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The two-foot-high statue of St. Joseph remains firmly on top of Jack Mesi's dining room table. Nearly eight months after he brought the 150-year-old family heirloom out for its annual month-long stay celebrating the saint's feast day, he hasn't put it away, and he hasn't stopped praying. "He's going to take care of it," Mesi, a proud Catholic from the Buffalo suburb of Tonawanda, N.Y., says of St. Joseph.
The saint has some work to do. Mesi's son, Joe, is an undefeated heavyweight, a small star managed by his father who seemed on the brink of becoming one of boxing's bright lights. Earlier this year, he had risen to the No. 1 ranking of the World Boxing Council, and had hopes that his next fight would be for a major title.
In his last fight on March 13 in Las Vegas, however, Mesi was knocked down three times in the final two rounds by Vassily Jirov and suffered numerous blows to the head. Mesi complained of a headache and dizziness following the fight and the Nevada State Athletic Commission suspended him for medical reasons.
Since then, Mesi has remained suspended because his camp has not provided medical records the commission requested, Nevada officials said. Thomas Hauser, the Pulitzer Prize nominated, best-selling author, reported on the boxing Web site SecondsOut.com that doctors who reviewed the results of five MRI exams on Joe Mesi found that the boxer suffered at least three and possibly four subdural hematomas (bleeding on the brain) during his bout with Jirov. Subdural hematomas, the leading cause of death in the boxing ring, trigger a lifetime ban in Nevada and, under the Muhammad Ali Act of 2000, the rest of the United States must honor the ban. Most foreign countries honor the suspension, too.
"It's very frustrating and very disappointing," said Keith Kizer, Nevada's chief deputy attorney general. "We want to see the records from them the chairman requested back in March."
The Mesis, while acknowledging that they have not fully complied with Nevada's requests, have been steadfast in their belief that Joe Mesi should be allowed to fight again and have enlisted the services of a lawyer to help get him reinstated. In August, Mesi's camp finally acknowledged a small brain bleed, but insists the 30-year-old is fine.
"They can't stop it," Jack Mesi said, referring to Joe's ring return. "We have the records. Medical science is on our side. The legalities are in our favor. They really have to stretch to stop us."
Joe Mesi said: "I've had reports from more than one doctor saying that I am back to my normal self, healthy and, in their opinion, I am ready to box again.
"I feel completely myself."
A City's Favorite Son
Articulate, handsome, family-oriented with a strong middle-class upbringing, Mesi, 6 feet 1 and 230 pounds, seems to revel in his charitable work as much as in his quest for a title. In a city that is starving for a championship and has become begrudgingly accustomed to the Bills and Sabres losing in recent years, Mesi has become what the back of his robe reads: "The Third Franchise." He has compiled a 29-0 record with 25 knockouts, making him the biggest winner in town. He has drawn at least 10,000 to each of his three fights at HSBC Arena. Turn on the radio and you'll hear him pitching meat products. Turn on the television and you'll see him selling cars.
"Joe's an icon," said Jack Mesi, a 59-year-old retired D.C. and Buffalo police officer who takes considerable pride in managing his son's career. Jack has been at Joe's side since Day One of amateurs, through the 1996 Olympic trials, where Joe was an alternate to the U.S. team.
Jack Mesi told his son early in his career that he would sacrifice for his career. He did not know then how much they would go through.
"He said, 'Listen, you decide to do it and I'll do whatever it takes because I believe in you. . . . In 10 years, you're going to kick yourself if you don't try it,' " Joe Mesi said.
The saint has some work to do. Mesi's son, Joe, is an undefeated heavyweight, a small star managed by his father who seemed on the brink of becoming one of boxing's bright lights. Earlier this year, he had risen to the No. 1 ranking of the World Boxing Council, and had hopes that his next fight would be for a major title.
In his last fight on March 13 in Las Vegas, however, Mesi was knocked down three times in the final two rounds by Vassily Jirov and suffered numerous blows to the head. Mesi complained of a headache and dizziness following the fight and the Nevada State Athletic Commission suspended him for medical reasons.
Since then, Mesi has remained suspended because his camp has not provided medical records the commission requested, Nevada officials said. Thomas Hauser, the Pulitzer Prize nominated, best-selling author, reported on the boxing Web site SecondsOut.com that doctors who reviewed the results of five MRI exams on Joe Mesi found that the boxer suffered at least three and possibly four subdural hematomas (bleeding on the brain) during his bout with Jirov. Subdural hematomas, the leading cause of death in the boxing ring, trigger a lifetime ban in Nevada and, under the Muhammad Ali Act of 2000, the rest of the United States must honor the ban. Most foreign countries honor the suspension, too.
"It's very frustrating and very disappointing," said Keith Kizer, Nevada's chief deputy attorney general. "We want to see the records from them the chairman requested back in March."
The Mesis, while acknowledging that they have not fully complied with Nevada's requests, have been steadfast in their belief that Joe Mesi should be allowed to fight again and have enlisted the services of a lawyer to help get him reinstated. In August, Mesi's camp finally acknowledged a small brain bleed, but insists the 30-year-old is fine.
"They can't stop it," Jack Mesi said, referring to Joe's ring return. "We have the records. Medical science is on our side. The legalities are in our favor. They really have to stretch to stop us."
Joe Mesi said: "I've had reports from more than one doctor saying that I am back to my normal self, healthy and, in their opinion, I am ready to box again.
"I feel completely myself."
A City's Favorite Son
Articulate, handsome, family-oriented with a strong middle-class upbringing, Mesi, 6 feet 1 and 230 pounds, seems to revel in his charitable work as much as in his quest for a title. In a city that is starving for a championship and has become begrudgingly accustomed to the Bills and Sabres losing in recent years, Mesi has become what the back of his robe reads: "The Third Franchise." He has compiled a 29-0 record with 25 knockouts, making him the biggest winner in town. He has drawn at least 10,000 to each of his three fights at HSBC Arena. Turn on the radio and you'll hear him pitching meat products. Turn on the television and you'll see him selling cars.
"Joe's an icon," said Jack Mesi, a 59-year-old retired D.C. and Buffalo police officer who takes considerable pride in managing his son's career. Jack has been at Joe's side since Day One of amateurs, through the 1996 Olympic trials, where Joe was an alternate to the U.S. team.
Jack Mesi told his son early in his career that he would sacrifice for his career. He did not know then how much they would go through.
"He said, 'Listen, you decide to do it and I'll do whatever it takes because I believe in you. . . . In 10 years, you're going to kick yourself if you don't try it,' " Joe Mesi said.
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