In Rusty’s Corner
By Rusty Rubin
While it certainly could not be called an upset, Jose Luis Castillo knocked out Diego Corrales in the 4th round of their eagerly anticipated rematch. A few ‘experts’ remarked after the fight that Corrales had a glass jaw. That is yet to be proven as there is little doubt that Castillo is a big hitter.
Jorge Arce didn’t want to wait until late in the fight to stop out-gunned and out-classed Hussein Hussein of Australia, in their rematch, also at Thomas and Mack on Saturday night.
The big upset was Bobby Pacquiao taking a questionable decision from Carlos “Famoso” Hernandez in a less than nail biting, but certainly very interesting match. Seems like most folks who saw the fight thought Hernandez did enough to win. Most, except the ones who counted, the judges.***
As expected and well done was the way the American Association of Professional Ringside Physicians (AAPRP) handled the tragic death of yet another boxer, this time Levander Johnson.
These recommendations to the State Commissions are great ideas, but some very difficult to enforce. As can be obviously seen in the first two recommendations, as well as #7.
1. All sparring should be done with oversized gloves.
2. Minimize head shots in training.
3. All states immediately adopt the minimum medical requirements of the ABC and AAPRP. The recommendation is to withhold boxing matches in venues that do not comply.
4. Boxers who have not fought in a year should not fight more than 10 rounds.
5. Fighters not permitted to lose more than 3% body weight at the weigh-in before the bout. No fighter gaining more than 5% body weight should be permitted to compete after the weigh-in.
6. A medical date bank to be created to follow the medical history of the fighter.
7. Promoters, managers cornermen and commissioners are urged to anonymously report boxers whom they believe are showing early changes consistent with brain damage. This date will be investigated and (if needed) used to require more tests or end the boxers career.
8. The ringside physician should remain at the venue until all the combatants have left the arena.
9. The ringside physician should notify the local hospital and on-call neurosurgeon that a boxing match will be taking place.
10. No fighter who is Hepatitis C or HIV antibody positive should be allowed to fight, even if the virus in undetectable in their blood.
11. More research is encoutaged and should be used to determine those at greater risk for injury.
12. A minimum of two ringside physicians should attend every boxing match.
These are excellent ideas that should help improve the safety of our sport and save lives.
I would only add to it that beat writers and others who follow the fight game regularly be allowed to recommend to the State Commission (call to their attention) fighters who are showing signs of brain damage.
My colleague in journalism and outstanding boxing writer, Steve Sneddon, who writes for the Reno Gazette-Journal, feels that two referees (one inside, one outside) should be assigned to work every fight. An interesting and possibly workable concept.***
Thought you’d like to know that Mark Beiro’s wife, Jackie, informs me that the roast they had to raise funds for Marks recent medical bills raised more than $22,000 of the $40,000 needed. She asks me to express their sincere thanks to all those who helped out.***
Agree or disagree, I’d like to hear from you.
Mark your calendar for Oct. 22, at the Crowne Plaza Commerce Casino in Los Angeles, where the LA based World Boxing Hall of Fame has their 26th annual induction ceremony. To get your tickets for this not-to-be-missed annual event, call (951)782-9688 or (909) 239-3541…For more information go www.wbhf.org.
There’s also a memorabilia and collectables show on the same day, from 10 AM to 4 PM.
Hope to see everyone at ringside.***
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 for the return to health of Kyra Gamache, niece of former top contender Joey. Six year old Kyra has bacterial meningitis.
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 the return to health of Audrey Talmo, wife of Ed, a long-time boxing fan who cares about our sport.
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.***
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: Time to even up the scorecard again. The Republican controlled House was right on, when it supported a bill to build new oil refineries, something this country badly needs.
The Dems opposed the bill because of the pollution these refineries cause, (and they do) but more damage is done when people freeze to death in the cold winter months because they can’t afford to pay the high cost of fuel. They also say that building these refineries is going to make big oil richer.
Truth be told, the President and everyone else in both parties sat back and allowed more than 15 refineries to close earlier this year, without even raising a peep. You didn’t need to be a rocket scientist to figure out that there was a gas crisis looming.
No one lifted a finger to prevent these refineries from closing. The reasons given for the closure was ‘they were not making enough money’. Should anyone care since the oil companies have been and will continue to make record profits. They could have been caring, patriotic Americans and bit the bullet, but they didn’t.
Sadly no one asked them to, and this move alone could have helped head off the huge increase in gas prices before it happened. Maybe this is because forward thinking is not one of the better characteristics of our elected leaders. Now that it may be too late to re-open them, the Dems decide to make an issue out of building new ones.
I don’t have the figures, and maybe it would make much more sense to open the recently closed refineries, at least until the new ones are built and come on line. At least it would take the pressure off the average American.
Playing politics for greed is bad enough, but playing politics with the lives of their fellow Americans is absolutely disgraceful.
And with the increase expected in heating oil for the winter, how many seniors are at risk for freezing to death or catching some form of the flu? The class system is being destroyed by the greed of big oil and with the okay of our politicians.
Agree or disagree, I’d like to hear from you. I respect everyone’s opinion. (Rusty@ringsports.com).
