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.***

Finally got one wrong, as Jean Mark Mormeck took a unanimous decision over Wayne Braithwaite. I wasn’t comfortable with the pick and I didn’t like the fight. No excuses, flipped a coin and in landed wrong-side up, and certainly no upset as Mormeck was the favorite.***

This week the big fight is in the West Texas town of El Paso, where Marco Antonio Barrera puts it all on the line against some unknown South African Mzonke Fana. Fana hasn’t fought any name in or out of South Africa and has never fought in America before. He shows no knockout power and Barrera has a solid chin.

So what’s the risk for Barrera? None as long as he doesn’t take his opponent (how did Fana get a #1 rating anyway?) Fana, too lightly. That could make this bout, that’s a mis-match on paper, a lot tougher for Marco.

But even if he trains lightly, it’s hard to see how he’ll have any trouble with Fana. About the only chance I see the South African having is if Barrera gets injured entering the ring.

Barrera to win in it whenever and however he wants.

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.***

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 for the soul of Betty Ramos, sister of the 'Bronx Bomber' and head of the Retired Boxers Foundation, Alex Ramos. Betty passed away on April 2.***

Prayers for the soul of Pope John Paul II, many people forget that he was once a boxer.

Prayers for Crystal Platzner, wife of boxing good guy, Harrin. Crys will be undergoing some serious surgery and needs your prayers for a complete 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.

Prayers needed for the return to health of Danny Romero Sr. father of the former champion who is fighting a serious illness.

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: Help me out here. Why is the death of Terri Schiavo more important than the passing of the Pope or the mass murder in a Red Lake Minnesota school? Of the three, guess which one got the most press?

While every human life is sacred, the death of a brain damaged woman carried more weight with the press (15 days) than the death of the leader of the Catholic Church or the killing of nine school people in Minnesota by a crazed youth. Could it be because these youngsters were minorities? Remember how much press Columbine got? Only white kids were killed there. Of the three, the death of nine youngsters carried the least weight in the press.

All I can ask is why Schiavo’s passing was more important to the media, because I don’t have a clue here, but we all know it took first place in the coverage area. At least we didn’t have to put up with much Michael Jackson nonsense for a while.

Is there a cure of foot in mouth disease? Pass it on to Tom Delay who in his infinite stupidity said that Terri Schiavo was lucid? She may have been many things, but certainly not lucid. Has anyone considered drug testing for legislators? I’m not picking on the great State of Texas folks, but let’s face it, they elected this guy.

In some way’s, as tragic as it was, it’s good that Terri Schiavo’s journey has finally come to an end. I’m sure no one from either side of the family wanted Terri to be used as a political football. The real question here is, was she afforded death with dignity? May she rest in peace.

Unlike the Pope, Terri Schiavo was not a special person, she suffered a heart attack as a teenager and went into a vegetative state. Many people, the Pope included, have suffered far worse. Yet, because of the national attention, she may have become a martyr for a cause. Hopefully it’s the right cause, stem cell research. This would have been a legitimate reason that Terri’s lawyers could have appealed to the courts on, as grounds for hope in the future.

How many more people have to suffer and die because our elected leaders don’t think that human lives are important enough to save. Taking lives in Iraq and elsewhere is a justifiable offense, but saving lives everywhere is not? What planet are these guys living on?

What was learned by the events of the two weeks leading up to Schiavo’s passing is hard to measure, hopefully a great deal, perhaps little to nothing. Has anything really changed?

We know more people have looked into getting living wills since the saga began, but looking into and doing something are two different things, as most Americans tend to procrastinate more than they should.

We may have learned that Congress and the President shouldn’t stick its nose where it doesn’t belong, as this case was, and by law, had to be handled by the courts. Unless the laws are changed, this will remain the case.

What we obviously have not learned is that to ensure hope for the future Terri Schiavo’s of this world, you have to have a reason for it, and that would be stem cell research. Why no legislator or our President has not raised this issue is far beyond my comprehension. Maybe our leader is too busy trying to save social security or other non-imminent essential problems.

I guess the counter group to the religious right may justly now be called the religious wrong. The wrong would be just sitting back and allowing tragedies to occur over and over again without lifting a finger to fund resources that can only help make a case for life being prolonged, because stem cell research shows the capability of curing many illnesses, including brain damage. And remember also that the late Pope had been suffering from Parkinsons, and was also a boxer at one time. Parkinsons is a condition that stem cell research has offered much hope for.

I know the Pope was against stem cell research. With all due respect, I know the Pope was a good, perhaps great, man, but even good/great men can make mistakes. After all he was only human. And if that was his worst error, he was a very, very, very good Pope.

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