FLASHY NUNN NIXES NIX.

Byline: Michael Rosenthal Daily News Staff Writer

Michael Nunn's objective wasn't so much to win Friday evening at the Country Club. Victory was a given.

No, his mission, after a six-month layoff, was to give the impression on national television that he can still be a player in the exclusive world of big-time, big-money boxing.

Mission accomplished.

In the showboat style of his youth, Nunn, 33, knocked down capable, but overmatched Rudy Nix twice and that was that. The light heavyweight bout, scheduled for 10 rounds, was stopped at 2:52 of the second before an estimated 500 spectators.

It was Nunn's 13th fight - and 13th victory - at the Country Club, where he first began to build his reputation but hadn't fought for eight years.

Nunn's objective now? Roy Jones Jr.

``Who is Eric Lucas?'' Nunn asked, referring to just one of the many journeymen against whom Jones has defending his championships. ``I'm a legitimate challenger, people know my name, I'm the real thing.

``And I'm not talking about no fight (against Jones). I'm talking about winning.''

Nunn (50-3, with 32 knockouts) had difficulty making the 175-pound weight limit. He has about two pounds of excess fat on his waistline.

However, it had no effect on the fight. Although Nix (17-3-1, 16 KO's) is known as a tough guy with a potent punch, he was out of his league against this former two-time world champion.

Nunn paced himself in the first round. His trainer, Joe Goossen, had instructed him to move swiftly around the ring to show Nix he couldn't be hit. He did just that, while landing enough punches to win the round.

About half-way through the second, Nunn decided to slow down to see what his opponent had. In fact, Nix had nothing, at least nothing that would pose a serious challenge.

This is when the showboating started. With about 30 seconds remaining in the round, Nunn lay against the ropes and allowed Nix to pound away. Nunn's response? A smug look on his face, he lifted his chin to Nix and the crowd as if to say, ``What is this man doing in the ring with

italme?''

And Nunn proceeded to illustrate his point. Like the old days, Nunn let the still-quick fists fly. Sometime during the carnage, he dug a crippling left into Nix's liver and sent him down. He got up but never recovered.

Seconds later, under another barrage, Nix went down once more and referee Terry Smith stopped the fight.

``It was exactly what I expected,'' Goossen said. ``Anytime someone comes at Nunn like he did, I expect him to be boxed around by Nunn. I just didn't expect it to end that early.''

Nunn, the WBC's No. 2 contender, would like to challenge for Jones's WBC light heavyweight title this year. And if things work out as his manager, Dan Goossen, hopes, it could happen.

Jones, regarded by most as the best pound-for-pound fighter, defends his title against Montell Griffin in the spring. Meanwhile, the WBC's No. 1 contender, William Guthrie, is expected to challenge for Virgil Hill's WBA crown. That could push Nunn to No. 1 in the WBC and make him a mandatory challenger.

``When Nunn was champion, he fought everyone out there,'' said Dan Goossen, who has been in contact with Jones' handlers about a possible matchup. ``Roy hasn't done that.

``Ultimately, he's going to either have to fight Michael or give up the title.''

Both fighters weighed 175 pounds.

In two scheduled four-round heavyweight bouts, Lance Whitaker (4-0, three KO's) of Van Nuys stopped Marco Dickson (1-9-1, one KO) 51 seconds into the second, and Wolfgramm (3-0, three KO's), the fighter formerly known as Paea Wolfgramm, outpointed Orlando Lavalle (1-1).