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Sunday, May 06, 2001

By Chuck Finder, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

Jesse Reid, co-trainer for lightweight champion Paul Spadafora, returned home Thursday to California so he could attend to his ailing mother.

He is scheduled to return to Pittsburgh tomorrow night, barely 24 hours before Spadafora steps into an I.C. Light Ampitheatre ring to defend his International Boxing Federation lightweight title against Joel Perez.

Reid's mother, who had cancer surgery, is reportedly in good condition.

Al McCauley, Spadafora's manager, said he is keeping the lines of communication open. "I'm talking to him every day until he comes back."

Reid joined the Spadafora corner five fights ago. He and Tom Yankello of Beaver train Spadafora, Yankello spending roughly seven weeks in Western Pennsylvania with Spadafora and Reid joining them the past five weeks for training camp in Erie.

Diet right

Before yesterday's workout, Spadafora weighed 138 pounds -- three pounds over his prescribed lightweight limit and the same as his opponent. He looked tan and svelte. And, most important to him, he felt strong heading into a weigh-in date tomorrow that usually leaves him cutting a lot of pounds, rather than just a few, to make weight.

"I got a lot of energy, I'm ready to go," said Spadafora, who appeared with Perez and other Tuesday card participants at a news conference yesterday at Mitchell's Restaurant and Bar, Downtown. "I'm not on a bodybuilder's diet this time. I'm not going to blow up after the fight.

"After the last fight, I was in the hospital 10 days. It was because of the way I ate. My body was in shock."

Because he was advised to cut out salt and eat protein bars, Spadafora said his body swelled to 165 pounds within three days after his Dec. 16 victory against top-ranked challenger Billy Irwin.

For this fight, Spadafora returned to "Chef" James Martin, the nutritionist who worked with him before the August 1999 belt-winning victory against Israel "Pito" Cardona.

TV star power

ESPN2 launches its "Tuesday Night Fights" summer series with a 9-11 p.m. show from the I.C. Light Ampitheatre (the card begins at 7:30 p.m.).

"We're lucky he can inaugurate this series like he did with 'KO Nation,' " promoter Mike Acri said, referring to the HBO show last May from the Mellon Arena. "And, hopefully, he'll inaugurate more series that come on in the future."

By that, he meant an ABC-televised bout this summer. If Spadafora defeats Perez Tuesday, next in line is a Saturday-afternoon network debut show July 7 with Spadafora against Denmark's Dennis Hoelbaek at a Pittsburgh venue to be determined.

Tickets and more

More than 100 of the $100 ringside seats remain available, as do $50 reserved and $20 general admission seats. Tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster at 412-323-1919, Three Rivers Boxing at 412-355-0770 and www.ticketmaster.com. Tickets are also available at the Iron City Brewery Store, Lawrenceville; Mitchell's Restaurant, Downtown; and Blue Eagle Sports in McKees Rocks. The Tuesday card goes up against Penguins-Sabres Game 6 at Mellon Arena, and Acri added, "We're hoping to get a big walk-up."

Sherry Huchber, a female boxer, has been scratched from Tuesday's show because she injured a hand in training. Acri said he continues to seek a replacement.

The list of celebrities continues to grow for the fight that will benefit the retired boxers' fund. Former heavyweight contender Gerry Cooney, former lightweight champion Roberto Duran and lightweight contender Angel Manfredy -- potentially an upcoming Spadafora foe -- are expected to attend.