Shannon's Ring Hopes Rest On Performance At Boxing Showdown

Robert Shannon came out when the Space Needle came up, in the year 1962. So far, the Needle hasn't left. Neither has Shannon.

Shannon's local roots run about as deep as the Needle's foundation. He was born into an old Tacoma family on Nov. 11. By the time he was old enough to go to school, the family had moved to Edmonds. He attended Woodway High School, and now lives in Lynnwood. As an Olympic and now professional boxer, he has strayed to points far from Seattle, but has always come back.

Tonight he takes a quick drive down I-5, to the old Dome - he has known only one in his life - and starts Seattle Showdown '90 with an eight-round bantamweight fight against Lee Cargle, from Oklahoma City at 7:15 p.m.

Shannon's last fight in Seattle was his first pro fight, a first-round knockout over Carlos Rodriguez at the Seattle Center Arena. For Shannon, 27, the Showdown represents the most talked-up, big-time card he has been a part of. It also represents perhaps the first time he has been recognized locally. He pointed out the irony of his fortune.

``It took a guy from out of the state (promoter Bill Wheeler, a native of California) to come here and make it possible for a local guy to box here,'' said Shannon, who is 16-5-2 with eight knockouts as a pro.

`` I was born here, went to school here, got married here, and I'm still living here.''

Shannon started college at Edmonds Community College and transferred to Seattle Pacific. He took a year off, but plans to resume his education as a transfer student at the University of Washington.

It took a while, but Shannon will finally get the homefield advantage. Now a six-year veteran, he plans to retire if he doesn't have a world ranking by the end of next year. He has lost the only two title bouts he has fought, and is at least several victories away from getting another chance.

``This is do or die,'' said Shannon, who formerly fought as a featherweight. ``I have to win, and win in great fashion. I have to look real good.''

Shannon is coming off a title-bout loss to former world champion Paul Banke. He took 52 stitches - 26 on the inside of his eye and 26 on the outside - in that fight after a head butt. It was the first time he ever bled. His first title fight was against Greg Richardson, who beat Shannon in a 12-round decision.

It was as a junior boxer that Shannon had his biggest success. He was twice junior national champion and junior world champion before becoming a member of the U.S.Olympic team at age 17. In 1980, when the U.S. boycotted the Games in Moscow, Shannon was the youngest member of the team. Four years later, he placed sixth at the Los Angeles Olympics. He finished with an amateur record of 126-16 with 43 knockouts. He won his first 12 fights as a pro.

After his first title bout he had legal problems with his managers, Evergreen Promotions, over prize money. His relationship with Wheeler started when Wheeler represented Shannon, as his attorney, in the Evergreen case.

Shannon's luck with managers hasn't improved. His current manager, Angelo Dundee, Muhammad Ali's former manager, is in Shannon's corner by name only. Shannon has had to train and manage himself for tonight's fight, in addition to managing other fighters on the side.

The Showdown almost passed up Shannon, who was on and off the card four times. He finally signed the fight contract this week.

``It was bothersome,'' Shannon said. ``All I can do is show myself in the ring and answer all the questions after the fight.''

Cargle is a little known fighter with a 24-18 record.

Most of Shannon's out-of-ring distractions have been put away, and his weight is down to 117, his lowest. This is his first fight at the bantamweight level. He said he feels comfortable with the new classification.

After the fight, he will do the duty of every responsible Seattle-area resident when he boards track officials for the Goodwill Games at his home.

Yesterday, his final day of preparation for the fight, Shannon slept a lot and picked up fight tickets for his mother, his two brothers and two of his three sisters (the other lives out of town). His wife, Claudia, is working his corner.

``If I can't trust my wife, I can't trust anyone,'' Shannon said. ``She's the first person I see when I wake up and the last person I see when I go to sleep. She won't lie to me, because she's got to live with me forever.''

NOTES: Robert Daniels, 21, is the closest thing to an undefeated boxer at the Showdown. The Miami product has beaten every opponent he has faced except for one, in 1985. Both fighters were disqualified in the final round for hitting below the belt. It was scored as two losses, but the WBC tossed out the match, giving Daniels 18 wins and no defeats. Until Daniels' last fight against Dwight Qawi, whom he beat for the WBA cruiserweight title, no fighter had gone past the sixth round against him.

- Tuesday night's ``Muhammad Ali testimonial dinner'' will be aired by CBS Aug. 19 at 5 p.m. as part of a one-hour show on Ali.

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TONIGHT'S CARD

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- What: Seattle Showdown '90.

- When, where: Tonight, 7:15 p.m., Kingdome.

- Fight order: Bantamweights: Robert Shannon (16-5-2) vs. Lee

Cargle (24-18), eight rounds. WBA cruiserweight championship:

Robert Daniels (18-0) vs. Craig Bodzianowski (24-3-1), 12

rounds. Heavyweights: Tim Witherspoon (32-3) vs. Jose Ribalta

(31-4-1), 10 rounds. IBF super middleweight championship:

Lindell Holmes (41-5-1) vs. Carl Sullivan (13-1), 12 rounds.

Heavyweights: Tony Tucker (38-1) vs. Mike Rouse (13-4-1), 10

rounds.

- Tickets: $15, $35, $50, $100, $250. About 20,000 remain.

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