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Pastimes : Boxing: The Sweet Science -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Jorj X Mckie who wrote (651)	9/6/2000 1:42:52 AM
From: LPS5	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 10489

Etienne has a fight on his hands By RODNEY MALLETT Advocate staff writer Clifford Etienne will finally have a fight on his hands when he battles Cliff Couser for the vacant NABF heavyweight title on HBO's KO nation on Saturday. The show, which will be live from the Mountaineer Racetrack and Gaming Resort in Chester, W. Va, begins at 4 p.m. After watching Orlin Norris and Fres Oquendo back out, Couser stepped up to take on the undefeated Etienne (17-0, 12 KOs). It wasn't easy, as there was the common uproar about promoters and other legalities, but Couser said he's happy to take the fight. "I just love to fight," Couser said. "I just want to fight to prove to people that I don't let any fights go." Couser got into boxing because he said he and Mike Tyson are half-brothers and boxing would give him a chance to meet the notorious ex-champ. After getting into the ring, he discovered he loved the sport and stuck with it. He has, he said, met Tyson, but didn't seem all that impressed. Couser started out slowly with a reported amateur record of 8-4. But, he's been hot lately and upped his record to 20-5-2 with 9 KOs by stopping the once heralded Jorge Louis Gonzales in the third round on Aug. 15. Earlier in his career, he stopped one-time contender James "Quick" Tillis. So, the Las Vegas resident doesn't see Etienne as a step up. "All my fights have been steps up," Couser said. "My biggest was Tillis. Fighting Clifford is no big step at all. It's a big step for him." Etienne has had trouble finding people to fight. His promoter, Les Bonano, will tell you that many boxers are backing away -- afraid to get hurt or that they might leave the ring with a loss on their record. Couser, too, has seen too much of the boxing politics, but says he's not one to back down. In fact, his disdain for the seedy characters that populate the profession fuels him in the ring. "There are a lot of people who won't fight because they are scared or they don't want to lose," Couser said. "This is a business and it's about fighting and proving yourself. If you prove yourself, the money will come. "I'm telling you now, they beef people up. They don't want to lose. Clifford has been beefed up, too. Who'd he fight? (Lamon) Brewster. I've been trying to fight Brewster, but he doesn't want to fight me." Etienne defeated the then-undefeated Brewster (23-1) on May 6 in the first-ever match on KO Nation. The action-packed unanimous decision propelled Etienne to the No. 15 world ranking. On June 30, the Baton Rouge resident knocked out Joey Guy to win the IBA America's title and is now ranked No. 9 by the WBC, No.1 by the NABF, No 10 by the USBA and No. 14 by the IBF. All the accolades are nice. But Couser says that's not what gets him up for a fight. Boxing is to Couser, what Paxil is to some folks. "I'm very depressed, especially with this boxing stuff, all the politics and stuff," Couser said. "I'm a ticking time bomb and the only thing keeping me level is boxing. I'm not thinking about rankings or titles -- I just love to fight. It keeps me level, keeps my sanity there." Etienne's never been one to look at the rankings, although he knows he needs them if he's going to get the big-time match he's gunning for. But, like Couser, boxing is about what happens in the ring and the politics can be a burden. "I feel about him (Couser) that way I feel about all opponents," Etienne said. "I'm not worried about my ranking or whatever. I got to get my fights, then handle my business. I just have to work hard and work harder, then fight my fight." LPS5 note: I'm not going to pick a round on this one, but I'll say, without question, Etienne over Couser. Indisputably.