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

To: Jorj X Mckie who wrote (2443)	3/26/2001 11:13:07 AM
From: LPS5	Respond to of 10489

Etienne's focus on comeback: tuneup bouts may help fighter rebuild 03/25/01 by John Reid The Times-Picayune LAS VEGAS -- A party was planned. Clifford Etienne's family and friends were expected to attend. This was suppose to be a fun- filled celebration after Etienne's debut on Showtime on Friday night from the Texas Station Gambling Hall. Etienne, a heavyweight prospect from Baton Rouge, was expected to defeat Fres Oquendo as he had 19 consecutive opponents. But the party was canceled, the plans disrupted. Etienne's quick climb toward the top took a detour. Oquendo (20-0), who wasn't ranked in the top 10, knocked Etienne down seven times before the bout was stopped 1:37 into the eighth round of their scheduled 10-rounder. "He hit me in the back of the head, and that messed up my equilibrium," said Etienne, who was taken to a Las Vegas hospital and was examined and released. "I couldn't get my legs back after that. But I'm OK now. I just have to keep on thinking about the mistakes I made and correct them. That's all I can do." Etienne, 31, was knocked down three times in the first round. The first came from a Oquendo right that landed at the back of Etienne's head, near his ear. Etienne went down twice again from rights. "I lost, but real champions come back from losses. That's how you can tell what type of fighter they really are. I'm going to come back." Promoter Leslie Bonano said his management team will meet this week to decide what's next for Etienne. Etienne, who was ranked fourth by the World Boxing Council, has two fights left on his Showtime deal. The network does not have to extend its option for two additional fights, because Etienne had to win his first three. The next step likely for Etienne is more tuneup bouts before he faces experienced heavyweights such as Evander Holyfield, John Ruiz or Mike Tyson, all of whom are under contract with Showtime. "We'll just have to wait and see what happens and decide as a team," said Bonano, who in 25 years has never had a heavyweight champion. "It's a devastating blow, but we'll come back from it. Clifford rushed too many of his shots. I don't think Oquendo was one of the best fighters that Clifford has faced. But once Clifford got hit behind the ear, he wasn't the same." Oquendo utilized his quickness to avoid Etienne's tough in side shots. When Etienne lunged, Oquendo effectively backed away. After the fourth round, Etienne appeared to get tired, breathing from his mouth. "Nobody gave me a chance except the people who worked with me," Oquendo said. "I thought I could use the jab against him. I had confidence. It would be great to fight Johnny Ruiz next. He is a great champion, but Puerto Rico deserves an all-Puerto Rican heavyweight championship fight." Oquendo lives in Chicago but was born in Puerto Rico. He trained in San Juan, Puerto Rico. "I have to give him credit; he was tougher than I thought," Etienne said. "I would fight him again. I would fight him tomorrow."