Heavyweight Ahunanya in dire need of victory

Friday Ahunanya knows he desperately needs a victory to prolong his boxing career.

The 39-year-old heavyweight hasn't won since June 20, 2008, a 10-round decision over Alonzo Butler at the Thomas & Mack Center.

But standing between Ahunanya and the much-needed victory is Chris Arreola, who has compiled a 32-2 record with 28 knockouts. They will meet Saturday in Atlantic City on the undercard of the Paul Williams-Erislandy Lara middleweight main event.

"It's all on the line for me," said Ahunanya, a Nigerian who lives in Las Vegas. "I need to win this fight to get back in the hunt. If I lose, I have to seriously think about retiring."

Ahunanya (24-7-3, 13 KOs) has lost his past two fights, both by unanimous decision. He dropped a six-round decision to Cisse Salif on May 24 and lost a 12-round decision to David Tua in March 2010.

"I'm not thinking about the past," Ahunanya said. "It's all about winning this fight. (Arreola) throws a lot of punches, but he's not very skilled. If I outbox him, I can win."

Luis Tapia, who trains and manages Ahunanya, said his fighter deserved a better fate against Salif. But the bout got him a shot against Arreola.

"It's a great opportunity for Friday," Tapia said. "He wins this fight, he's right back in the big picture. He's been training 100 percent for this fight, and the better the opponent, the better he fights."

■ PAIROL SUSPENDED -- The Nevada Athletic Commission suspended Cuban welterweight Puro Pairol for nine months and fined him $200 after he tested positive for the diuretic Furosimide following his March 25 win over Franky Martinez at the Cosmopolitan.

Pairol admitted he had taken the banned substance two weeks before the fight. His six-round unanimous decision was changed to a no contest.

Currently, a fighter who tests positive in Nevada is suspended for eight to nine months and fined up to 30 percent of his purse. But commissioner Francisco Aguilar wants future penalties to carry a minimum 12-month suspension and fine of up to 50 percent of the purse.

The commission is expected to act on the request next month.

■ KHAN-JUDAH OFFICIALS -- The commission selected Vic Drakulich to referee the July 23 world junior welterweight fight between WBA champion Amir Khan and IBF champ Zab Judah at Mandalay Bay.

The judges will be Robert Hoyle of Las Vegas, Burt Clements of Reno and Michael Pernick of Florida.

■ BANTAMWEIGHT TOURNAMENT -- Abner Mares and Joseph Agbeko will meet in a 12-round fight Aug. 13 at the Hard Rock Hotel to decide Showtime's bantamweight tournament.

Mares (21-0-1, 13 KOs) advanced to the final with a 12-round split decision over Vic Darchynian on Dec. 11 in Tacoma, Wash. On the same night in Tacoma, Agbeko (28-2, 22 KOs), the reigning IBF champion, avenged a 2009 loss to Yonnhy Perez with a 12-round unanimous decision.

■ MAYWEATHER-ORTIZ TICKETS -- Tickets for the Sept. 17 WBC welterweight title fight between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Victor Ortiz at the MGM Grand Garden will go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday at all Ticketmaster outlets, ticketmaster.com and mgmgrand.com.

Prices are $150 to $1,250.

■ JUNIOR GOLDEN GLOVES -- The National Junior Golden Gloves tournament, one of amateur boxing's biggest events, will take place July 17 to 23 in Mesquite.

More than 500 boys from ages 12 to 17 are expected to compete, including 50 from Southern Nevada.

Mesquite also will host the 2012 Senior National Golden Gloves tournament.

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow him on Twitter: @stevecarprj.