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.***

As expected, Marco Antonio Barrera easily beat Mzonke Fana of South Africa, stopping him in the second round. Can anyone believe that the WBC actually named Fana as the top contender?

It was however a good pay day for Fana and a good pay day for Fana. But for the fans who bought this PPV farce, you get no sympathy from this scribe. You should have known better.

Nice try Golden Boy Promotions, but with shows like this, you can’t hope to ever be successful promoting PPV events. Best leave that to the big boys who more often than not give the paying fans their money’s worth.

But don’t despair, Caesars Palace and ESPN have hooked up for what appears to be a far better PPV event on April 23. Of course it stretches the imagination to imagine a worse rip-off of the public. But as P.T. Barnum said, there’s a sucker born every minute.

I would venture to guess, however, that not too many suckers were found to be this ‘event’. There was nothing in Fana’s background to indicate that he even belonged in the same arena, let alone the same ring as Barrera.

Agree or disagree, I always welcome comments.


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.***

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.***

Agree or disagree, feel free to express your views.

Glove2Glove:

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 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 have some good news and some bad news. First the good news, I again survived a mild heart attack; and the bad news (for those who always seem to disagree with my somewhat myopic view of the world), there was no feeding tube to remove. But I thank everyone for their prayers and cards.

Back to the business of making people think and/or pissing them off., which I figure I’m equally good at doing.

The price of gas is at record levels, and the company line is that it’s because it’s the emergence of the strong Chinese economy combined with the overuse of big American gas guzzlers.

First, who is the major supporter of the Chinese economy? Hint, the country that out-sources their jobs and also has a huge trade deficit with the huge Asian country.

Give up? Look no further than our own backyard. Don’t blame the President, it’s been going on a long time, although Mr. Bush can help, if he wants to. Truth is trade with China is a different problem, so let’s not go there.

The American people love their cars and the freedom to use them, even if they burn more petrol than other countries. That fact is indisputable. I admit to loving big steel cars with plenty of leg room, but I currently don’t drive one.

But here’s something no one has had either the brains or balls to address, even though our huge number of refineries (read 13) are going at 100%, it isn’t enough. Why hasn’t anyone thought of building more refineries? How about re-opening the closed ones? Maybe it’s because many of those we’ve elected from both sides of the aisle have had no reason to have an original idea in years. It’s much easier to vote yea or nay than be creative.

Creativity? In the Nations Capital? Not possible!

More to the point, why did President Bush not step in when he allowed a number of oil refineries to close, late in his first term? Isn’t the Presidency supposed to be a bully pulpit? Do you think it may have had something to do with the administrations ties to big oil? Nah, they wouldn’t do that.

While we know the big three, Bush, Cheney and Rice either have or had interests in big oil, (Enron, Halllibuton, Shell), we won’t point fingers, because I’m sure there are plenty of members of Congress, Democrats as well, with financial interests in the major oil companies.

And the idea of opening up the Arctic to oil exploration has no real value in solving the crisis, because the truth is that even if we found untold amounts of black gold, we don’t have enough refineries to process them. It does us no good!

President Bush was kind enough to forgive the Iraq from paying for American lives and injuries allowing them to keep the oil that we were supposed to get in return. Nice of him, but he didn’t ask the people who elected him, let alone the brave lads who risked and gave lives and limbs in the Middle East. But that too isn’t the answer to the problem.

We all know, that the major oil producing countries are our close allies and that they would do anything to help us out (of Iraq and other monarchies). President Bush trusts them so shouldn’t we?

Right! But a little less cynicism is in order here as well as an increase in the building of new refineries as well as the immediate opening of those closed down last year.

The blame can be placed in many locales, but blame doesn’t solve the problems, perhaps more refineries might.

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