THE HEAT was turned up considerably yesterday when the third press conference of the week to promote Saturday night's unique boxing bill at The Point was held at Jurys Hotel in Dublin.

In contrast to the previous day's "laugh in" between Prince Naseem Hamed and his opponent Manuel Medina, the air crackled when Tom "Boom Boom" Johnson, the man who is being touted as Naseem's next opponent, appeared.

Naseem meets Medina on Saturday night to defend his World Boxing Organisation featherweight title, while Johnson will defend his title against Ramon Guzman from Venezuela. The plan is for the two winners to meet in a re unification bout next October.

There were times yesterday when it seemed that this weekend's bouts might suddenly become redundant as the two central characters, Naseem and Johnson, hurled thinly veiled threats at each other. From Johnson's point of view, however, it was the fight promoter Frank Warren who seemed to be his main target - until Naseem, not surprisingly, put his oar in.

As usual Naseem was being his volatile and verbose self but Johnson was having none of the good natured banter of the previous day. He set out his case early on. "I believe that we are all in the same business and that we all owe each other respect. But I do not like to read in a magazine that Mr Frank Warren has offered me $1 million to fight Naseem. I have never discussed this matter with Mr Warren. I have not been informed of any such offer nor haven my handlers. I object to this kind of pressure being put on me.

"I have never earned a $1 million in my life and I don't like to bread about these things in a magazine article designed to put me under pressure. If Mr Frank Warren wants to make that offer let him have the contract at the ring side on Saturday night. I will welcome it but I do not like the tactics which have been adopted," he said.

Warren immediately pointed out that the American promoter, Don King, was Johnson's manager. "I am forbidden from approaching Tom Johnson or any other boxer directly. I have spoken to Don King and if Tom Johnson has a problem he should discuss it with Don King. The offer is there and if Don King hasn't told him about it that is not my fault.

"I have no doubt that a fight between Naseem and Johnson would merit that kind of a purse and I have no problem about it. I can't approach you (Johnson) direct because I would be accused of breaking your agreement with Don King. Why don't you talk to him?" Warren asked.

Other matters to he decided on Saturday night were left aside again when Naseem suggested that he and Johnson should fight for a "winner take all" match, which was estimated to be worth $2 million to the winner.

This was immediately dismissed by Johnson as a nonsense. "We are in a business. It isn't just two boxers in the ring. My people cave to be paid and so have his people. I don't fight for free and it is silly. We could go back and forth verbally all evening. I respect Naseem and what he has done but we have to be realistic. I am willing to take him on intellectually or physically," he said.

Naseem relented briefly to comment that he admired the fact that Johnson had defended his IBF title no fewer than 10 times. "To do that he has to be a good champion and I respect him for that."

Having poured a little oil on troubled waters he immediately reverted to type. "I'm going to put a stop to that. Youth is on my side. I am ambitious and I want to accumulate as many titles in as many weights as possible. I don't want to get bored fighting for the same title," he said, only to be told quite forcefully by Johnson: "You are boring already".

Meanwhile, Medina's manager, Ignacio Huizar, set out to correct a false impression in regard to his charge's age. "I want people to know that Manuel was born in 1971. He is not 29 years old, he is 25 and people should recognise that and should not be ready to dismiss him," he said.

It was also pointed out that Medina has a points decision over Steve Cruz from Texas, the man who deprived Barry McGuigan of the world featherweight title on a controversial night in Las Vegas.

Naseem's perky approach was clearly annoying some of Johnson's mentors at this stage and one of them offered: "You are dreaming. I have four round fighters here who could beat you no bother."

When it came to the turn of Ramon Guzman, Johnson's Venezuelan opponent, the atmosphere took a distinct change for the better. Through an interpreter he said: "First I want to say good morning to everyone. I am happy to be in Ireland, which is a beautiful country and the people are very friendly.

"But I'm not here as a tourist. I am well prepared and I am going to do a good job. Some people are in for a surprise," he said modestly. Such modesty seemed to be lacking among some of his fellow fighters.

The next step on the press conference road is promotion for the World Boxing Association cruiser weight title fight between the champion, Nate Miller from Philadelphia and James Heath from North Carolina. Miller has had 24 knockout wins in his 28 fights to date while the challenger, Heath, has knocked out. six of his eight opponents to date.

The weigh in for all 12 fights on Saturday night's bill takes place at Powerscourt Town House in Dublin at 6.0 p.m. tomorrow evening.