By Rusty Rubin, managing editor, of Ringsports.com, and author of “Off the Canvas”, an accurate 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 me.***

This weeks fight is on HBO Boxing After Dark, from Texas, where Fernando Vargas finally steps back into the ring against a tough opponent, in Ray Joval.

Joval, is a very good boxer with a pretty good chin, but can he keep Vargas at bay long enough to allow the effect of his long layoff kick in?

The only way Joval figures to win is by decision, while Vargas can win in a variety of ways.

Joval has held a number of minor middleweight belts, but approaching age 36, he seems to nearing the end of the line. Vargas is still hungry and wants another shot at the title before Bernard Hopkins retires, and a win here could lead to it.

Joval is a gamer, but has never fought anyone the likes of Vargas before. The question is, can he hit and run long enough to tire Fernando out?

The longer this contest goes, the more it favors the Dutch middleweight, but I wouldn’t count on it going that long.

Vargas by KO or TKO before round six.

The other treat, for those of you who missed last weeks great HBO card, will be a replay of the Pacquiao – Morales war. Too bad they probably won’t show the Arce – Hussein semi-main fight from Sept. 13th as well, but you can’t have everything.


Al Bernstein, is now hosting an internet show, Ringside Report every Tuesday at 8 PM PST.  Check out WWW.CEN.TV or go to the archives at www.cen.tv./shows/al/al.html. Knowing Al, I can promise that you won’t be disappointed.***

The LA Times gave a great review to Black Cloud the movie. It was well deserved. Don’t miss it.***

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:

Prayers needed for the return to health of Sheila Sepulveda, widow of Reno based 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 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: I seemed to have touched more than a few nerves with my last column on the disgraceful acts of Congress, in passing a law that allowed for a review of the Terri Schiavo case.

Many disagreed, surprisingly (to me) many more actually felt strongly that I was correct.

Those who disagreed tended to think I was again criticizing the Republican Party and the religious right. Not so, both parties are/were equally guilty of trying to garner support from the religious right, who now seem to be dominating the politics of America at the present time.

Yes, guys like Tom Delay and other Republicans didn’t have the balls to stand up to put Schiavo and at least some of those that love her, out of her vegetative state, but many  gutless Dems stayed home instead of voting their conscience. Both parties are/were equally guilty. Congress gets elected every two years, and obviously some of these elected clowns don’t have the guts to stand up and be counted, no matter what side they are on. Don’t the voters have the right to know?

Sadly, Schiavo is put in a position to pay the price for all this asinine political maneuvering. Those who voted ‘no’, have a conscience and voted it. Those who voted ‘yes’, may or may not have been voting their conscience, but certainly those who didn’t vote were not doing the job that the American Constitution designated to them.

Our lawmakers are paid to represent all their constituents, not just the radical right, and since the vast majority of the American people polled disagreed with the action that Congress took, maybe some of them should be called on the carpet for not doing the job our tax dollars are paying them to do.***

And I certainly wasn’t taking a run at all lawyers, just those who try to get rich by making laws to benefit fellow attorneys. Since most members of Congress are lawyers, guess who they really represent? Not the American taxpayer, that’s for sure.

For the record the judiciary is much less biased, as they are, for the most part, appointed and do not have to worry about re-election and appeasing a specific group of voters. Most don’t need a base, and can freely vote their conscience, as to what they deem right and wrong. Most important their job is to interpret the law, and not make new ones in the middle of the night, although I can see the possible need in a national emergency.

Let me clearly state that fanatics of any kind are dangerous. They hold extreme views and want to force it on everyone else. It’s not just in America, folks, it’s all over the world. If you don’t think that fanatical Islamists flew into the World Trade Center on 9/11, your head is so far up your butt you can’t see the forest for the trees.

I think we’d all love to see Terri Schiavo have a miracle, but the cortex of her brain has liquefied and even if by some miracle she does, she will have no quality of life. I don’t know about you, but if I can’t enjoy whatever time the Lord has given me, what am I hanging around for?

One final question, to anyone who has an answer. Terri is in a hospice and being kept alive there. My best friend was turned down for hospice care because she wanted to try to live and fight off the cancer that killed her. The hospice dropped her. My question is why is a hospice acting differently here? I’m not knocking the hospices, thank God we have them, just want a clear answer to the question.***

Speaking of head in butt disease, now it’s Vice President Dick Cheney who is traveling around the country pimping George Bush’s dead on arrival social security plan. Of course that’s the job of a Vice President. But why are they wasting time and money in an issue that will be dead on arrival. Traditionally those who vote for changes in Social Security don’t get re-elected. Maybe those who pushed for the save Schiavo bill in Congress deserve the same fate.***

Agree or disagree, I’d like to hear from you (Rusty@ringsports.com)