SURLY MOORER SURELY CAN FIGHT.

Byline: MICHAEL ROSENTHAL

Michael Moorer, the IBF heavyweight champion, isn't perceived as the friendliest guy in the world.

Mean. Nasty. Surly. Testy. Negative. Scowling. Uncommunicative. Uncooperative. All of the above apply. And there's more.

Is it fair? Heck yeah. Even Moorer admits it.

``I've been this way a long time,'' Moorer said, minutes after he finished eight rounds of sparring last week in a Hollywood gym in preparation for his Nov. 8 title-unification bout against Evander Holyfield in Las Vegas.

``The way I look at it, no one has nothing for me. That gives me the right to say and do what I feel like doing. The only person I have to answer to is my son (5-year-old Michael).

``. . . I don't have disrespect toward you or anyone else. It's the way I am. That's all.''

Moorer, 30, is a two-time world champion best known for his one-punch knockout loss to George Foreman in 1994.

Less memorable is the fact he's lost only that once, outpointed Holyfield to win the IBF and WBA heavyweight crowns in a fight before Foreman, outpointed Axel Schulz to regain the IBF title in June of last year and was unbeatable as a light heavyweight for almost three years. He's 38-1, with 31 knockouts.

So why the relative anonymity compared to a high-profile heavyweight like Holyfield?

In part, it's his personality. It's hard to market disdain unless it's Mike Tyson doing the disdaining.

Moorer simply doesn't have the super-human power of a Tyson or an intriguing aura about him. He's simply a talented, yet ornery fighter who would rather be left alone to go about his business. As a result, he's a marketing nightmare.

He'd have it no other way.

Asked why other fighters attract more attention, he said with Holyfield in mind: ``Everyone puts on a happy face and is fake for the cameras, a facade of being Mr. Nice Guy.

``People know my track record. I've been in (minor) trouble with the police. I'll tell someone to kiss my a-- in a minute. It's the way I am. I'm a real person.

``. . . I think (Holyfield) is fake, I think he puts on a big facade. He's always talking about God, how God is in his corner. God's there for everyone, not just him.''

Get the idea? Moorer can be a real pain in the you know what.

A recent telephone conference call was typical of him: He was at his testy worst, snapping at reporters who asked questions he didn't want to answer - such as those referring to his recent split with trainer Teddy Atlas - or answered sarcastically.

The Foreman knockout? Stop asking him about it. Every fighter loses. Atlas, who abandoned Moorer and has been replaced by Freddie Roach? Don't even think about bringing it up. The past is the past.

Why such behavior? Because he was in a bad mood.

Now, lest Moorer be perceived as a hopeless ogre, listen to his manager, John Davimos.

``If he's in a bad mood, he can't help it,'' Davimos said. ``If he's in a good mood, he'll charm you for 20 minutes.''

OK, there is another side to Moorer if you catch him at just the right time. That time was the other day at the gym.

Ironically, he seems to shift when he's asked about what he would like to do with his life after boxing, perhaps because he's not often asked about it.

He has talked about going into law enforcement. It intrigues him, especially the militaristic aspect of it. He mentioned ``S.W.A.T.'' and ``camouflage'' when he discussed such a prospect.

These days, acting seems to be higher on his list of priorities.

``Yeah, I think I'd be a good actor,'' he said, his nastiness completely dissipated. ``Action movies,'' he adds, then smiles broadly as he's about to inject some levity. ``And I'd like to get a couple of love stories if I could get some good women in there.''

This is a side of Moorer of which we don't see enough.

Greatest fear: Moorer has at least one fear about the Holyfield fight.

Like last time, he suggested, he will win the fight and Holyfield will come up with an excuse. After their first bout, Holyfield was diagnosed with a heart problem, a diagnosis that somehow was later changed, and later said his shoulder was injured.

``He'll come up with something wrong with him or something. I don't know,'' Moorer said.

Davimos becomes angry when he talks about the fallout after the last fight.

``It's crap about his shoulder,'' he said. ``First, he said he had a heart attack. Now he says his shoulder was injured. One guy had surgery (on his shoulder) after the fight: That was Michael (who had an operation after his last fight, against Vaughn Bean in March).''

He added: ``And (Holyfield is) three years older. He's not a better fighter like he says, he's a worse fighter than he was. . . . I think Evander is going to engage him and get knocked out.''

Rabbit punches: P.J. Goossen of North Hollywood has the biggest fight of his career on Nov. 15 in South Africa: He faces Roberto Duran, the 46-year-old former world champion. If Goossen can win - and it won't be easy - he could jump to a higher tax bracket. . . .

The Nov. 9 card at the Country Club kicks off a resumption of monthly shows at the Reseda venue, according to Peter Broudy, who will help promote the cards. Mark Carrier will face Arthur Weathers in a 10-round heavyweight bout in the main event. Also, entertaining Floyd Weaver takes on Fidel Avendano in a 12-round junior middleweight fight.

The show, which will be televised live on ESPN2, begins at 7 p.m. . . .

COMING UP

Tuesday: Joseph Kiwanuka faces Thomas Tate for Kiwanuka's NABF super middleweight title in Philadelphia.

Thursday: Derrell Coley defends his NABF welterweight title against Romallis Ellis in Washington, D.C.

Saturday: On HBO, Lou Savarese takes on David Izonritei in a 10-round heavyweight bout at the Apollo Theater. Also, Hasim Rahman fights Obed Sullivan in another 10-round heavyweight bout.

CAPTION(S):

Photo, Box

Photo: Michael Moorer, left, doesn't mince words when describing Nov. 8 opponent Evander Holyfield: ``I think (Holyfield) is fake.''

Associated Press

Box: COMING UP (see text)