Notes on a Scorecard - June 18, 1990

If George Foreman can keep winning at 41, why not Sugar Ray Leonard at 34? . . .

Attorney Mike Trainer revealed Sunday that Leonard, who hasn’t fought since outpointing Roberto Duran last December, will resume his career in November. . . .

“We’re calling this the world tour,” Trainer said in Las Vegas, where Leonard did commentary on HBO for the heavyweight doubleheader Saturday. “He’s never fought outside the United States except for the first Duran fight in Montreal, and this is something he’s always wanted to do. We have offers from Japan, Italy and France. If everything goes all right the first fight, he’ll try it again.” . . .

No opponent has been set, but, for sure, it won’t be Marvelous Marvin Hagler. . . .

“Hagler displays a lot of class,” Trainer said. “He won’t show up for just a payday, and he knows he can’t come any closer to beating Ray than he did in 1987.” . . .

George Foreman no longer is merely a curiosity. Only four heavyweights--Buster Douglas, Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield and Razor Ruddock--would be favored to beat him now. . . .

Adilson Rodrigues is not blessed with a granite jaw, but anyone is likely to fall if Foreman hits him with the left hook that he delivered in the second round Saturday. . . .

Although no dancing master, Foreman is not easy to hit. Like his adviser Archie Moore, Foreman employs a peek-a-boo style, hiding his head behind gloves, elbows and those massive forearms. The proper strategy would be to dig to the body and get George to lower his guard. . . .

Foreman, who scaled 263 pounds at the weigh-in Friday, on his new prefight regimen: “I used to dry out two days before a fight, and I think it hurt me sometimes. I got dehydrated. Now, I re-hydrate. I put on 10 pounds of water after my last hard workout and I feel strong.” . . .

The former heavyweight champion will return to the gym today in Texas and wants to fight once more before his scheduled Sept. 8 bout against Francesco Damiani at Caesars Palace. . . .

“I didn’t get my timing back until the Gerry Cooney fight,” Foreman said. “Before, I was stopping my opponents. Now, I’m stretching them.” . . .

The doubleheader lasted a total of eight minutes and 40 seconds. However, the Kentucky Derby lasted only two minutes and two seconds. . . .

Mr. Popularity: During the week, Foreman talked with Nelson Mandela, who is an ex-fighter, on the telephone and with Jesse Jackson in person. . . .

Today is the date that, before Buster Douglas ruined the plans, Tyson was supposed to fight Evander Holyfield. . . .

Jack Nicholson, who knows boxing nearly as well as he does basketball, and Eddie Murphy registered tops on the applause meter during the ringside celebrity introductions Saturday. Dallas Cowboys Coach Jimmy Johnson was booed. . . .

Ruddock, the heavyweight nobody famous wants to fight, will keep busy against Kimmuel Odom July 1 on CBS. . . .

There is no great demand in Nevada for Michael Nunn’s International Boxing Federation middleweight title defense against Donald Curry, which could go on purse bid to a Paris promoter. . . .

Manager Dan Goossen and Nunn still haven’t settled their differences, but Goossen’s featherweight prospect, 19-year-old Rafael Ruelas, will fight the semi-main event against Abe Gomez tonight at the Forum. . . .

Yes, Chuck Finley, not Mark Langston, is the Angels’ best pitcher. . . .

Most impressive stat of Kirk Gibson’s comeback is that he’s four-for-four in stolen base attempts. . . .

On CBS Saturday, Dick Stockton kept identifying the Dodger first baseman as Ed Murray. Have we been missing something? . . .

Charley Steiner, the “SportsCenter” host with the most, has signed a new four-year contract with ESPN. . . .

Golf needs more emotion like that shown by Hale Irwin after he birdied the 18th hole in the U.S. Open Sunday. . . .

A full, 18-hole playoff the following day to break a tie is not practical in a normal tournament, but it will be nice to see the U.S. Open decided that way today. Sudden death can be too flukey. . . .

Watch out for Belgium in the World Cup. . . .

Ben Johnson’s ban ends Sept. 24, which could mean that he will race Carl Lewis at 100 meters for big money Sept. 25. . . .

New Cal State Long Beach Coach Seth Greenberg says he is going to keep those florescent pistachio uniforms next season because it’s something that makes people remember the 49er basketball team. . . .

The Lakers will play an exhibition game against Israel’s champion Maccabi Tel Aviv team Oct. 16 at the Forum. . . .

Pat Riley and Magic Johnson enemies? They did lunch at Caesars Palace Saturday afternoon before the fights.