By Rusty Rubin
On October 8th, at Thomas and Mack Center, in Las Vegas, Diego Corrales takes on Jose Luis Castillo, which could well be a rematch of their ‘fight of the decade’ held earlier this year.
Corrales was far behind in their first encounter when he staged a miraculous comeback in the final round to stop the always tough Castillo, in the final round.
Both warriors learned from their first ‘war’ and figure to fight a different style fight, but let’s face it, warriors know little more than going to war. It’s their style, and I wouldn’t expect that to change. I also don’t expect the outcome to be any different.
With all the heart that these two warriors possess, this fight would be a cardiologists dream. Neither takes or gives an inch.
Corrales by late TKO again.
The undercard fight, another rematch between Jorge Arce and Hussein Hussein is another great battle. Like Corrales, Arce had to struggle to get back into the first fight with the guy with two names alike, and like Corrales, Arce managed the comeback.
Two more guys with plenty of guts.
Arce by stoppage.
This action packed fight card on HBO PPV is one that should not be missed.***
Important televised fights were held last weekend. On Showtime, they showed the two important fights from Reno, Nevada.
In truth only one of the bouts, the James Toney vs. Dominic Guinn can be described as a fight, with Toney taking an easy unanimous decision to remain as a top contender over his smaller foe, for the heavyweight crown.
In the semi-main, when you get two guys who were sparring partners and are friends to fight each other, the type of fight you get is predictable, as neither warrior wants to inflict serious damage on their opponent.
Such was the case (or appeared to be) when Chris Byrd who normally isn’t the most exciting fighter to watch anyhow, took a unanimous decision from the very hesitant DaVarryl Williamson, amid a chorus of boo’s from the crowd of 3,000 plus fans.
On HBO PPV, Roy Jones tried to clean up the tarnish on his once best pound for pound fighter reputation, but failed again.
For the second time in three fights, Jones lost a unanimous decision to Antonio Tarver, this time, although rocked badly a few times, was never knocked out as he had been in his last two battles (Tarver and Glencoffe Johnson).
Jones again promised he’d be back and that he had problems with battlers like Tarver.
Roy, stay away. Tarver is a good fighter. Like you, Tarver is getting long in the tooth, but your best days are now behind you. You can hang the gloves up with pride and the knowledge that you were, for a long time, the best pound for pound fighter in the world. Don’t tarnish your image.***
Agree or disagree, I’d like to hear from you.
Mark your calendar for Oct. 22, at the Crowne Plaza Commerce Casino in Los Angeles, where the LA based World Boxing Hall of Fame has their 26th annual induction ceremony. To get your tickets for this not-to-be-missed annual event, call (951)782-9688 or (909) 239-3541…For more information go www.wbhf.org.
There’s also a memorabilia and collectables show on the same day, from 10 AM to 4 PM.
Hope to see everyone at ringside.***
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 (or in my case, America’s Least Wanted’.***
And a new website for you to check out, (story upcoming in a future posting) Americanboxer.tv. They have a new concept that everyone should be interested in. Stand by.
Glove2Glove:
Prayers for the return to health of Kyra Gamache, niece of former top contender Joey. Young Kyra has bacterial meningitis.
Prayers needed for Dennis Wilcox, brother of boxing scribe David Wilcox, who is in an Oregon hospital suffering from Leukemia. The family and everyone at Glove2Glove asks for your prayers in his recovery.
Prayers for the return to health of Audrey Talmo, wife of Ed, a long-time boxing fan who cares about our sport.
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.***
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: Here’s an interesting thought, while there may be many Muslims that hate us, the facts are evident that Muslims kill far more Muslims than Americans do, in Iraq and elsewhere. So why do they think that we’re the enemy?**
Tom “foot in mouth, brain in butt” Delay has done it again. This is one arrogant guy I don’t like, and I put him in my disgust rust covered bucket along with Hillary and a few others.
Like another incompetent, Michael Brown with FEMA before him, Delay gets indicted in Texas, loses his House leadership post and gets defended by the Bush Administration, and for what?
When will this bunch of politicians stop rewarding their cronies for being stupid?
Patronage is one thing, but the American people have to pay the salaries of these incompetents and I don’t think we should have to.
Delay has always been an abrasive sort, but never more so than about six months back when he called the brain dead Terry Schiavo ‘lucid’. Well what would one expect from a professional exterminator? This guy has become a walking advertisement for what’s wrong with America.
As for Brown, he was appointed by Bush to a job he was not qualified for and after being fired, showed his disdain for everyone else by blaming them and everyone else for his incompetence. Now he gets rewarded for being ignorant.
If the President wants to take care of his friends fine, just don’t impose them on innocent victims like the rest of the tax paying Americans. And if he values his place in history, it’s time for him to ‘just say no’ to these so-called friends of his.
Want to know why I have advocated a three party system in America for a long time?
We hold these truths to be self evident.
Agree or disagree, I’d like to hear from you. I respect everyone’s opinion. (Rusty@ringsports.com).
