In Rusty’s Corner

By Rusty Rubin, managing editor, of Ringsports.com, and author of “Off the Canvas”, a historically 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.

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, either me or Tom are available.***

The only surprise in the Wright – Trinidad fight in Las Vegas, was the ease that Wright beat Tito with. The question going in was; could an aging Wright play hit and run, using his outstanding jab, and avoid Trinidad’s power shots for 12-rounds? We knew he’d take the early rounds as Tito has always been a slow starter. Winky proved he could, and took a one-sided unanimous decision.

And now you know the reason why many of the top fighters have been ducking Wright for so long. There has never been a question of his fighting ability, but with aging, Trinidad’s camp thought that he was ripe for the taking. Bad call.

What’s next? The contract does have a rematch clause and Winky says he’ll honor it, but will Trinidad? More to the point, should Trinidad fight Wright again and expect a different outcome?

Winky has also said he’d like to fight the winner of Bernard Hopkins – Jermaine Taylor later this year. Not a bad move for this crafty aging veteran who now has a chance to finally receive the recognition and money he has long deserved, but rarely earned, because most of the top fighters would wisely avoid him.

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 ‘America’s Most Wanted’ posters.***

Glove2Glove:

Please say prayers for the return to health of ring announcer Mark Beiro, who is having health problems and complications from diabetes. Mark is a good friend of this scribe, and both of us need you in his corner right now.

Prayers for boxing promoter and all around good guy Clem Crowley who could use a push in the get well ranks just about now.

A request for prayers for those who were injured/killed in an accident involving the Las Vegas Elite Boxing Team a few months back. Prayers are needed/requested for those who were injured in the tragic, fatal crash, and the souls of those who didn’t.

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.

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 don’t know if it will help or not, but why is it that only the right wing in this country takes out ads to encourage the voters to call their elected officials to ask for an up and down vote on the candidates? Why is there no Democratic or left wing response? Lack of money? Lack of caring? No logical answer? All of the above? It’s the same with social security reform.

The money spent wisely/perhaps wasted on these ads could be used to improve our Country in far better ways, like purchasing much needed armor for all American vehicles used in Iraq to better protect our troops.

I don’t know if the judges that our President put up for confirmation are extremists or not. That certainly should not be their job if their appointment passes. It is the job of Congress if they choose to take moderate or extreme views on the major issues of today.

It’s also the job of Congress to withhold votes on those deemed non-qualified. But that doesn’t work in this case, because the Republicans want to continue kissing our President’s butt and rubber staming all his nominees. That is exactly what the separation of powers given to Americans via the Constitution is all about.

The filibuster was put in place hundreds of years ago, for one purpose to protect minority rights, and in this case, from packing the court. If the filibuster goes down in Congress, it hurts deeply the fabric of our constitutional government, not only at home but in the eyes of the world.

All judges are supposed to be fair and impartial. They couldn’t do their job otherwise. I would assume our President wouldn’t want to change that by appointing anyone with a pro-left or pro right ‘agenda’. The President of the United States is supposed to be above that.

At first glance I wondered if the judges were rejected by the left because of the Terry Schiavo (that name again) nightmare, which the right wing forced down our throats. But that’s not the case here, as these judges were first turned down before the Schiavo right to life/death incident came up.

If the Republicans force a straight up and down vote, which they can, it could trigger major future problems for our Constitutional government. No matter who gets or doesn’t get appointed, no clear thinking American wants that.

And if all this polarization doesn’t call up the need for a more moderate third party in Washington, it’s hard to figure what does.

Agree or disagree, I’d like to hear from you (Rusty@ringsports.com), and feel free to pass this along to your representatives, most of whom aren’t really your representatives anyhow.