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Dan Gross: Canseco will Vai for boxing crown

AFTER DEFEATING 95.7 BEN FM's Dave Cruise in a celebrity boxing match in January, NBC 10 sports director Vai Sikahema is confident that he can hold his own in the ring against Jose Canseco.

AFTER DEFEATING 95.7 BEN FM's

Dave Cruise

in a celebrity boxing match in January, NBC 10 sports director

Vai Sikahema

is confident that he can hold his own in the ring against

Jose Canseco

.

The former NFL player has been selected to fight the bad boy of baseball July 12 at the Bernie Robbins Stadium in Atlantic City.

We reported last week that Canseco was seeking a challenger. Sikahema jumped at the chance and was among thousands of people who contacted promoter Damon Feldman's Celebrity Boxing Promotions. Feldman, co-promoter Bobby Capone and auto mogul Gary Barbera were the selection committee.

Canseco and Sikahema are scheduled to attend a press conference at 10:30 a.m. June 3 at Gary Barbera Chryslerland/Jeepland (7810 Roosevelt). For tickets, call Center Stage Tickets at 800-677-8499. Meanwhile, the People Paper's Bernard Fernandez caught up with Canseco to discuss the fight and his state of mind. Read Bernie on Page 76.

Nutter has word for 'Wire' actor

Mayor Nutter needed only one word to greet actor Isiah Whitlock, Jr., who played Sen. Clay Davis on HBO's "The Wire," while shaking his hand at the Mural Arts Program's Wall Ball Thursday at the Loews Hotel.

"Sheeeeeeee-it," Nutter said to Whitlock, echoing his "Wire" character's popular catchphrase.

Nutter's a big "Wire" fan, having hosted an event around the March finale at City Hall.

_ Actress Jane Seymour popped into the Wall Ball, as she was staying in the Loews Hotel. Seymour also toured the Mural Arts Program's Fairmount headquarters Friday afternoon. The "Dancing with the Stars" alum was in town showing her art works at Ocean Galleries in Stone Harbor, N.J. She also stayed at the Golden Inn in Avalon while in the area. (Seymour also has a new "Open Hearts" jewelry line at Kay Jewelers.)

During her Mural Arts visit, Seymour told Executive Director Jane Golden and her staff that she is inspired by the MAP's work and hopes to work with them in the future. As for Whitlock's involvement, he narrated a documentary for Mural Arts as well as its video presentation that was played at the Wall Ball.

Dave Navarro jams at Borgata

Rocker Dave Navarro hopped on stage Saturday night with local favorites Octane at the Gypsy Bar at Atlantic City's Borgata.

The former Jane's Addiction and Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist played AC/DC's "Highway to Hell," David Bowie's "Suffragette City" and "Pretty Vacant" by the Sex Pistols, with the band.

Ex-Philly cop is part of HBO flick

Former Philadelphia Police lieutenant Patricia Getty can be seen in HBO's new political movie "Recount," about the controversial 2000 presidential election.

Getty plays Margaret Tutwiler, and shares a scene with Bob Balaban. Getty was one of the first women to join Philly's Finest and moved to Florida about eight years ago. The movie premiered over the weekend.

Bracco helps to open Chima

"Sopranos" shrink Lorraine Bracco will be on hand June 11 for a VIP dinner reception at Chima (20th & JFK). The new Brazilian steakhouse, pronounced "she-ma," will be offering the Oscar-nominated actress' Bracco Wines collection of Italian vino.

Only music during Booker's slot

Q102 listeners can expect to hear only music today in the morning slot that had been the Booker Show. Chris Booker, co-host Angi Taylor and producer Blaire Galaton were all fired after Friday's show. The station says it'll focus more on music as it explores programming options.

Booker sidekick Diego Ramos, a longtime veteran of Q102, was kept on at the station.

Stork report

Congratulations to University City District communications director Lori Klein Brennan and husband, Ed Brennan, an executive at General Motors, who welcomed their first child, a daughter, on Thursday. Madelyn Patricia Brennan weighed in at 7 pounds, 8 ounces, and arrived a few weeks early, but baby and mom are both doing fine.

Madelyn's middle name is a tribute to her grandmother, Patti Klein, of the Restaurant Collection publicity firm. *

Visit PhillyGossip.com for Dan's latest stories. Have a tip? Call 215-854-5963, or e-mail grossd@phillynews.com. For recent columns, visit go.philly.com/dangross.