DATE: Tuesday, April 8, 1997                TAG: 9704080502

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C7   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY STEVE CARLSON, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: LAS VEGAS                         LENGTH:   69 lines

A STEP UP IN CLASS FOR WHITAKER TRAINER

Pernell ``Sweetpea'' Whitaker and his handlers have worn shirts in training camp that read, ``Been there, done that and still, pound-for-pound,'' suggesting that the megafight with Oscar De La Hoya on Saturday is nothing new for the veteran fighter.

But it will be something new for Whitaker's veteran trainer. Ronnie Shields has been around Whitaker since 1988 and worked with Evander Holyfield as assistant trainer for some major heavyweight fights, but he has never been the man in charge of the corner at a major event. That will change Saturday at the Thomas & Mack Center.

``This is a dream for me,'' Shields said Monday at Johnny Tocco's gym, where Whitaker got in his first workout since arriving in Las Vegas on Sunday.

Shields replaced longtime Whitaker trainer George Benton in 1994. Benton's running feud with Whitaker co-manager Lou Duva led them to sever ties.

Shields has been Whitaker's head trainer for six fights, but five of them were mandatory defenses or bouts with little-known opponents - although Whitaker has struggled through many of those.

The only one that had some drama going in was the March 1995 fight against Julio Cesar Vasquez, when Whitaker moved up in weight to win a title at 154 pounds that he immediately relinquished to return to welterweight.

Nothing Shields has done with Whitaker compares to this fight. He said he's watched more tape than ever in preparing for De La Hoya and feels confident in his role.

``When you have something like this happen for you, you've got to stand up,'' Shields said. ``I'm going to stand up tall. We feel we have a good game plan for this, all the pieces have come together.

``Ever since I became a trainer, I've always wanted to be involved in that big fight. I've been involved in big fights, but not as a lead trainer. Everything we do revolves around what I've put together, and then everything feeds off of me.''

Whitaker has a much closer relationship with Shields, a former NABF junior welterweight champion who fought in the 1980s, than he ever had with Benton. Whitaker said Shields will be fine in his first brush with the big time.

``Ronnie Shields don't have to throw no punches,'' Whitaker said. ``He's been around so long and I've been around this game so long, it's in control.'' CHEAP SHOT

Whitaker sparred six rounds Monday and then worked about 10 more rounds doing a combination of shadow boxing, defensive drills with Shields and jumping rope. He spent about 90 minutes total in what Shields described as a light workout.

Near the end of his defensive drills with Shields, Whitaker - at the prompting of Olympic teammate and friend Mark Breland - dug a hook into the left rib cage of Shields, dropping the trainer to the canvas in a heap.

``I waited for that shot,'' Whitaker yelped, flashing his two gold teeth in a broad smile.

Shields laughed about it, then told Whitaker later to expect to be served papers for a lawsuit.

``Six million dollars,'' Shields said, quoting the figure of Whitaker's purse.

``Why don't you just take the fight Saturday?'' Whitaker said. JABS

Whitaker said the only fights that interest him after this one are a rematch with De La Hoya - regardless of the outcome Saturday - and a rematch with Julio Cesar Chavez, whom he fought to a controversial draw in 1993. . . are also scheduled to appear together on ``Larry King Live'' at 9 Wednesday night. . . . Whitaker's workout schedule for the rest of the week: sparring for about six rounds today; working out on pads Wednesday; a light cardiovascular workout Thursday; rest Friday and Saturday until fight time.

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