Donovan (Razor) Ruddock in the fourth round of a scheduled 12-round bout and remained unconscious for two minutes. "I'm devastated," Dokes said. "Maybe it's time for me to start thinking about doing something else. "If I can't beat Ruddock, I can't beat (Buster) Douglas."

Mike Weaver, a former world heavyweight champion, will be after a less glamorous title--but a title nonetheless--in the main event of a six-fight boxing card March 27 at the Warner Center Marriott. In a bout scheduled for 12 rounds, Weaver will challenge reigning Penta heavyweight champion Cesar Rendon of Mexico, promoter Gerrie Coetzee said Thursday.

Former heavyweight champion Mike Weaver, 37, of Diamond Bar, who hasn't fought since being knocked out by Johnny DuPlooy almost 2 years ago, takes on Bobby Crabtree of Little Rock, Ark., tonight at the Country Club in Reseda.

On the undercard of the Bert Lee-Sean Mannion middleweight fight at the Irvine Marriott tonight will be the Weaver triplets, the brothers of former heavyweight champion Mike Weaver. A total of seven fights are on the card, with the first bout starting at 8 p.m. The card: Francisco Sequeroa (Pomona) vs. Martin Escobar (Santa Monica), 130 pounds, 4-rounds. Floyd Weaver (Pomona) vs. Roderick Sparks (Cypress), 147 pounds, 4-round fight. Nick DeLong (Long Beach) vs. Dee Jay (Pomona), Hwy.

Former world champion Mike Weaver will fight in the main event of next month's boxing card at the Warner Center Marriott, promoters said Tuesday. Weaver, who has a record of 39-16-1 with 28 knockouts, will meet Van Nuys-based veteran George O'Mara in a heavyweight bout scheduled for 12 rounds June 21. In the alphabet soup of professional boxing, Weaver is, even at age 43, still a champion. He holds the title of the National Boxing Assn. But his glory years are behind him.

Professional boxing returned to the Ventura Theatre on July 12 and the presence of Mike Weaver led to speculation that the former World Boxing Assn. heavyweight champion might be featured on a future card. Weaver, 38, now residing in Diamond Bar, was on hand first and foremost to watch his 25-year-old brother Lloyd box in a middleweight bout. But he did express interest in returning in the near future. "I'll be happy to fight here or anywhere, it makes no difference to me," Weaver said.

Mike Weaver, a former world heavyweight champion, will be after a less glamorous title--but a title nonetheless--in the main event of a six-fight boxing card March 27 at the Warner Center Marriott. In a bout scheduled for 12 rounds, Weaver will challenge reigning Penta heavyweight champion Cesar Rendon of Mexico, promoter Gerrie Coetzee said Thursday.

Mike Weaver is the biggest name, but the former heavyweight champion might not be the most-intriguing boxer on the June 21 fight card at the Warner Center Marriott. Diobelis Hurtado, the 1994 world amateur champion at 132 pounds, is scheduled to make his sixth professional appearance--and his first outside of Miami. Hurtado, 22, defected from the Cuban national team after a competition last October in Connecticut.

Timed perfectly for Father's Day week: A fighting grandpa headlines the monthly professional boxing show at the Warner Center Marriott. Only this isn't just any old boxer. Mike Weaver, 44 years old and the grandfather of two, is a former world heavyweight champion who could wear his old World Boxing Assn. title belt--won more than a decade ago--on the same notch. "My daughter told me on Father's Day that I was too old to be boxing," Weaver said. "I don't feel that way. I want to prove myself.

His occupation is as plain as the nose on his face which, in its current posture, closely resembles the alignment of Florida's eastern coast. Wide, flat and battered, it bends east, then curves gradually westward. George O'Mara, professional boxer, has lost track of the times his nose has been broken, offering for certain only that it has been rerouted "more than once." No kidding.

By professional boxing standards the exchange was tame, but a pre-fight media gathering featuring National Boxing Assn. heavyweight champion Mike Weaver and challenger George O'Mara did have an anxious moment. Weaver, a former world champion, had just finished talking about who he might like to fight later this year, presumably after he defeats O'Mara on June 21 at the Warner Center Marriott. Mike Tyson was mentioned. So was Oliver McCall.

Mike Weaver is the biggest name, but the former heavyweight champion might not be the most-intriguing boxer on the June 21 fight card at the Warner Center Marriott. Diobelis Hurtado, the 1994 world amateur champion at 132 pounds, is scheduled to make his sixth professional appearance--and his first outside of Miami. Hurtado, 22, defected from the Cuban national team after a competition last October in Connecticut.

Former world champion Mike Weaver will fight in the main event of next month's boxing card at the Warner Center Marriott, promoters said Tuesday. Weaver, who has a record of 39-16-1 with 28 knockouts, will meet Van Nuys-based veteran George O'Mara in a heavyweight bout scheduled for 12 rounds June 21. In the alphabet soup of professional boxing, Weaver is, even at age 43, still a champion. He holds the title of the National Boxing Assn. But his glory years are behind him.

Michael Dokes was knocked out but not senseless. He had the sense to know his career may be over. The former World Boxing Assn. heavyweight champion was knocked out Wednesday night by Donovan (Razor) Ruddock in the fourth round of a scheduled 12-round bout and remained unconscious for two minutes. "I'm devastated," Dokes said. "Maybe it's time for me to start thinking about doing something else. "If I can't beat Ruddock, I can't beat (Buster) Douglas."

His occupation is as plain as the nose on his face which, in its current posture, closely resembles the alignment of Florida's eastern coast. Wide, flat and battered, it bends east, then curves gradually westward. George O'Mara, professional boxer, has lost track of the times his nose has been broken, offering for certain only that it has been rerouted "more than once." No kidding.

Professional boxing returned to the Ventura Theatre on July 12 and the presence of Mike Weaver led to speculation that the former World Boxing Assn. heavyweight champion might be featured on a future card. Weaver, 38, now residing in Diamond Bar, was on hand first and foremost to watch his 25-year-old brother Lloyd box in a middleweight bout. But he did express interest in returning in the near future. "I'll be happy to fight here or anywhere, it makes no difference to me," Weaver said.

Cus D'Amato, mentor of Mike Tyson, died before his fighter became heavyweight champion. But he left Tyson with some advice: Don't ever fight Mike Weaver. At least that's the story Weaver, a former World Boxing Assn. heavyweight champion, tells when people ask why he is making a comeback at 37 with the hope of eventually facing Tyson. One thing is certain. If D'Amato had been at the Reseda Country Club Tuesday night, he would have had the same advice for Bobby Crabtree.