ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, November 26, 1996 TAG: 9611260093
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DANIEL UTHMAN STAFF WRITER
KARL ``THE SCORPION'' WILLIS is back on as Thomas ``Hitman'' Hearns' opponent in Friday's bout.
Boxers in Friday night's ``Brawl Beneath the Star'' will have to exert a great effort to live up to all the action that has preceded this week's card.
The latest happening came from the blind side. After losing his originally scheduled opponent last Thursday, six-time world champion Thomas ``Hitman'' Hearns has found a new opponent. Or, more accurately, the opponent has found Hearns.
Hearns will fight Karl ``The Scorpion'' Willis, 28, in the main event of a card at the Roanoke Civic Center. That name should sound familiar. It's the same fighter who was announced Thursday as dropping out to correct ``an undisclosed medical condition.''
It turns out that report was a story fabricated by Willis' estranged manager, Robert Moore. Officials close to the fight were told Willis was going to be locked up last Saturday in a drug treatment center and would remain there for the next six months. That report was proven a lie when a healthy, bright-eyed Willis showed up at Victory Gym early Monday afternoon hand-in-hand with his girlfriend, Josee St.Onge.
``I can't care what the people say,'' Willis said, still smiling, cowboy hat on his head and IBO middleweight belt on his waist. ``It's better for me that I don't know. I've just got one thing in focus and that's Tommy Hearns.''
Willis, a Maryland native who grew up in Clarksville, Tenn., was supposed to be introduced as Hearns' opponent last Thursday. When the time came, it was announced that Willis was off the card. He was in Jackson, Miss., at the time, vacationing with his brother and trying to figure out his future with his management.
Meanwhile, in Roanoke, promoters were scrambling to find a replacement. Promoter Harold Smith had a list of six fighters, and thought he had found a replacement in Linsey Morgan of Youngstown, Ohio. Smith drew up a contract, but when Morgan was set to sign it, he informed Smith he could only get down to 182 pounds by the weigh-in, four more than the contractual limit.
Smith was talking to another boxer, Thomas Reid of Tyler, Texas, when he got a phone message Saturday at the Patrick Henry Hotel. The message was from St. Onge, and it said to call her in an hour at a pay phone in Birmingham, Ala. Smith called the number, but no one answered.
The next day, Smith took Hearns and his entourage to the Smith Mountain Lake home of Melanie Steele, the local promoter. While he was there, he received a phone call. It was from St. Onge. She was in the lobby at the Patrick Henry Hotel.
``I told her, `Don't move,''' Smith said.
Smith rushed to the hotel where St. Onge told him Willis wasn't locked up, wasn't about to correct any medical conditions and wasn't ready to give up on the fight. Smith then spoke to Willis for the first time since the contract was written up and was convinced he had found his man - again.
``She saved the day,'' Smith said of St. Onge.
Willis said it was one of the weirdest experiences of his seven-year boxing career. ``It's hard to keep your state of mind,'' he said.
He has St.Onge, a native of Quebec, Canada, to help him with that. She stood by him Monday, even reminding him during an interview to mention the children of Roanoke who will benefit from the fight proceeds.
Keeping his body in a good state is his responsibility alone. Willis has been training for eight weeks. He took a break from training while visiting his brother, but kept running and working on his cardiovascular system.
There is speculation that Willis, 23-4 with 17 knockouts, could be without a manager in his corner when it's time to fight. It is unknown whether Moore or any other handler will accompany Willis to the ring. ``You're alone when you step in those ropes anyway,'' he said with a chuckle.
The 5-foot-10, 172-pound Willis will receive a purse of $6,000, win or lose, for the fight.
The undercard came closer to completion Monday when matchups were finalized in two heavyweight bouts. Roanoke's Steve Pannell (20-3) will face William Campudani in a 10-rounder and Billy ``Bronco'' Wright (27-3, 21 KOs) will meet Nathaniel Fitch in an eight-rounder. Records were not available for Campudani or Fitch.
The only fighter still awaiting an opponent is Beverly Szymanski, who is scheduled for a four-round bout.
Those fights will be part of an eight-bout card highlighted by Hearns and Willis, who showed up at Victory Gym when Hearns was inside training. Hearns' entourage had asked that Willis be kept outside until it was his turn to work out.
``I didn't know he was in there sparring or I would have tried a little harder to get in there,'' Willis joked.
Willis has finally gotten into Roanoke. His next destination is the ring, no matter what anybody says.
LENGTH: Medium: 89 linesby CNB