Chicago Tribune from Chicago, Illinois • Page 46

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Actions outside, inside ring stymie 2 ex-Chicago boxers fell from the unbeaten ranks Monday, but advanced to the quarterfinals. Italy upset European champion Yugoslavia 61-H0, while Russia beat Greece 60-48. Six teams have 4-1 records and the United States, Spain, Yugoslavia, Russia, Greece and Lithuania which beat Argentina 84-75 Monday have assured themselves of quarterfinal spots with one game remaining in the round-robin second round. "It's wide open right now. The teams are really evenly matched.

A lot of games are going to come down to the last couple minutes," U.S. coach Rudy Tomjanovich said. The Americans, playing here because the NBA labor dispute led to the dumping of the roster of NBA stars, never led until Oliver hit his fifth three-pointer to make it 72-71. By Michael Hirsley Tkimunk Stakf Writkr Chavez and Ruslan Chagaev are two boxers who would like to forget their Chicago pasts. Chavez is being punished for what lie did outside the ring eight years ago as a teenager, an.d Chagaev for what he did inside the ring last year as a teenaged professional boxer.

In both cases their transgressions are keeping them out of the United States. Chavez, 25, a top-ranked super-featherweight contender, wants Illinois Gov. Jim Edgar to grant him executive clemency, which wojild enable him to reside in the U.S. Edgar has not yet decided whether Chavez deserves such a pardon. Neither his office nor the state Prisoner Review Board would say what recommendation the board made to the governor after a hearing in April.

Chavez went to prison for a 1990 grocery-store robbery to which he pleaded guilty. His name then was Gabriel Sandoval. After he served his sentence, he was deported to his native Mexico because he had not become a U.S. citizen before his arrest. Eederal law prohibits best amateur heavyweight in the world, a status confirmed by his gold medals at the 1992 and 1996 Olympic Games.

But after Chagaev beat Savon, it was revealed that his two fights in Illinois, in August and September of 1997, were as a pro boxer managed by Chicagoan Bob O'Donneli Chagaev's victory was nullified. As a result, Uzbekistan lost its amateur champion. And O'Donneli lost his fighter in what he claims is a vindictive act by Uzbekistan authorities unwilling to let Chagaev return to the U.S. "We still have a contract with Ruslan, but Uzbekistan won't give him up," O'Donneli said. "In my opinion, they're holding him hostage." Both fighters' roads back to America and pursuit of pro boxing glory are uncertain.

But Chavez's obstacle seems more clearly defined. Kadish was asked to take the case because he succeeded in a precedent argument in 1990, getting executive clemency for an alien who faced deportation on a burglary conviction. Kadish says he took Chavez's case because he believes the fighter has paid for his boxing." He has no use for "doctors who say boxing should die because it is violent and dangerous. "We have Irish, Italian and Jewish doctors whose ethnic forefathers benefited from boxing saying the sport should be banned to this generation of African-Americans and Hispanics," O'Shea scoffs. "It's hypocritical and myopic not to understand there is a need for boxing." A double-edged need, he adds, "for danger and for self-esteem." When he asserts that "you no longer understand that need if you're now playing tennis and golf," O'Shea cannot be dismissed merely as an ex-fighter who romanticizes what he remembers and forgets the rest because punches have dulled his memory.

Citing the youth violence symbolized by recent school shootings and the ever-present danger of gangs, O'Shea says, "I have lost nine boxers. None in the ring. All killed in the streets." That punctuates Ryan's contention that "boxing definitely saves lives. There are kids who aren't playing football or basketball who could be on the streets if not for boxing." O'Shea's small club has long run a successful program. Two of the Matadors, Patrick Bruce, 32, and Germaine Sanders, 27, fought in the 147-pound Chicago Golden Gloves finals this spring.

Years ago at the Matador Club, Bruce coached Sanders, who beat him this year and went on to lose a narrow decision in the Golden Gloves national tournament. Two standout amateurs from the Matadors program are Anthony Stewart, a light heavy- ST. LOUIS i ST.IOUIS ST. LOUIS i SAN FRAN. 7:10 p.m.

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UL GALAXY 3 p.m. TV: Ch. 7 anyone who has a criminal record and is not a legal citizen from staying in this country. Chavez re-entered the U.S. illegally and settled in Austin, Texas, building a 24-1 record with 15 knockouts as a pro boxer.

His work ethic and social conduct won him the support of an American girlfriend and her family, as a well as a Texas congressman and state senator who have written letters to Edgar supporting his appeal. Chavez has returned to Mexico while his future is decided in Illinois. His attorney. Marc Kadish, says the boxer wants to reside in Austin, become a U.S. citizen and bring his family from Chicago to Texas.

Chagaev, 19, a young heavyweight who was training in Chicago and fighting in Illinois last year, is now detained and facing an uncertain future in his native Uzbekistan. Unlike Chavez's fall, Chagaev's began with an act that made him a national hero in his homeland. At the world championships last September in Budapest, Hungary, Chagaev stunned the amateur boxing world by defeating Felix Savon of Cuba, widely recognized as the year, "give a bad name to amateur boxing, since it is often misidenti-fied with pro boxing even though the rules are different and amateur boxing is safer." But Ryan also believes pro fighters can help bolster amateur boxing. "When you get boxers like Oscar De La Hoya or Sugar Ray Leonard coming out of the Olympics and building positive images as pros, their popularity makes kids interested in trying the sport." O'Shea agrees. And while he compares winning a boxing trophy to "winning the lottery when you're 10 years old," he differentiates effort from result.

"You don't need to win to benefit from boxing. Guys who were terrified to climb those three steps into the ring learn something about character." O'Shea connects the discipline and education of boxing to a larger education: For 28 years he taught English, poetry and film studies from basics to honors courses at five Chicago high schools before retiring from Wells High School: O'Shea is 60, but looks younger and attributes it to the exercise regimen he learned from boxing. He defends his sport with a full realization that "it's politically correct now to come out against 16 Save BIG on Ticket Purchases Before August Sth! Save $36 on a Weekend Supertkket or Save $5 off a Sunday Admission with Paddock Pass i 95.9 720 STATES VS. AUSTRALIA ESPN2 (delayed) Chicago crime and shown exemplary character since his imprisonment. "Here we have a young man who has truly changed," Kadish says.

"Yet for an accident of birth, he may not be able to participate in that enduring story that has led many poor young men to succeed in this country." Assistant Cook County State's Atty. Colin Simpson rejected that argument before the Prisoner Review Board. He countered that Chavez, who did not become a U.S. citizen years ago when other family members did, could "ply his trade anywhere in the free world," but could more money here." One of the strongest character witnesses in Chavez's corner is Tom O'Shea, a longtime instructor of amateur boxers in Chicago. O'Shea gave Chavez his first boxing lessons when he was 12 years old, and was associated with a gang called the Harrison Gents.

Chavez is "not running a scam" in his plea for clemency, O'Shea says confidently. "He's remarkable. He's out of the environment in which he got into trouble. "I would say, 'Give the guy a weight now attending Northern Michigan University on a boxing scholarship, and junior middleweight Darnell Wilson, married with a child and employed by the Lafayette, park district Both won box-offs to compete at the Goodwill Games in New York's Madison Square Garden. Although they didn't make the finals in international competition there, both are hopefuls for the 2000 Olympics.

Other stellar Matadors graduates include 1996 Olympic bronze medalist Nate Jones, who is undefeated in six heavyweight fights since turning pro, and super featherweight Jesus "El Matador" Chavez, a top-ranked pro contender. But the field of contenders for their trophies is narrowing. Even as O'Shea speaks proudly of his Matadors past and present, he acknowledges that amateur boxing is struggling in Chicago. "There was once a culture of boxing in Chicago, with great black coaches. It's slipped away.

What we have now are a lot of 'book coaches' reading the rules as they go along." But there are still trainers and coaches such as Sam Colonna, Pat Foley, Danny Nieves, Henry Sims and O'Shea who are throwbacks to Chicago's boxing heyday. Although O'Shea is acutely aware of some of boxing's problems, he sticks by his sport's inherent purity when two combatants face each other with no teammates to hide their flaws or protect them if they tire and no payoff beyond pride, win or lose. "I like it when I'm in my own gym, running our little shows. The fun and worthiness of the sport happens there." IP EXTRA LEGROOM i-4 www.Tiyvanguara.com ATHENS -The no-name U.S. team is suddenly in the thick of things at the World Basketball Championship.

Jimmy Oliver led a second-half surge with 17 points, including the go-ahead three-pointer with 1 minute 18 seconds left, as the United States beat previously undefeated Spain 75-73 Monday and locked up a quarterfinal berth. Brad Miller, who went undrafted out of Purdue this spring, had points and six rebounds in his strongest outing of the tournament. Former Westinghouse High School and University of Illinois star Kiwane Garris, now in the CBA, had 11 points and Wendell Alexis, who starred at Syracuse and now plays in Germany, added 10 points. Spain's Alberto Herreros scored 27 points. Yugoslavia and Greece also AUTO RACING Spencer released from Indy hospital NASCAR Winston Cup driver Jimmy Spencer was released from Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis on Monday, two days after sustaining a concussion during a crash late in the Brickyard 400.

The left-rear quarter panel and left side of Spencer's Ford hit the outside retaining wall of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway between turns 1 and 2 on lap 155 after his car spun. Michigan Speedway in Brooklyn, will erect taller protective fencing around all grandstands in an attempt to prevent another spectator tragedy such as the one that killed three fans last month. The improvements will begin in turn 3, near where Adrian Fernandez's Indy-car slammed into the wall on July 26. The accident launched a wheel into the stands. The top portion of the fence, which angles over the track, will be lengthened by 4 feet.

The extension will add about 2 feet to the fence's height, for a total of 17 feet. BRIEFS Washington wins MaliVai Washington defeated No. 13 seed Jan Siemerink of the Netherlands 7-6 (7-2), 6-3 on Monday to advance to the second round of the $2.4 million du Maurier Open in Toronto. Washington next faces Canada's Bobby Kokavec, who downed Steve Campbell 6-1, 6-2 for his first match victory on the ATP Tour. Kokavec, honored Monday as Canada's most improved tennis player, is ranked No.

347 in the world. Croatia's Goran Ivanisevic, the 10th seed, defeated Sebas-tien Lareau of Canada, 7-6 (14-12), 7-6 (7-4). Australia's Scott Draper defeated Jim Courier 7-5, 5-7, 6-4 and Wayne Black of Zimbabwe beat older brother Byron 6-4. 6-0. Sweden's Thomas Johansson, the fourth seed, was the first seed to lose in the Grolsch Open in Amsterdam, losing 0-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7-5) to Spain's Galo Blanco.

France's Sandrine Testud. ranked 13th in the world, was down a set and trailed 2-1 in the second set against amateur Alexandra Stevenson before winning the final 11 games for a 4-6, 6-2, 6-0 victory in the Great excuses to play Buy one round get :50 OFF! Buy three SiA ff nor die hills I I 101 w.lh wv.i, coil 630-773-2750 Call irri Boxing Continued from Page 1 Chicago's Park District and Golden Gloves boxing programs for many years. Today the Park District still runs a fairly healthy program. Cowen is seeking ways to help the participants it attracts from low- income families, such as scholar- 1 ships for boxers. Amateur boxing does have some friends in high places," including Mayor Richard Daley, whose office supports the Park District and Golden Gloves programs, and Illinois Atty.

Gen. Jim Ryan, whose office has earmarked five-figure grants for amateur boxing programs. If that suggests Ryan has more' than a passing interest in the sport, he does. Like O'Shea, Ryan became a friend of amateur boxing by stepping into the ring. He won a City Golden Gloves title in 1964, encouraged his sons into Golden Gloves competition and was a cor- nerman for them, and continues to support amateur boxing.

Ryan also is a fan of pro boxing. He believes recent incidents at that level, such as Mike Tyson biting off a piece of Evander Holy-field's ear in their title fight last AUGUST 13 TEXACO Presented by the pi 1 i inniiMi )t igr mmr 'rrnty -i HOCKEY Bure, Canucks apparently at standoff VANCOUVER Pavel Bure, who has said he'll never again play for the Vancouver Canucks, isn't going anywhere and may have to sit and stew until the right deal comes up, General Manager Brian Burke said Monday. While acknowledging that he believes the reasons behind his star player's trade demands to be "sincere," Burke said he's not going to be pressured into a corner. "I do not answer to Pavel Bure. My boss' name is not Bure, it's owner John McCaw," the Canucks' president and GM said during a telephone press conference from Nashville, where NHL general managers are meeting.

Bure, a Russian who broke into the NHL in 1991, is a two-time 60-goal scorer and had 51 last season. The right winger has a year left on a five-year contract that reportedly will pay him over $8 million. Sunday's editions of the Vancouver Province quoted Bure as citing "personal reasons" for no longer wanting to play for the Canucks. in Canadian meet Toshiba Classic in Carlsbad, Calif. Jennifer Capriati won her third qualifying match a 7-6, (7-5), 2-6, 6-1 victory against France's Nathalie Dechy -to move into the main draw.

Rod Laver has suffered a setback in his recovery from a July 27 stroke. The former tennis great was back in the intensive care unit at UCLA Medical Center Monday because of a fever and was responding to treatment, the hospital said. Laver, who will be 60 Sunday, was in serious but stable condition, resting comfortably and in good spirits. Track and field: Marion Jones was .16 seconds off her world seasonal best at 100 meters in the MAI-galan, but her time of 10.87 seconds easily bested Mer-lene Ottey's meet record in Malmo, Sweden. On Wednesday in Stockholm, the top-ranked American sprinter will face Ottey.

the semi retired veteran from Jamaica, at the same distance in Stockholm's Olympic Stadium in the DN-galan meet, one of the most prestigious Grand Prix meets. Ottey's record in Malmo was 11.04. more golf this second i. 'iii': rounds get fourth FRFFT Indian lakes resort ii; H.l. Mi'mmffhiU: II oios Todaf.

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