FOR DE LA HOYA, GATTI GOOD AS GOLD.

Byline: Michael Rosenthal Staff Writer

LAS VEGAS - Oscar De La Hoya chose Arturo Gatti for his comeback fight for several good reasons.

Gatti, the former junior lightweight champion, has a fairly big name, he's willing to take punches, he cuts easily, he recently moved up to De La Hoya's weight class and he has virtually no chance to win when they meet tonight in a scheduled 12-round welterweight bout at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

That makes him the perfect opponent at a critical stage in De La Hoya's career - an opponent who probably will absorb a terrible beating and make the Golden Boy look like the Golden Boy of old.

``This is a good fight after being away for nine months,'' De La Hoya said. ``Gatti is a good opponent, a very aggressive opponent. He's a warrior, he fights.

``I'll get to display what I've learned with (new trainer Floyd) Mayweather.''

De La Hoya (32-2, 26 knockouts) hasn't fought since he was outpointed by Shane Mosley last June at Staples Center. It was his second defeat in three fights - the other was to Felix Trinidad the previous September - and an obvious sign it was time to make some changes.

He dumped longtime promoter Bob Arum and joined Univision CEO Jerry Perenchio, and he finally dismissed much-criticized trainer Robert Alcazar in favor of the respected Mayweather.

He also spent time cutting his first CD, a compilation of love songs that earned him a Grammy nomination.

However, at 28, he insists it's time to get back to boxing, reclaim some of the magic lost the past two years and take the steps necessary to lure Trinidad and Mosley back into the ring so he can right what he believes are some wrongs.

``Boxing doesn't last very long,'' he said. ``I want to make the best of it now.''

De La Hoya made the move to Perenchio in good part to gain more control of his destiny. So far, the decision looks dubious: By all accounts, the promotion for Saturday's fight lacked the pizzazz and organization Arum once brought and the timing - mid-March Madness - was horrible.

However, De La Hoya couldn't be more pleased with Mayweather, who he said will push him to new heights in the ring. He claims he's learned more in a few months with Mayweather, the father and former trainer of Floyd Mayweather Jr., than he has in eight years, and he's never worked as hard on conditioning.

Gatti (33-4, 27 KOs) is the poor soul against whom De La Hoya gets to show just how far he's progressed.

``I don't know what he's going to do when he gets in the ring because I can't fight for him, but I do know this: He's going to be in the best shape he's ever been in and he knows a lot more about the game of boxing than he ever did,'' Mayweather said.

Gatti, well-known for his entertaining give-and-take style, has received no respect. He's been a 30-1 underdog, his image is not part of the advertising campaign for the fight and Mayweather has belittled him from the beginning. He apparently grew tired of it all by the time of the final news conference Thursday: He walked out.

Gatti, too, also is making a comeback of sorts. He has won four consecutive bouts but lost his last two major matchups, both decisions to Ivan Robinson in 1998 that seemed to indicate he best years were behind him.

Now, he has the chance to rise instantly to the top of the boxing world if he can shock De La Hoya.

``I think this is the perfect time for me to fight Oscar De La Hoya,'' said Gatti, also 28. ``Oscar isn't taking me seriously. He's just looking for a fight to get back into boxing.''

AT A GLANCE

Who: Oscar De La Hoya (32-2, 26 KOs) faces Arturo Gatti (33-4, 27 KOs) in a 12-round welterweight bout.

Weights: De La Hoya 147 lbs.; Gatti, 146

Purses: De La Hoya $5 mil; Gatti, $1.8 mil

When: Tonight

Where: MGM Grand, Las Vegas

TV: HBO (10:45 p.m., delayed)

CAPTION(S):

box

Box: AT A GLANCE (see text)