Olympic Payoff

While only one member of the 1996 U.S. Olympic team, David Reid,
proved to be worth his weight in gold, overall the Olympians
have thrived as pros. The 12 boxers, who won five bronze medals
in Atlanta in addition to Reid's light middleweight gold, have a
combined record of 156-2-2 in the punch-for-pay ranks. Reid,
Floyd Mayweather (above, in last Saturday's bout against Justin
Juuko) and Fernando Vargas have already won world titles.

BOXER OLYMPIC WEIGHT CLASS PRO RECORD

Lawrence Clay-Bey 201+ 9-0, 8 KOs
Old (33) and relatively inexperienced (only seven years in
boxing), needs big fight soon to stamp him as a bona fide
contender

Nate Jones 201 10-0-1, 6 KOs
Former gang-banger who cleaned up his act, winning bronze in
Atlanta, may not have the power to become top heavyweight

Antonio Tarver 178 13-0, 11 KOs
IBF's No. 1-ranked light heavyweight, power-punching bronze
medalist still needs victory over high-profile opponent

Rhoshii Wells 165 11-0-1, 6 KOs
Bronze medalist reminds some observers of a young Evander
Holyfield; is being brought along slowly by his handlers

David Reid 156 12-0, 7 KOs
Has been thrilling in quick climb to WBA junior middleweight
title; drooping left eyelid surgically repaired three times

Fernando Vargas 147 16-0, 16 KOs
Powerful IBF junior middleweight champ may be best of bunch;
wants shot at De La Hoya, but Golden Boy calls him "disrespectful"

David Diaz 139 11-0, 3 KOs
Now fighting as a welterweight, Diaz has moved from Chicago
to Miami in hopes of gaining much needed exposure

Terrance (Heat) Cauthen 132 15-0, 5 KOs
Bronze-medal-winning southpaw fights as a welterweight out of
Philadelphia, where he trains under Marvis Frazier

Floyd Mayweather 125 21-0, 16 KOs
Won WBC super featherweight championship title in less than two
years as a pro; lightning-quick bronze medalist has all the tools

Zahir Raheem 119 13-0, 6 KOs
A light-hitting lefthander, this junior lightweight out of
Philadelphia is still struggling to crack division's crowded
upper echelon

Eric Morel 112 20-0, 14 KOs
A shot at a championship isn't far off for this technically
sound super flyweight, currently ranked No. 6 by the WBC

Alberto Guardado Jr. 106 5-2, 2 KOs
Bulked up to 112 as a pro; has only losses on the class of '96's
record

--Richard Deutsch

COLOR PHOTO: V.J. LOVERO