By Pedro Fernandez
JUST EMERGED FROM MY MONTH OF SHOCK
Having not read any News other than that relating to the world of boxing since November 2nd, I was ripping and running through the Sky Harbor Airport in Phoenix Friday when I noticed headlines stating that Barry Bonds had “Admitted Taking Steroids!” I don’t know about you, but even after the years of his denial, this admission under oath by Bonds surprised me about as much as the Court records that confirmed Liberace was Gay!
SOME OF THIS STUFF THEY RUB ON YOU KNOW WHERE!
As for Barry Bonds saying he thought he was rubbing on “Flax Seed Oil & Arthritis Balm,” take a look at the photos that Sports Illustrated put together. (To see all http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2004/baseball/mlb/12/03/bonds.steroids.ap/index.html) Trainer Greg Anderson, a Steroid-monkey looking guy even to somebody naïve, he gave B.B. stuff that increased his body mass like only Steroids could. Now Barry says that all along he thought they were “Natural.” What Bonds also copped to was using “Human Growth Hormone.”
EVER WONDER WHY A BASEBALL LOOKS SO BIG TO BARRY?
A recent Men’s Health Magazine article showed that after two months, this user of Human Growth Hormone, his eyesight was around 15-15, this after being 35-40 and using glasses for 15 years. Anybody that has aged past 40 realizes that your eyesight, and split second coordination, this can be a millimeter off for some, or a mile for others. But the bottom line is it isn’t as good or better than when you were say 28. So to hit 73 homeruns at 40 years old against Major League pitching is a physically impossible task to accomplish naturally!
SHANE MOSLEY ON FEDERAL LIST WITH BONDS, & GIAMBI
So which one, or was Shane Mosley given both undetectable at the time “Steroids” (the Crème & the Clear) by Victor Conte of BALCO? When Mosley was asked about BALCO recently, he refused comment and referred the matter to his Attorney. Mosley appeared and testified before the Grand Jury, as did Bonds, Anderson, Jason Giambi, and other athletes of note that had received Steroids. Shane also passed a “Polygraph Exam” that indicated he had not knowingly taken Steroids. So the question is, why won’t Shane Mosley come clean before his Grand Jury Testimony is made public? Heck, he can even report this exclusive on his favorite website!
INQURING MINDS OTHER THAN MY OWN WANT TO KNOW!
I think boxing fans, the Media, the Nevada Athletic Commission, and Oscar De La Hoya, they all have a right to know who brought Shane to Conte & BALCO? Shane should also answer to the reports that he paid BALCO monetary sums in the five-figure range. If these athletes weren’t getting Steroids from Conte, can Shane, or any of these other guys or gals state for the record why they paid Conte sometimes in excess of $15,000 for Vitamins?
SHANE’S LONE WIN CLOUDED BY BALCO & STEROIDS!
In closing, the only fight Shane has won in his six most recent attempts was in September of 2003 against Oscar De La Hoya. I think that we’ll all soon find out that Shane was either on “The Clear” or “The Crème,” or both, as he prepped for De La Hoya II. The Government certainly was of that belief! Question being, will Shane come clean and tell all? Dave Meltzer of the www.WrestlingObserver.com, widely considered an expert on Steroids said this on “Ring Talk Radio” recently. “When I saw Shane’s (first) fight with Winky Wright, I thought to myself, he sure is fighting like a guy who has just come off of Steroids.”
TAKING STEROIDS, KNOWINGLY OR NOT, IT’S CHEATING!
So which was it Shane, the Crème or the Clear? Or both? And just as important is who put you and BALCO on the same page? I mean, who exactly was the person that arranged for you to meet with BALCO? I’m hoping for some honest answers from Shane Mosley, and not a personal attack conjured up with the aid of a “Yo-Yo-Yo” webmaster!
WHY “MASSA’ BOB” INSTEAD OF “MASTER BOB”?
Former Top Rank President Bob Arum was referred to here at www.RingTalk.com for years as “Master Bob.” But recently I bestowed a moniker I borrowed from Malcolm “Flash” Gordon, and the “Massa’ Bob” nickname was reborn. Speaking of Flash, he’s still leaving in New York City (Queens) and doesn’t want to be bothered. As for Massa’ Bob, he’s about to be bothered by the U.S. Justice Dept., the result of Operation Matchbox (see FBI Sting) and more in the coming weeks. I compare this situation to a woman being nine months pregnant. I mean you know she’s going to have the kid soon, you just don’t know when!
BOXING BROTHER KELLERMAN HURTING BADLY!
Got a call last week from FOX TV host Max Kellerman. “Million Dollar Max” as I like to call him, he will probably never be Max again after the brutal slaying of his brother Sam Kellerman by professional boxer James Butler in October. I recommended Max go to EBAY and purchase the entire “Amos N’ Andy” TV series on DVD as he needs some diversion. Besides Pedro, Eddie Murphy thinks it is the funniest TV show ever made! You can send my great fraternity brother in the “Royal Order of Boxing,” Max Kellerman a note if you’d like at WeFeelForYouMax@Yahoo.com
LINDY MOVED TO MID WEEK
I was expecting to go with a piece penned by “Motor City” legend Lindy Lindell over the weekend. But with my having to use a Dial-Up mode of the Internet, I was having shall we say, problems. Dial Up is like being stuck in a slow moving traffic jam when you’re late for the airport!
TAYLOR PITCHES SHUTOUT OVER JOPPY!
While this was a crossroads fight for William Joppy going in, the HBO main event Saturday night was a defining moment for the victorious Jermain Taylor. Knocking Joppy down once did the 2000 Olympic Bronze Medalist in the fifth, Taylor managed to get the ex-champions respect and more. The final scores read 120-107, 120-107, and you guessed it, 120-107. Promoter Lou Di Bella said afterwards he would match Jermain right now with Tito Trinidad or Bernard Hopkins.” Taylor is now 22-0, while DC native Joppy declines to 34-4-1.
CASTILLO WINS STRETCH RUN TO RETAIN TITLE
Jose Luis Castillo, in his second run with the WBC lightweight crown had to go 12 rounds to secure a Split Decision over Joel Casamayor. Formerly living in Havana, the Florida resident Casamayor did well early on before Castillo stepped it up. Now 51-6-1, Castillo won on scores of 117-111, & 115-113. The Third Judge had it 115-113 for Casamayor who fought well, but he certainly didn’t win the fight. Joel is now 31-3.
SHEIKA TAKES LACY THE ROUTE IN SURPRISE TO SOME!
When I posted the Jeff Lacy-Omar Sheika fight, I had the line extremely low for this IBF 168 lb. fight for a number of reasons. It was the first defense for the 2000 Olympian, coupled with Sheika coming down in weight and his being in a “perform or get out” type of fight. Lacy won Unanimously to go to 18-0, while Sheika dropped to 26-7-1. In the end, it was an entertaining night for Showtime viewers.
BECERRA AND LEON GO ROUTE IN FLYWEIGHT DIME!
El Paso, TX-Hometown favorite Alex “El Diablo” Becerra notched victory #15 Saturday night when he bested Valentine Leon of Cullican, MX in a lively go for the vacant NABA 115 lb. title belt with Majority Decision. Becerra-Leon was the headliner of a Fresquez Productions card that featured four good fights, and one match that I’ll just say deserves its own headline.
SECOND WORST REFEREE ON THE PLANET?
And while the crowd was treated to a good night of evenly matched fights, Referee Jerry Venzor showed that a Referee can be inept, biased, and not give damn about right and wrong! Unable to control a fight in which El Paso resident Bobby Joe Valdez was getting killed early, especially to the body by Juan Salazar, the Referee took “Three Points” from Salazar before DQ’ing him in the sixth of an eight.
TOOK POINTS AS JUAN WAS LANDING CLEAN TO BODY!
Of the five or so times Valdez was given a breather, one blow was low, while another was maybe (and I’m stretching it) borderline. The Referee Venzor can claim he was blocked on occasion, but two of the shots he penalized Salazar for, Jerry was right their in front of the two. One shot from which a point was deducted, and Valdez got a five minute rest, the punch landed in the sternum area, or almost a foot from the beltline!
NO GOSPEL TRUER THAN THE FOLLOWING!
There can be no reasoning behind the Referee’s (Jerry Venzor) actions other than to insure Salazar couldn’t win! Salazar was a gentleman who had come in at 3-2, with 3 whacks. If I’d have been him Saturday, I would have cold-cocked Venzor and likely been arrested! The truth was Valdez came in six lbs. over and relinquished the Texas title when he finally scaled 158 for a 154 lb. fight. In other words, Valdez was in no shape.
JOHNNY TAPIA PUT THE REFEREE’S ACTIONS LIKE THIS!
Sitting ringside was former champ Johnny Tapia. After it was over, he put the Referee Jerry Venzor’s actions like this. “This is why we have a *ucked up sport.” Johnny repeated it so the Ref heard it too. The body shots this now .500 fighter Juan Salazar from El Cajon, CA landed, they were clean, crisp, and devastating. And when he’d land, Valdez played hurt and the Referee Venzor acted as if he were on cue! Each and every time Valdez got a lengthy rest, he was able to catch his wind, but only until Salazar landed once again to the breadbasket.
SOME TEXAS REFS JUST HAVE NO SHAME FOLKS!
Now, I’ve seen some s*it in my tenure, but I would hard pressed to come up with a more pucked up Referee than Jerry Venzor. Unless of course you’re talking about Robert “Booby” Gonzalez, another Texan who all but physically assaulted Zahir Raheem earlier this year against Rocky Juarez. You wouldn’t have to put Commission Supervisor Joe Spudik, or Inspector Gaby Canizales (Yes, the same) under oath to get the pair to say they too were shamed by the Referee’s actions in the Salazar-Valdez fight. If that weren’t enough, Referee Jerry Venzor posed for photos with the victorious El Paso fighters and their entourages long after the card at the Speaking Rock Casino had ended!
FOLKS, I WOULD FIND THIS ONE HARD TO BELIEVE!
Had I not witnessed it! Texas Judge Jake Martinez, in one round alone Jake read a piece of paper on the table in front of him for the majority (over two-minutes) of the three-minute session of battle! And his scoring in two fights, well it was about as wrong as wrong gets.
DICKIE NEEDS TO CHOOSE THE TYPE OF SHOES!
All due respect to my friend Dick Cole, but officials like “Booby” Gonzalez, “Jerry Junk,” and Jake “My Ring Is For Rent” Martinez, they need be given the steel-toed boot (and in the teeth too) for their flagrant disrespect not just of fighters who don’t live in Texas, but for the sport of boxing as a whole! I would later find out that Fresquez Productions had refused to rent Martinez’ ring for hire. Was Jake trying to make Lenny Fresquez pay with a pair of scores that as a ring announcer, I was ashamed to report? Or does he suffer from Alzheimer’s? Steel toed or spiked shoes, I don’t care Dickie, just kick ‘em!
CLIFF HAS FULL “24-KARAT” WEEKEND REPORT TODAY TOO!
Cliff Rold has a great wrap of the entire boxing weekend this morning. You can hit the following link www.RingTalk.com and check out the “24 Karat” weekend report in its entirety. One can also expect a “Weekend Video” wrap up by Monday morning that will include highlights of the weekend fights.
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TAPIA RETURNS IN JANUARY & GABY’S STILL COOL!
Speaking of Johnny Tapia, he will be back in the ring on January 22nd when he headlines a card in Hidalgo, TX. As for Gaby Canizales, the holder of a College degree, he works fulltime for the Texas Athletic Commission, this after resigning from the Sheriff’s Dept. in his hometown of Laredo, TX. And his younger brother, longtime IBF bantamweight king Orlando Canizales, after getting his Master’s Degree, he in turn went to work for the same Sheriff’s Dept. Gaby left!
FRESH STUFF “EVERY DAY” THIS WEEK AT WWW.RINGTALK.COM
These articles were penned for Monday morning December 6, at which time a “Weekend Video Wrap” will also be available, again Monday morning by clicking your mouse at http://www.ringtalk.com/video.asp
Pedro Fernandez
Note: Mr. Fernandez is not your average boxing writer. A four-time Golden Gloves champion who spent eight honorable years with the San Francisco Police Dept., Pedro Fernandez is a schooled Journalist who has had a byline for better than three decades! He can be reached with your comments at Pedro@RingTalk.com