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.***

Soap box time folks:

Recently I came out of the closet and announced in this space that I was a hockey fan. One reader inquired if I’d rather watch hockey than boxing. Answer, I’d rather watch rain drops fall than watch a John Ruiz or just about any heavyweight fight, which is anything but boxing. Same with hockey, the dullest hockey game is more exciting than most heavyweight fights. Sanction me if you will, but the truth must be told.***

Just because our justice system gave Balco and steroid users what amounts to little more that a slap on the wrist, that doesn’t mean that we all should forgive and forget those athletes who use steroids to get a leg up on their opponents, not to mention make a lot more money.

While I think steroid use is stupid, and I don’t condone suicide, which equates to an early death, not an uncommon problem with steroid users, I figure it’s their life, and if they are stupid and greedy enough to end it early, I have no sympathy for them.

I’ve known a few body builders who have used steroids, because looking good (in their eyes, not mine) is more important than living a full life. To me this is flat-out stupid!

Before anyone thinks I’m taking a run at James Toney, I am not! I do not for one minute think he was using steroids to get a leg up in his fight with John Ruiz. James and everyone else knows that you don’t need steroids to defeat the WBA champ.

There are those who think Roy Jones, who tested positive for roids after his fight in Indiana with Richard Hall is another example. Unlike Toney, Roy is solid and keeps himself that way. Was losing to Antonio Tarver and then Glencoffe Johnson the result of coming off steroids as some people believe. I don’t know, but I hope not. Richard Hall was an opponent for Jones, just as Ruiz was for Toney. Neither needed the leg up.

A lot of folks have long held the belief that Evander Holyfield made his way up the ladder to heavyweight by using steroids. While there’s no proof of this, if true, that makes the “Real Deal” the “Fake Deal”, but for now, without actual proof, we should give Evander the benefit of the doubt.

The message here is that no one forced the athletes to take steroids, Balco got a slap on the wrist, the athletes may have, far worse, received an early death sentence, all in the name of looking good and greed.

I’ll put it on record, I’m not impressed by big muscles, and the only one that I see being used by these steroid abusing athletes are the muscles in their head. Sorry, no sympathy for them, but full sympathy for the fans who were duped into watching them compete in athletic endeavors and paid their hard earned money to watch frauds. As to the ones who still are, fool me once shame on you, fool me twice-----. It just shows that some people don’t need steroids to have muscle instead of brains.

All athletes, including boxers, who intentionally use steroids are frauds, The fans should not now or ever support them.***

There are a lot of fights upcoming this year, rematches to be exact, that the fans should and could look forward to: The biggest would be the Corrales – Castillo fight at Thomas and Mack in Vegas in October, what figures to be a return of the years best fight, the first won by Corrales.

Other fights to look forward to are Roy Jones v. Antonio Tarver, which will give us a clearer picture of where Jones career is now. He hasn’t looked good in his two recent fights.

And the rematch of the Taylor – Hopkins fight. Will Hopkins have enough left to stave off the young turk who beat him in a close decision in their first fight, and who may have learned enough to beat Hopkins easily. For sure, Hopkins will not be giving away the early rounds again in this return.***

Agree or disagree, I always welcome comments. Rusty@ringsports.com***

If you subscribe to our monthly news magazine, which many do, we suggest you renew your subscription for a few years, as postal rates, thus subscription costs will be going up.***

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 needed for Dennis Wilcox, brother of boxing scribe David Wilcox, who is in an Oregon hospital suffering from Lukemia. The family and everyone at Glove2Glove asks for your prayers in his recovery.

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 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 he’s a fighter and he’s also 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 day after the House passed the CAFTA treaty, mainly along party lines, contributing once again to the selling of America, came some good news. A majority of Muslim clerics issued a decree, a ‘fatwah’ if you will, denouncing the killing of human beings by a few members of their brainwashed terrorist Islamists.

And the next day, more good news, the London terrorist cell has been found and brought to justice. Of course we have to believe it’s just one of many, but hopefully those captured can lead us to the other cells. Us being the good guys.

But one should not fail to take notice that this and other terrorist cells are homegrown, in short saying that we probably can expect more terrorist attacks from within than without. Do you really think that fighting terrorists (over there) in Iraq is protecting us at home? I think Afghanistan was and is a smart war, but not Iraq. But we’re there and as long as we remain, may God protect our troops.

Shame on the Republicans and Democrats who at first correctly said that CAFTA was bad for American jobs, who were persuaded (read bribed) by the man in charge of selling this country down the river, to vote in favor of it.

Then true to political tradition, the House approved the energy bill, designed to make those gas companies that already rip us off, richer. Another tax break for the rich, why am I not surprised? Want to know why there are very if any Muslims in our government? Maybe they can’t stomach all the pork that’s forced down the throats of those of us whose only special interest is taking care of their hard-hit families.

In short, while our boys are risking life and limb to defend this country and it’s seemingly sometimes backward policies, our politicians are busy giving it away enough pork to ‘bribe’ our legislators. It’s enough to make anyone ill. Supporting our troops, who are defending us, must be a top priority!

If you can’t tell, I’m sick and tired of watching America become a banana republic. No, President Bush didn’t start the out-sourcing of jobs or these idiotic treaties that beef up third world countries and destroy ours. He’s guilty of nothing more than following an ill-conceived precedent, which was begun far before his administration took office. But that makes him complacent in the selling of America.

As for the energy bill, what sense does it make to give rich oil companies who are already ripping us off at the pump, even more tax breaks? These are the guys and gals we elected folks. Do we need better reasons for political reform? These elected officials recently gave themselves a raise. You’d think they get paid off enough, under the table, by the special interests they bend over backwards for.

And while our legislators were wasting our money on stupidity, I must ask why nothing was allowed for more armor for our boys in uniform as well as more money towards securing our borders. Although now with CAFTA, is border security really a high priority?

On the plus side, at least it’s nice to see Senator Bill Frist, a doctor by profession, taking a strong stand in favor of limited stem cell research. The time for party politics has past, and Frist is doing what he and many others, know is right for America. It takes courage to break with the President, whose position on this issue is located somewhere in the dark ages, and Frist showed what he was made of. Maybe now more supporters of stem cell research will stand up for what’s right.

Of course opponents like Tom Delay wouldn’t know what’s right if had two left hands. Somehow I seriously doubt that Delay, an exterminator by trade, knows as much about life and death issues as Frist, who is cardiologist. Guess whose job is pro life and whose is not?

The President has defied the Senate by appointing John Bolton to the Supreme Court. Will he also veto a bill that can prevent the death and suffering of innocent people? Of course, but I wonder if the Senate has enough brains (and balls) to stop him with an over-ride.***

As for the ‘fatwah’, saying it’s about time is an understatement, but it was long overdue. Still the words will have little meaning unless these religious leaders start telling the young that these killings in the supposed name of Muhammad and Allah is wrong and that it is their duty to defend the honor of the true teachings of the Koran, the Muslim holy book.

Still, these clerics should be applauded for their action, correctly pointing out that Islam, like every other major world religion, does not teach killing, but like all religions, teaches love, respect and understanding of their fellow man.

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.