Bazooka fights Today (HBO at 9:30 EDT.)

By Maurice Quansah

For some reasons, Ike ?Bazooka? Quartey has become used to frustrations and long layoffs between fights.

First, it was his abortive fight with 'Terrible' Terry Norris in 1997 that eventually hit a snag, then a 16-month wait for a date with boxing's poster boy Oscar De La Hoya on February 13, last year. One can also recount the frustrations he underwent in his quest to fight then welterweight champions Pernell Whitaker and Felix Trinidad.

This evening at the Mandalay Bay, in the world's 'Gambling Mecca', Las Vegas, the former WBA welterweight champion steps into the ring once more in his bid to re-launch his career as a world champion. The unfortunate victim of the Bazookaman's frustration and anger is IBF super welterweight champion Fernando Vargas, who puts his title on the line. Any boxer who has been inactive for 14 long months is bound to show some rustiness. But against De La Hoya, the Ghanaian showed little signs of ring rust and even though he failed in his attempt to wrestle the Golden Boy's WBC welterweight title, most ringside observers believe Quartey won the controversial fight.

There are many reasons to believe he would not be adversely affected by his inactivity. But there are also genuine reasons to somehow feel uneasy, as Quartey is making his first ever appearance as a super welterweight, and rather choosing to throw down the gauntlet at one of the most fearfed fighters in the 154-pound class.

Vargas acknowledges the fact that his opponent would come tough. "Look, I have nothing but respect for Ike Quartey. He has had a 14-month layoff, but look what he did in his last fight (against De La Hoya) after a 16-month layoff. You won't hear me say anything bad about Quartey," Vargas said at a press conference last Tuesday. Quartey, whom British promoter Frank Warren prefers to call boxing's best-kept secret, has never dogged any challenge in his career, preferring to fight the tough guys in his division.

This time it can be said again that he is facing another formidable opposition. Even though the Ghanaian may have stepped through the ropes more than the younger Vargas, who like Quartey is a knockout specialist (Ike has floored 29 of his 35 opponents whilst the American has stopped 17 of his 18 opponents), he has age at his advantage but is yet to prove himself as a class act.

Granite-hard Quartey carries into the ring one of the biggest punches in the sport as well as wealth of experience. Nevertheless, he would not find Vargas any easier than his last opponent, De La Hoya. Vargas is flat-footed and may not be as skilful and intelligent as the Golden Boy but is very swift and carries heavy punches, too. Unlike his last date in the ring, this is one fight many connoisseurs seem divided over which of the two fighters might carry the day, mainly because of Quartey's inactivity over the last 16 months, when he had to deal with his personal demons with both the sport?s governing body in Ghana (GBA) and among those within his native Bukom, who frown on what they perceive as acts of arrogance by their hero. Not only will Quartey be eyeing the mega-bucks and the chance to move closer with a dream date with Trinidad, but would want to put up a good performance, which would have a therapeutic effect in healing old wounds with his countrymen.

He knows too well Vargas is being groomed as the next poster boy of American boxing circles and could therefore win the sympathy of the judges, as was the case of De La Hoya. As legendary Azumah Nelson always does, Quartey should carry into the ring his own referee ? the stinging left jabs and sledgehammer right hooks and Vargas would certainly eat too much of it.

This is the time for Quartey to say, "I'm the champ" rather than cry injustice. Meanwhile, Joe Cortez has been appointed referee for the bout with Glen Hamada, Jerry Roth and Dave Moretti as the judges.