Not All Is Fabulous at the Forum

This is the exciting time of year at the Forum, the time when the entertainment heavyweights migrate from Brentwood to Inglewood, when the national media stake out spots around the Laker locker-room stalls like rebounders fighting for the ball, when Showtime becomes a national attraction.

But just down the hall, at the offices of Forum Boxing, it’s business as usual. And business is not so good these days.

One of Forum Boxing’s big names, International Boxing Federation flyweight champion Mark Johnson, has jumped to a rival promoter, Cedric Kushner.

The other star of the Forum stable, Marco Antonio Barrera, has dimmed considerably, his future uncertain after two crushing losses to Junior Jones.

And, as always, Forum Boxing must scratch and claw to get out from under the considerable shadow of the Lakers.

Thursday was a case in point.

There was a news conference off the main entrance to the Forum where the fighters for Monday night’s boxing card were available, but it drew only a small group of reporters, mostly from the Latino community.

In the hall outside, television crews, oblivious to the boxing event, waited for a few hurried words from members of the Lakers, who were preparing for Thursday night’s playoff game against the Utah Jazz.

But let’s face it, Jesse Magana and Alfred Kotey, Monday night’s main eventers, are not Shaquille O’Neal and Karl Malone.

“It’s frustrating,” John Jackson, in charge of the day-to-day operations of Forum Boxing, said of the lack of coverage and attention.

But Jackson is accustomed to it. He has been with Forum Boxing since its inception in 1982, been through the Forum tournaments and 66 title fights and the average of 19 fight cards a year and the expansion to the Pond of Anaheim, where Forum Boxing has six fight shows this year. The boxing arm of owner Jerry Buss’ sports empire lost money its first 10 years, but has either broken even or showed a small profit since. A 20-year boxing deal with the Fox network, which still has eight years to run, has provided needed income. The Forum is averaging 3,500 to 4,000 fans per fight card this year.

It has been a struggle. Jackson has never had access to the same checkbook that Laker Vice President Jerry West is able to use. West went to Buss, said the Lakers desperately needed O’Neal and came away with about $120 million.

What if Jackson were to ask for the same amount for a Mike Tyson or an Oscar De La Hoya, should he be available?

“Jerry Buss is not a charity,” Jackson said. “We have to get back an investment on what we pay. If I want to pay a fighter a certain amount, I have to show it would be a good business deal. If I didn’t do that, I would be looking for a job.”

Jackson offered Johnson $1.5 million for eight fights. When Kushner came in and countered with more, Forum Boxing wasn’t interested in a bidding war.

But, as Jackson points outs, working for Forum Boxing is not the same as working for promoters such as Kushner, Bob Arum, Don King or Dino Duva, whose sole business is boxing.

“Our goals are different,” Jackson said. “Everybody’s goal is to make money, but we own the building here and we have to have events for our Senate seat holders. So we have the luxury where we don’t have to sell our souls to make another $100,000.”

Translation: While Arum makes a huge amount of money off of De La Hoya, and King does the same with Tyson, they get only a couple of fights a year out of such superstars. If all goes well, De La Hoya will fight five times this year, a huge workload for someone with his visibility.

While that’s great for Arum and King, it wouldn’t be so great for an organization like Forum Boxing. Buss can’t afford to put all his boxing money into one of the sport’s elite fighters and get only a few bouts a year out of the deal. His first concern is keeping the calendar filled with events for his profitable season-ticket program.

“If a blockbuster guy came along,” Jackson said, “and it made economic sense, we would be interested.”

But more than likely, he will continue to offer good matchups, consistent shows and a reputable program.

That means, however, that in a city like Los Angeles, where stars are the currency of the realm, Forum Boxing will never have a major role in the sports community without big names to put on its marquee.

And Jerry Buss, creator of Showtime, ought to know that better than anybody.

HILL GIVES UP TITLE WITHOUT A FIGHT

Virgil Hill lost his IBF light-heavyweight title Friday because of his failure to schedule a fight against top-ranked William Guthrie. Hill is defending his World Boxing Assn., 175-pound title against Darius Michalczewski of Poland on June 13 at Oberhausen, Germany. Judge Dickinson R. Debevoise of U.S. District Court in Newark, N.J., ruled in late February that Guthrie must get a shot at the IBF title by July 19. Neither Hill nor Michalczewski, should he win, would be ready to fight again by that date.

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Calendar

Monday--Jesse Magana vs. Alfred Kotey, WBO Intercontinental junior-featherweight title; Demetrio Ceballos vs. Oscar Natalio Lopez, NABO lightweight title, Forum, 7:15 p.m.

Thursday--Jeremy Williams vs. Jeff Lally, heavyweights; Alfredo Flores vs. Alfred Ankamah, welterweights; Antonio Margarito vs. Fidel Avendano, junior-middleweights, Reseda Country Club, 7:30 p.m.