By Rusty Rubin

It seemed fairly obvious from the start that Javier Castillejo wanted to hang em up. He didn’t seem sharp and gave away too many of the early rounds to Fernando Vargas, who also scored a knockdown. By the time round six began there was seemingly no way for the Spaniard to catch-up.

In fairness, Castillejo came on stronger towards the end of the fight, but he was already beaten and the weak punching former champ had no way to win unless Vargas got disqualified.

Fernando won a 10-round decision and injured his jaw in the process/ It was a boring fight, unlike the first bout televised by HBO.

In that bout Rocky Juarez of Houston was shocked but the determination of Humberto Soto (everyone already knew about his height and rock solid chin). By the time Juarez got back into the contest he had lost the first four rounds and needed a miracle to keep his undefeated tag in place.

Juarez almost got that miracle, as Soto had two points deducted for hitting on the back of the head, and it looked like all Juarez had to do to cement the win, was taking the 12th and final round. Something that Soto was determined not to let happen.

Kudos to a gutsy performance by both fighters, and to Soto, who can box and has a great chin, although limited power, welcome to the big leagues. Hard to say what’s next for Humberto, but it’s going to be a much bigger payday than he’s ever made before, and that you (and he) can take to the bank.

Juarez will be back, he’s got too much talent not to.

There are some things far more important than watching the fights, and one has come up that I must make our readers aware of. Veteran ring announcer, good guy and good friend, Mark Beiro suffered a severe setback due to his diabetes, and we almost lost him. I ask that anyone interested in a roast to assist with his huge medical bills contact his wife Jackie at JDBeiro@aol.com. Jackie informs me that items are badly needed for the auction that evening, which is expected to raise the majority of the needed funds. Time to be a boxing good guy and help.

The event will be held at the Letter Carriers Hall  in Tampa, Florida on Sept. 29, and while I would love to attend, as Mark is an old and very dear friend of this scribe, it doesn’t fit in with my tight schedule for that time of year.

Jackie e-mailed me about the event, and while I know it probably belongs in our Glove2Glove segment, I wanted to make sure everyone was made aware of it. You don’t have to attend to help. Find out how by writing to Jackie.

This is our big chance to show the world how great boxing fans really are, and what makes our sport, the best sport around. I ask that you don’t let us down!***

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 (or in my case, America’s Least Wanted’.***

And a new website for you to check out, (story upcoming in a future posting) Americanboxer.tv. They have a new concept that everyone should be interested in. Stand by.

Glove2Glove:

Prayers needed for Dennis Wilcox, brother of boxing scribe David Wilcox, who is in an Oregon hospital suffering from Leukemia. 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: Cindy Sheehan has unintentionally gotten all the anti war and many of the left wing zealots on her side.

This may surprise a few of my detractors, but I think she’s off base here.

Sheehan does have every right to express her views, more so than most, because she lost a son in Iraq. She should not be silenced.

But it was that son who died in Iraq, and who volunteered for the assignment there, and who sincerely felt that fighting in Iraq was the right thing to do.

President Bush could and should have met with Sheehan and cut off the problem at the pass. He didn’t, so, and that part is history, and Cindy Sheehan was continuing to attract crowds that many of us would be very uncomfortable with. Sadly for Ms. Sheehan her mother suffered a stroke in California and the protest may be over, at least for now.

Suddenly this lady who said that she only wanted to meet with our President has become a poster girl for the anti-war movement. Who the hell could ever be for war in the first place?

But here’s the rest of the story folks, going into Iraq may have been a mistake, staying in Iraq after Sadaam was taken out may have been an even bigger mistake. But, pulling out now may be the biggest blunder of all.

No one knows what the future holds for Iraq. Will it become a theocracy like neighboring Iran, and thus become a threat to world peace? Will there be a civil war if we pull out? Hell, we don’t even know if their will be a lasting peace if we remain, and that’s the conundrum.

The war in Iraq was a mistake, no matter how much President Bush closes his eyes and lies that we’re protecting America by being there. I’d feel a heck of a lot safer if these troops were brought home to protect our borders. But that can’t happen until the war in Iraq is ended peacefully, or the Iraqi military is strong enough to take over the peace keeping (ok, war keeping) duties.

In Iraq, the President and his advisors miscalculated badly, and in so doing has created a quagmire that has everyone foreseeing different outcomes with or without our presence there.

The argument could be made that we have in fact created a new battleground for terrorism and terrorist training by taking out Sadaam, who would never share his power with anyone. And who would be more dangerous to world peace? Certainly not Sadaam who was confined in his own little world, although he was a constant danger to his own people and to his neighboring Countries.

And there is no doubt that Sheehan’s views on Afghanistan, where she also wants us to pull out are even further off base. What would Cindy have us do after 9/11, tell the terrorists to come on over and bomb other targets? We had to retaliate and show force, and Afghanistan was the only correct target available.

One thing must be constantly repeated. The insurgents and the terrorists respect force. Pulling out now shows weakness, and that’s not smart.

In America, where we have the blessing of freedom of speech, the protesters of the Iraq war also have a voice.

But the saddest thing of all is they are using the mother of a deceased soldier, killed in that faraway land, in a war that he supported and risked and ultimately gave his life for, as their spokesperson.

Somehow I have to feel that’s not what he had wanted.

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