In Rusty’s Corner
By Rusty Rubin, editor-in-chief of the Ringsports.com publication, 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” 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 Rusty/
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, both myself or Tom will available. ***
Black Cloud, a great boxing movie is now out on DVD, if you’re a true fight fan, it’s a movie you don’t want to miss.***
I got a letter from a Nevada prison, and the inmate requested I take some action to help free Ike Ibeabucchi, who’s incarcerated in that institution.
Most will quickly recall this talented heavyweight from his great non-stop fight with David Tua in Sacramento as well as his enormous talent, now being wasted in a prison cell after his release from a mental hospital.
His trainer Curtis Cokes told me at the World Boxing Hall of Fame in LA of his talent, and ‘if I could only keep him in the gym, he would become a world champion’. Curtis could not find a way to keep Ike gym-bound.
The letter goes on to say that he (Ike) is doing very well, and gets along well with all the other inmates. Yet his parole request has been denied and he will not be eligible for another parole request for five years.
I’m not going to test the courts on this, I’m certainly not a lawyer. And, I’m sure whoever is representing Ike can do the job quite well. But just a thought, it might be worth the two hour drive to do an interview with Ibeabucchi. Maybe I’ll request permission from the authorities to do so.***
The big fight this week features the match-up that should have taken place next year, maybe. A match between two top middleweights of two different generations. Bernard Hopkins, old school, knows how to work the body, most important how to conserve energy.
Jermain Taylor, young, aggressive and unfortunately, it seems to me about a year away from this fight. Problem is Hopkins is retiring so Taylor can’t wait another year. Of course another problem can be age. At 40, Hopkins is certainly at an age where he can get old in a hurry, ala Kostya Tszyu. But Bernard knows how to conserve energy, really hasn’t been hit much in his long career and is always in shape.
Win or lose, Taylor will learn greatly from this experience.
The best bet is that the fight will go the distance, and my guess is that Hopkins is too smart to let Taylor hurt him. The only way I can see it not going the full 12-rounds is if Hopkins lands a liver shot like the one that put De la Hoya down for the count.
The other problem with this fight, from a betters’ prospective, is that Hopkins is a very slow starter and tends to give away the early rounds. That can hurt him against a hungry fighter like Taylor. Bernard can’t give away too many of them.
Still, we have to make a prediction here, and I’ll call it Hopkins by decision. Experience and staying in shape make the difference. Youth will be served and Taylor will be a champion but not this day. He will learn from the fight and be all the better for it.
Agree or disagree, I always welcome comments. Rusty@ringsports.com***
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:
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.
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 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: The bloodthirsty terrorist attack in London was expected. No one knew the time or place, or country for that matter, but we knew it would happen. The moronic statement that some politicians had made ‘fighting terrorists in Iraq keeps us safer at home’ was proved wrong. Terrorists are the enemy of freedom, and sadly can be found everywhere.
Not that we should not continue our offensive in Iraq, and when it’s over, bring every young man and women home in one piece. Right or wrong, there is a war going on and it is our duty to support our men and women in uniform, everywhere.
The bombings in London cry out for revenge, but the target for that revenge must be chosen carefully. We don’t want to stoop to the level of the terrorists and hurt innocent people. It made no sense to me to attack Iraq which had nothing to do with 9/11. Afghanistan was the proper response to the WTC disaster. Let’s hope England doesn’t find another unimportant target to concentrate on militarily. But let’s say prayers for those killed and wounded in the cowardly attack on our allies.
As for the attacks on the homelands, they will continue. Countries with wide open borders like the USA and England will always be at risk. I wonder if it’s time for a strict crackdown on our open border policy, close the borders and go back to America for American’s. It’s tough to limit freedoms, but it just may be needed to keep our citizens safe.
I saw a bumper stick the other day with some less than kind words for Jane Fonda. While we don’t have to agree with what she did during the Viet Nam era, she is not the enemy anymore! There’s more than enough hate to go around for the real foes d’jour, Osama Bin Laden and his band of brainwashed murderers.
Maybe those in charge in the US and UK will get the original idea to close the mosques there, that preach jihad. Not all mosques and certainly not all Muslims are guilty of this cold blooded attack. In truth few Muslims are responsible and sadly their attacks reflect badly on the entire Muslim community.***
On another note, I’m sick of the attitude that Mexican President Vincente Fox has about Americans and now, add to the list, Americans of color, via bigotry on postage stamps.
Mexico has a lot of natural resources, yet the majority of the populace remains so poor they have to come to America to earn enough money to support their family. Corruption? I don’t know, but I’d be interested in a better way to explain this, if our readers have one.
Agree or disagree, I’d like to hear from you. I respect everyone’s opinion. (Rusty@ringsports.com), and feel free to pass this along to your representatives, most of whom aren’t really your representatives anyhow.
