By Rusty Rubin, managing editor, of Ringsports.com, and author of “Off the Canvas”, a historically accurate view of American history and the social problems of the times, as witnessed by an 80-year old ex-champion. “Off the Canvas” takes you from the time of the Great Depression till the World Trade Center disaster and is a book that has been getting rave reviews. Copies are $15.00 each available at Ringsports.com and on-line major book retailers. For a list of the reviews please contact me.

Also we’ll be taking orders soon on autographed copies of “Billy Soose, The Champion Time Forgot” co-authored by Tom Donelson. Since we live in different parts of the country, it would be hard to co-ordinate a joint signing, either me or Tom are available. ***

Black Cloud, a great boxing movie is not out on DVD, it’s a movie you don’t want to miss.***

After his losing fight with Ricky Hatton, Kostya Tszyu fired his trainer. It’s not the first time a fighter has taken that action after a losing effort, but it’s not always the trainers fault.

We can blame the trainer in Oscar v. Trinidad, when his corner told him to run the last three rounds, and all he needed was to win one of them to win the fight, and it doesn’t take a lot of research to come up with other instances of trainers giving bad advice.

In the case of Tszyu, it wasn’t as much the bad advice as not training the Aussie properly for a swarming style like Hatton’s. In truth, Tszyu’s style has never changed much, and when you have a winning strategy, it’s often wise to stay with it.

But, since that style is predictable to all opponents, sooner or later, someone is going to be smart enough to find a solid strategy to counter it. That’s what happened in the Tszyu – Hatton fight.

There’s another thing that must be mentioned here in favor of the trainer, and that is that some fighters are one dimensional and refuse to change their style, or can’t do it quickly enough for their upcoming foe. When that happens, you can fire your trainer, but it would be stupid to expect any trainer to be able to change your ways, particularly if you’re long in the tooth in boxing years, as Tszyu is.

Fighters like Manny Pacquiao and Erik Morales know this, and don’t change trainers much. They pick the man who can bring out the best in whatever talent they have, and they stay with him. In their cases, no one can question their logic.

And some fighters like Oscar de la Hoya did and Mike Tyson does change trainers more often than a new mother changes diapers, or so it seems. But I haven’t seen a new style for either. They are who they are and will win or go out on their shields, no matter who trains them.

Some fighters are smart and adaptable. Marco Antonio Barrera was able to change his style and defeat Prince Naseem Hamed easily. If he fought the type of fight that he fought previously, Hamed might still be a very arrogant world champion.***

On June 11th, many boxing fans (and boxing luminaries) from around the world will be at Canastota for the annual Hall of Fame induction ceremony, it’s one of those ‘not to miss’ events, that for various reasons (personal) have never attended, but wish I had.***

Agree or disagree, I always welcome comments.

My good friend Stephen B. Acunto, who founded the American Association for the Improvement of Boxing, along with Rocky Marciano, now has his book “Champions Boxing Guide” available in Spanish. For details visit Steve’s website: AAIB.org

Please help me with my upcoming new book. Send all boxing jokes, stories, quips and boxing oddities to (Rusty@ringsports.com), thanks, and members of the boxing media are free to send this most welcome information as well. All submissions used will be given full credit, if used in the book, and it will be given on who submits the story first, basis. Here’s your chance to have your name in print, instead of ‘America’s Most Wanted’ posters.***

Glove2Glove:

My good friend and boxing judge Doug Tucker has lost his second daughter in less than a year, this time for a blood disease. Please pray for the soul of Deborah Fletcher and for the Lord to give the strength needed to cope with this tragedy to Doug. He’s a good guy who’s obviously being put to a test right now. One I know he will pass. Cards can be sent to Doug at 1369 Rancho Rd., Gardnerville, NV. 89410.

Please say prayers for the return to health of ring announcer Mark Beiro, who is having health problems and complications from diabetes. Mark is a good friend of this scribe, and both of us need you in his corner right now.

Prayers for boxing promoter and all around good guy Clem Crowley who could use a push in the get well ranks just about now. Also prayers for the return to health of Audrey Talmo, wife of Ed, a long-time boxing fan who cares about our sport.

A request for prayers for those who were injured/killed in an accident involving the Las Vegas Elite Boxing Team a few months back. Prayers are needed/requested for those who were injured in the tragic, fatal crash, and the souls of those who didn’t.

Dub Harris, WWII hero and founder and past President of the World Boxing Hall of Fame has suffered a stroke in Southern California. Please pray for his quick return to health.***

Prayers also requested for the Sheila Sepulveda, a long-time friend of this writer. Sheila is having some very serious health problems.

Prayers needed for the return to health of Alfonso Luna, father of our outstanding photographer Ray Luna, who has taken ill in Southern California.

Please say prayers for the return to health of Helen Wambolt, wife of our East Coast World Boxing Hall of Fame writer Danny Wambolt. Cards will also be most welcome.***

Please say prayers for the return to health of Orazio Esposito, father of our photographer Richard Esposito.***

Sandy Johnson a great gal as well as a staff member of the Nevada State Athletic Commission is fighting breast cancer. A call, e-mail or card, along with your prayers would really do a lot to raise the spirits of an old friend.***

Special prayers go out to Mills Lane for his complete recovery. Mills, who moved from Reno to New York, suffered a stroke a few years back. He may be down, but knowing him personally, he’s far from out.***

Prayers for the return to health of Don Donelson, father of writer Tom, and Gene Sebastian, brother of former middleweight champ Billy Soose. Both are suffering from congestive heart disease.

Please say prayers for Phill Grazide of Santa Rosa, CA. a big supporter of amateur boxing, who is suffering the crippling effects of rheumatoid arthritis.***

Needless to say we need prayers for the return to health of both former champs Greg Page and Gerald McClellan, both confined to wheelchairs.***

Glove2Glove is a non-denominational group set up to aide those boxing folks and their relatives in need of prayers and cards. We accept no money and only contact our members when someone is in need. It’s free to join. Simply send us your e-mail address. And even if you’re not a member, feel free to contact us if you are aware of some boxing person in need.***

Touching on politics briefly: On Wednesday, at the Canadian border crossing in Calais, Maine, border crossing agents stopped a person who actually looked dumber than Richard Reid, if that’s even possible.

This guy was wearing a Mohawk haircut down to the top of his nose, had swastikas tattooed on him, and was carrying a hatchet, a sword, and a chain saw with what looked to be (and was) blood on it.

And, after two hours of doing their job, they allowed this guy into America.

It turned out that this guy had killed two people in Canada, and when he was picked up two days later, (fortunately) there was no evidence that he had killed anyone here. Of course that can change.

How do guys like this slip by our border guards? The question that should be asked is why, looking like that and carrying weapons, did he even try? The guards said they checked and had no reason to hold him.

And, according to the laws they go by, they are RIGHT! And that’s the scary part. We don’t have a law on the books to stop someone from entering this country for impersonating a human being, which he was doing a poor job or anyhow.

So my friends, for those of you who think that our borders are less important than those in Iraq and other nations, and think that being a free country means letting every loony in from anywhere in the world, I ask you to think again.

It’s time to change our laws and give security guards on both the Canadian and Mexican borders more power to deal with these ‘problem’ individuals. Otherwise you can have a guy looking like that weirdo who crossed our border as your next door neighbor, and I know that isn’t going to make you feel any more secure.

Point is if this guy isn’t a wake-up call for better border security, I don’t know what is.

Agree or disagree, I’d like to hear from you (Rusty@ringsports.com), and feel free to pass this along to your representatives, most of whom aren’t really your representatives anyhow.