SETTING INTO MOTION BATTLE OF UNBEATENS.

Byline: MICHAEL ROSENTHAL Boxing

Oscar De La Hoya and Felix Trinidad, who meet in September, might've started something good.

Young champions David Reid and Fernando Vargas are busy this weekend. Reid makes the first defense of his WBA super welterweight title against unknown Kevin Kelly on Friday in Atlantic City, N.J., while Vargas defends his IBF junior middleweight championship against former champ Raul Marquez on Saturday in Lake Tahoe.

However, it's difficult not to take a peek into the future.

Reid and Vargas, Olympic teammates in 1996, say they plan to meet in the ring sometime early next year in a bout that follows the lead of De La Hoya-Trinidad: two undefeated young champions willing to risk it all to prove their superiority.

Such a bout is particularly significant because the sport had come to a near standstill for lack of compelling matchups the past few years.

``We're calling it the fight of the new millennium,'' said Dan Goossen of America Presents, Reid's promoter.

``This is the day of the megafights. This is what the public wants, what the promoters want, what the fighters want.''

A lot has to happen in the meantime.

After he beats Kelly, an Australian with questionable credentials, Reid (12-0, with seven knockouts) expects to fight former champ Keith Mullings late next month and resilient, once-beaten veteran Davey Hilton in November or December.

Vargas (16-0, 16 KOs) will probably have no trouble with Marquez. After that, he plans to take a huge risk by fighting Ike Quartey and then possibly another opponent before he and Reid meet.

The fighters, trying to focus on the present, don't really want to talk about the fight.

However, they're asked about it constantly.

``That's the fight everyone wants to see,'' Reid said. ``And I want that fight for myself. I want it to happen, too.

``To become the fighter I want to be, I need fights like Fernando, Oscar, Trinidad. Then I can be the superstar I want to be.''

Said Vargas: ``That's a big fight, an event. I'm trying to unify this division. That's what I want to do.

``David Reid is a tough fighter. I have a lot of respect for him. We hung out together at the (1996) Games. I have to take care of business, though.''

Let's hope it's not just talk.

It's easy to envision the winner of that fight taking on the winner of De La Hoya-Trinidad or be in position to face one of the two in the near future.

The possibilities are intriguing.

Comparison: America Presents publicist Fred Sternburg put together a comparison of the fighters who Reid and Vargas, as well as De La Hoya, faced en route to their first titles.

Reid's 12 opponents were 310-45-5, with 212 KOs. Vargas' 15 opponents were 215-74-11, 139 KOs. De la Hoya's 12 opponents were 198-54-18, 93 KOs.

However, don't put too much credence in those numbers. Two of Reid's most significant opponents - Jorge Vaca (57-18-1, 48 KOs) and Simon Brown (47-7, 34 KOs) - were well past their primes at the time they met.

For what it's worth, Vargas had the toughest opponent in his first title fight - Yory Boy Campas. Reid beat Frenchman Laurent Boudouani, while De La Hoya defeated marginal Jimmi Bredhal.

Mosley watch: Shane Mosley, who gave up his lightweight championship and has moved up two weight classes to 147, is negotiating to fight Wilfredo Rivera, whom De La Hoya once knocked out.

Mosley wants De La Hoya and the money that goes with him. However, De La Hoya has said the Trinidad bout will be his last at 147. That would mean Mosley would have to move up to 154, an unlikely scenario for now.

Mosley, who is from Pomona but trains in Los Angeles, would like to fight on the first-ever boxing card at the new Staples Center in December.

De La Hoya is expected to challenge for his first 154-pound title against WBC super welterweight champion Javier Castillejo in the main event.

Tyson's comeback: Mike Tyson's handlers have yet to name an opponent for his Oct. 2 fight at the MGM in Las Vegas.

Axel Schulz, considered the favorite at one time, is out after agreeing to another fight. Among those in the running are Jorge Luis Gonzalez, Zeljko Mavrovic and Orlin Norris.

Tyson could have trouble with Mavrovic, a big, durable fighter who gave Lennox Lewis problems. Norris, a small heavyweight, is made to order for the smallish Tyson.

Poor Vernon: Some people believe the best of the welterweight/junior middleweight bunch will ultimately be undefeated NABF welterweight champion Vernon Forrest.

The problem is no one seems to want to fight him. Forrest (29-0, 24 KOs) was turned down by at least seven prospective opponents before Santiago Samaniego (27-4-1, 23 KOs) - a nephew of Roberto Duran - agreed to meet him Aug. 27 in Augusta, Ga., according to Main Events, Forrest's promoter.

Forrest will get his chance against the best.

Rabbit punches: The Ruelas brothers, Gabriel and Rafael, could fight as soon as early August, according to America Presents officials. Their opponents are yet to be determined, although former lightweight champion Tom Johnson is being mentioned as a possible opponent for Gabriel Ruelas. . . . Mauricio Martinez defends his NABO bantamweight title against Cruz Acosta tonight at the Pond. . . . WBA welterweight champion James Page defends his championship against Freddie Pendleton on July 24 in Las Vegas. Also on the card, which will be televised on Showtime, Terronn Millett defends his IBF super lightweight championship against Virgil McClendon. . . . The bout between WBO featherweight champion Naseem Hamed and WBC champ Cesar Soto probably will be moved from Oct. 2 - the night of the Tyson fight - to Nov. 6. Juan Manuel Marquez, the WBO's mandatory challenger whom Hamed has managed to avoid, could end up frustrated once again: He's ranked No. 1 by the WBC. If Hamed beats Soto, will he continue to dodge Marquez? Let's hope the WBC doesn't let it happen.

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Photo

PHOTO David Reid, left, boxing Laurent Boudouani in March, plans to fight fellow unbeaten Fernando Vargas.

Charles Rex Arbogast/Associated Press