By Rusty Rubin, managing editor, of Ringsports.com, and author of “Off the Canvas”, a view of American history and the social problems of the times, as witnessed by an 80-year old ex-champion. “Off the Canvas” 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.***
The Boxing Writers Association of America, of which I am a proud member, has announced the rest of the awards to be given at their annual dinner, this time held at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas on May 6th.
Fighter of the year: Glencoffe Johnson, a good call in a very tough field.
Fight of the year: To the surprise of no one, Marco Antonio Barrera vs. Eric Morales deservedly won top honors.
Other winners: Trainer of the Year: Dan Birmingham; Manager of the Year, Bernard Hopkins (who manages himself); Brian Kenny; Broadcaster of the Year;
NV. Athletic Comm. Marc Ratner for the Long and Meritorious Service to Boxing Award; and publicist Fred Sternberg for the Good Guy award.
Congratulations to all.***
You can go on and on about the upcoming tiff at the Staples Center (Sept. 19) between one of the great (I use the word from time to time, when it applies only) middleweights of our time, Bernard Hopkins against tough steel-jawed Englishman Howard Eastman. It’s the type of fight where an upset is possible, although highly unlikely.
A lot of people (and Hopkins isn’t one of them) are taking Eastman too lightly, and rightly so. Eastman, a tough customer, isn’t a one-punch knockout banger, but he’s also the kind of guy who doesn’t know the meaning of the word ‘quit’.
I look for Hopkins to have his hands full with Eastman, but I don’t expect to see an upset here. Hopkins is not the type of fighter who takes anyone for granted and always is in top shape.
I look for Hopkins to have a tough early go against Eastman, than wear him down and in the end win a unanimous decision.
Good News: “Black Cloud” the boxing movie that I’ve written about here in the past, premiers on March 11, in NYC, L.A., Boston, Hartford, New Haven, and New London Ct. as well as Providence, RI. The Mohegan Sun in Connecticut will be hosting a screening or you can visit Blackcloudthemovie.com. Don’t miss this one.***
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 American’s Most Wanted posters.***
Agree or disagree, feel free to express your views.
Glove2Glove:
First please continue to say prayers for the victims of the Tsunami in Asia and their families. A lot of people are hurting right now.***
Please say prayers for the soul of Jeanette Nittoli, older sister of outstanding photographer and friend, Mary Ann Owen, who along with another long-time friend Butch Gotlieb, runs the Boxinginlasvegas.com website. ***
Prayers requested for the return to health of former New England featherweight champion, down but not out with a brain tumor as well as Ray Lampkin, former top contender who underwent triple bypass surgery recently. Also prayers are needed for the return to health of Sheila Sepulveda, widow of Ahora Spanish News Publisher Miguel, and mother of Steve Sepulveda.
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 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 wife of RS.com writer Marty Carson (auto accident) who is having health problems) of Indiana. Marty, who is a long time friend and a boxing expert, is also ailing a bit.***
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. And to Arthur Terciera, father of writer Keith, also having heart related problems.***
Prayers are requested for Ringsports.com photo journalist Dale Hausner of Arizona, who is having problems with cancer.***
Prayers are requested for Kenneth E. Ryther father of our photo journalist Amy Green. Kenneth is suffering from Parkinson’s.***
Prayers for Ed “Whitey” Hadar, a former boxer who is having some serious health problems.***
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: First, allow me to thank those of you who took the time to contact me in regard to the comments I made about the State of Virginia’s new proposed law about making the showing of underwear illegal. The good news is that the wiser heads in the Virginia State Senate killed the stupid bill before it got to the Governors desk. The response from Europe was especially heart-warming.
Instead of my usual disagreement with particular issues, I figure it’s time to set the record straight. No I’m not turning over a new leaf by avoiding controversy. That would be too out of character. However, I do feel there are many things that both the right and left of both parties can agree upon. More than even I imagined.
Let me first answer an accusation I am often accused of, I am not a Bush basher. In truth, I consider myself an equal opportunity offender. Dubya just happens to be the President which makes him a prime target at the moment. But even if Kerry were elected, I’d call him to task just as readily if he were to demonstrat the unenviable trait of not caring about the average American citizen.
The issues that initially comesto mind when voters talk of why they re-elected the President is ‘moral values’. Does this mean that only the Republicans have morals? Of course not, it means that moral values was the one issue that brought out the Party faithful and was, in the end, to powerful for John Kerry to overcome.
Moral values: I think that almost everyone agrees that abortion is not something one should think about and certainly do, lightly. Even if an ultra right wing Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, abortion simply becomes a States rights issue. It doesn’t mean abortion is banned.
Personally, my ex and I had three kids in four years, obviously our views on the issue are clear. But that was a choice we made together (with the help of my ex-mother in law). In America, we have the freedom to decide, and it shouldn’t be taken away by our leaders, who many have their own morality open to question. Who are they to tell us how to act? They are not Gods and they shouldn’t have the power of life and death. To me the issue of abortion simply should go back to being a states rights issue. It’s my opinion and I don’t force it on anyone else, and I certainly don’t want anyone else forcing their views on me.***
Another burning issue of the last election was gay marriage. Do I care if two women or two men live intimately together? No, and it’s not my business either. It’s their lifestyle, which has no impact on me whatsoever, unless they try to force their way of life upon me or my loved ones. As I recall we’ve had homosexuals in high places in government and other important walks of life, and this country still remains strong and united. To me, gay marriage should also be a States rights issue.***
In short we shouldn’t be using the resources of the Federal Government on issues that should belong to the States, particularly in this day and age, when our Federal deficit is higher than it’s ever been.
The issue of ‘moral values’, no matter how it’s decided, does not make me feel any safer from attacks from terrorist nations, which to me should have been the major reason people came out to vote. That was the real issue.
And if we were voting on Iraq, let me just state that I hope the mission there is still accomplished, but I still have no idea what we’re doing forcing democracy upon others, and feel no safer with Sadaam out of power than I did when he was in charge. Iraq was not the enemy that hit us on 9/11, so why was he the President’s target of choice?
Could it be that a sitting President, in time of War, always gets re-elected. And wasn’t this war in Iraq, created by the President? Don’t like thinking in these terms, but isn’t Iraq, in truth, Bush’s war?
Agree or disagree, I’d like to hear from you (Rusty@ringsports.com)
