MASKAEV BRINGS IT FULL CIRCLE.

Byline: ROBERT MORALES BOXING

LAS VEGAS - Oleg Maskaev was working out at the famous Gleason's Gym in New York City in early 2003, and was re-discovered.

``I was working alone and he offered me to work with him for a couple of days,'' Maskaev said of Victor Valle Jr., who would become his trainer. ``Then he called Dennis Rappaport and we talked about what we are going to do.''

What Maskaev will do tonight is challenge Hasim Rahman for his World Boxing Council heavyweight championship at Thomas & Mack Center.

Maskaev was working alone that day at Gleason's because his entire management team had given up on him -- for what appeared to be good reason.

Maskaev had been stopped in the eighth round by a mediocre Corey Sanders in March 2002, giving him three knockout losses in five fights -- the others to Kirk Johnson (fourth round) and Lance Whitaker (second round).

All the steam Maskaev gained with a spectacular eighth-round knockout of Rahman in November 1999 was gone. But Valle saw something in Maskaev and made the call to Rappaport.

``Victor Valle saw some potential, called me up and said, `Everything this guy's accomplished, he's done with pure guts and pure power nobody's ever thought of,' '' Rappaport said.

Rappaport signed Maskaev to a promotional contract and Valle began training him full-time. The results have been good.

``In the 3 1/2 years we've been together, he's had 10 wins, no losses, eight knockouts and he is knocking on the door of the heavyweight championship,'' Rappaport said.

But not without major changes in his style. Maskaev was a power puncher and not much else before he hooked up with his new team, which includes manager Fred Kesch. That is just the kind of fighter who gets knocked out because he often leaves his chin up on a tee.

``Oleg is a most vastly improved fighter,'' Rappaport said. ``Back in '99, he was a stand-up, European-style fighter. Now, he's a superb boxer with great defensive skills, great technique.

``He dances, he moves, he punches with devastating power in both hands. We think that the Oleg Maskaev of 2006 is a far, far superior fighter than the one that fought (Rahman) in 1999.''

In order to recover and get to this point, Maskaev also had to have a strong will, considering how much he kept hearing that he should retire after Sanders took care of him.

The writing was on the wall that Maskaev should leave boxing while he still could under his own power. But Maskaev wasn't having any of it.

The question as to how good Maskaev has become remains to be answered, however.

The winner of tonight's fight will be mandated by the WBC to take on the winner of the Sept. 2 title elimination fight between James ``Lights Out'' Toney and Sam Peter at Staples Center.

Toney, who fought Rahman to a 12-round draw last March in Atlantic City, made a prediction during a conference call Tuesday.

``It is going to be a stinker of a fight, but I got a feeling Rahman might get knocked out,'' Toney said. ``It is in the back of his mind that it could happen again.''

Rahman has sent mixed signals. During a workout this week, he talked to reporters about that first fight in colorful fashion.

``I was out before I hit the ground,'' Rahman said.

But he said he's glad it happened, though his explanation is somewhat bizarre.

``It was a blessing in disguise as, had I won that fight, I would have maybe become too dangerous of an opponent and I wouldn't have had the chance to fight the fights I had and be in this position today,'' he said. ``I know many a fighter who have actually benefited from a loss and I think that is what happened to me.''

Rahman has had his own ups and downs since his first fight with Maskaev -- at one point losing three straight to Lennox Lewis, 39-year-old Evander Holyfield and John Ruiz.

Maskaev, of Staten Island, N.Y. via Kazakhstan, is 37. He is 32-5 with 25 KOs. Rahman, of Baltimore, Md., is 33. He is 41-5-2 with 33 KOs. HBO pay-per-view has the fight for $49.95.

Guerrero finds new life

Robert ``The Ghost'' Guerrero was a terrific fighter on the rise late last year. He was 16-0-1 with nine knockouts and, because he is both a southpaw and, at 5-foot-10, a very tall featherweight, Guerrero appeared a sure bet to win a major championship.

Then he lost a split decision to unheralded Gamaliel Diaz (19-5-2 at the time) last Dec. 2 in Lemoore. Diaz was not supposed to win, but he did via split decision.

With his back to the wall, Guerrero came back and stopped Sandro Marcos in the third round last May, then took apart Diaz in a rematch on June 23 in Oakland, knocking him out in the sixth round.

Guerrero was able to keep his head straight instead of falling apart after one loss, as sometimes happens. That is one of the reasons why he will be fighting for his first major championship on the undercard of the James Toney-Sam Peter heavyweight title elimination fight Sept. 2 at Staples Center.

Guerrero (18-1-1, 11 KOs) will challenge Eric ``Mighty Mouse'' Aiken (16-4, 12 KOs) of Marysville, Ohio, for his International Boxing Federation featherweight belt. Showtime will televise both fights.

``The loss to Diaz made me work harder as a person and a boxer,'' Guerrero said.

``From day one, I wanted to go back and correct the mistakes that I had made in the ring. When you are on a winning streak, you can hardly look back. I was knocking everyone out. I did not look back at the mistakes I was making.

``After the Diaz fight, I went back and looked at everything. It taught me a good lesson of being on my toes and ready for anything.''

Nine knockouts in 17 fights -- what Guerrero had heading into his first fight with Diaz -- is not a lot of knockouts. However, Guerrero only had one knockout in his first eight fights. He then stopped eight of his next nine opponents.

Guerrero, just 23, trains in Northridge and is promoted by Dan Goossen of Goossen Tutor Promotions, which is handling this card.

But Guerrero is from Gilroy, near the Silicon Valley, and he said the town is abuzz about his title challenge.

``The folks in Gilroy are going nuts about this fight,'' Guerrero said.

``This is a life-long dream for me. I am still kind of in disbelief that I am fighting for a world title. I have been working for this since I was nine years old.''

CAPTION(S):

2 photos, box

Photo:

(1) Hasim Rahman, left, sizes up Oleg Maskaev before tonight's fight in Las Vegas. At stake is the WBC heavyweight title.

Laura Rauch/Associated Press

(2) MORALES

Box:

Etc.