GOOSSENS TURN INTO A PAIR OF GYM RATS.

Byline: ROBERT MORALES Boxing

Pat Goossen has been involved with boxing for many years. He fought professionally as a welterweight from 1967-72, and he eventually trained his son, P.J., who went 19-3 as a junior middleweight from 1992-2000.

Goossen still trains fighters here and there, but mostly he has sunk his teeth into his new Victory Boxing Gym, which last month moved to a bigger and better location in Van Nuys.

Goossen's present version of the gym contains two boxing rings. It also has a large back room that will be used for boxing fitness classes that will be taught by P.J. and martial-arts fitness classes that will be taught by kickboxing champion/actor Don ``The Dragon'' Wilson.

Pat Goossen owns the gym, but P.J. will run the show. For Pat, 62, it's a way of helping build a future for his five grown children. For P.J., it's a way of helping both children and adults become more confident.

``We have helped a lot of kids get stronger personalities and feel better about themselves,'' said P.J. Goossen, 35, who also worked at the original gym, a smaller version of the current one that was open for two years and formerly located on Victory Boulevard.

Without mentioning names, P.J. said instruction at this gym will be far better than what's taught by other boxing fitness gymnasiums.

``This training is with real fighters,'' he said. ``You're learning all the right stuff, instead of thinking you know the right stuff and going out and getting hurt.''

The Goossens, of course, are not advocating violence outside of the ring. But they figure if you're going to learn how to throw a punch, even if it's just under the guise of fitness, you should learn how to throw it correctly.

Pat Goossen said that while he and his son still train professional fighters - and are willing to take on others - boxing fitness for those not interested in making a career of it is on the rise.

It's the new craze, so to speak.

The Goossens will hold a grand opening for their new gym on Saturday. For more information, call [phone]. The gym is located at 16832 Saticoy St.

--Up in arms: Fernando Vargas will fight Javier Castillejo for the right to become the top 154-pound contender for the World Boxing Council on Saturday in Rosemont, Ill.

Vargas' co-manager, Rolando Arellano, said Sunday he filed a lawsuit on behalf of Vargas on Friday claiming the WBC violated its administrative policy and Federal law when it stripped Castillejo of the title last June for signing to fight Vargas instead of then-No. 1 contender Ricardo Mayorga.

Mayorga on Saturday won the vacant title with a 12-round decision over Michele Piccirillo.

At the time he signed to fight Castillejo (58-5, 39 KOs), Vargas (25-2, 22 KOs) he thought he was signing to fight for a title.

If Vargas wins Saturday, he then could be forced to take a 25-75 percent split of a title fight with Mayorga, who many experts believe should never have been ranked No. 1 in the first place.

Saturday's Vargas-Castillejo fight will air tape delayed on HBO at 10:15 p.m.

--Ward heads home: Andre Ward, who fights in San Jose on Thursday, a scant 40 miles from his Oakland home, said he's ready to give the hometown crowd something to cheer about.

``I just want to put on a show,'' said Ward, the only American boxer to win a gold medal at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. ``I'm excited about it. I'm not nervous at all.''

Ward, 21, is 4-0 with two knockouts. He will take on Christopher Holt (12-4, 8 KOs) of Detroit Lakes, Minn., in a six-round middleweight fight. The card, which is being promoted by Dan Goossen of Goossen Tutor Promotions in Sherman Oaks, will be televised by Fox Sports Net from HP Pavilion.

The event is being billed as the ``Night of Olympians.'' Audley Harrison (18-0, 13 KOs), who won the super heavyweight gold medal in the 2000 Sydney Games, will fight Robert Wiggins (20-4-1, 12 KOs) in the 10-round heavyweight main event.

Andre Dirrell (4-0, 3 KOs) will square off with Arturo Ortega (6-2-2, 5 KOs) in a six-round super middleweight fight. Dirrell won a bronze medal in 2004.

Ward's next fight is scheduled for Oct. 1, on the undercard of Roy Jones Jr.-Antonio Tarver III in Tampa, Fla.

Ward is co-promoted by Goossen Tutor and Jones' Square Ring Inc.

--The end of an era: The Grand Olympic Auditorium, which hosted boxing, wrestling, roller derby and concerts for more than 70 years, was recently purchased by a Korean- American church.

The Olympic's boxing heyday came during the 1960s-80s, and until last year the venue hadn't hosted a boxing event since 1987. Promoter Bob Arum re-opened the storied venue for boxing in March 2004 with an Oscar De La Hoya title fight, but the feeling was gone and the crowds were small.

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