Newsflash: We are taking orders for autographed copies of my new book, “OFF THE CANVAS” to be published in the Spring. Cost of $12.50 will get you at the top of our list, (as it will be sent on a first order, first sent basis) for an autographed copy sent to you (along with my thanks). Send order along with check or money order or credit card info to: Rusty Rubin, Ringsports.com, POB 18336, Reno, NV. 89511.***

Winners on the Don King card this weekend should be: Hasim Rahman, Bernard Hopkins, Ricardo Mayorga (but this is a match that is made for a medical stoppage, as it’s going to be hard to avoid unintentional head butts with the styles of Cory Spinks and Mayorga. I like Rangel to upset Zab Judah, but only by decision. From all reports I’ve gotten, Rangel is really a superb boxer, and although Judah has the power edge, he isn’t a big banger. And word is that Travis Simms has plenty of power to spare, so he should win as well, probably by KO.***

I’m going to keep this short and sweet. Have a lot of feedback on my idea to help boxing and rather then go into more about it, I’ll just post a few of the responses.

Agree or disagree, I’d like to hear from you.

Boxing feedback:
I liked your thought process and think its a common sense approach to the issues. But, anything that is common sense cannot be embraced by the sport. I'll give your an example, I know of a fighter that was pumped up by a promoter and manager to sign a contact for five fights a year for two years, promised he would be matched with guys that would help his record to make him more attractive for big money fights. three fights through contract he is considered by promotion company as a professional opponent and they couldn't care less whether he wins or looses. Guy is stuck in contract. This is the crap that has to be changed first. Its a chicken or egg problem. You can't change the top tier first with a foundation that is rotten the whole thing still comes down.

It is a perplexing issue that needs overhaul from the roots to the pinnacle. The fighter I am speaking of is a middle tier boxer. The problem on the lower tier is even worse. So when a fighter finally makes the top tier, after all the games and crap he has seen he has to figure its time for him to call the shots and get some back. Whether its hold out for more cash, not promote the sport out of the ring, not help fighters who need it, fight once every 18 months, you name it. The business of Boxing treats a fighter and his stable mates in a manner that makes it a all for one, dog eat dog sport, then it complains when the fans see all the carnage that is left behind and stop supporting the sport.

I can count on one hand the faces of the sport that are particapants, fighters who promote the sport in the public eye.

I recall in the mid eighties when the Mets could barely get vendors to work because the crowds were so dismal, when beat writers like myself, even with small weeklys. The Met organization would go out of their way to assist us with interviews and pictures, community events in Queens, guests appearances and so on. But the minute they were in the hunt for the World Series in 85 and 86 and the seats were full it was screw the fan. Then the cycle continued.

That is the sport of boxing but without the cycle. After the seventies it never came back around. Take from the fan and take with little coming in return. One mismatch after another with a good bout often enough to keep interest. Now when the promoters are reaping what they have sown they want Conferences and Changes.
Enough the blood pressure is up.
Keith Terciera, Arkansas

I just read the article on boxinginsider.com and the structure you are proposing seems like an honest effort at trying to fix boxing's defects. However, I did find two aspects as perfect examples of boxing's catch-22:

3) While there is no intent to take away any sanctioning bodies rankings, this group will vote for and have their own rankings to make things easier for the fans.

4) While we will make no attempt to overturn a bad decision, this group will, upon request, determine if a unfair decision has occurred and in that event, a rematch should be ordered.

Therein lies the problem. You have many sanctioning bodies and no way to impose the rules upon the boxers.

Boxing is the one sport where a properly functioning league would translate into mega dollars. Thus, you have the economics of the sport pulling in the opposite direction, and everybody knows that cash rules. The reason the other sports survive is because they have no competition; there is a monopoly; the major leagues have a strong bargaining chip over the players. Baseball suffered a near fatal crisis early in its history when the National League was forced to compete with the American League because one or the other could entice the other league's stars to bid farewell. If a sanctioning body here flexes its muscle, the boxer moves onto the next, equally powerful sanctioning body. There are no mechanisms in place to compel the rematches that the governing board would propose. Why does a boxer feel free to move on? Because the sanctioning body they are saying farewell to is not offering them anything that would deter them from leaving. Boxers themselves prefer more sanctioning bodies because it gives them more opportunities for championship purses.

I like your idea involving the association of boxing writers, however something tells me that it might make things even less easy for the fans.

The boxing media can hold all the cards here if it wants to, as long as it has everybody on board. What they would need to do is fashion their own rankings as you said, but it cannot accomplish any of the goals you have set out for by continuing to recognize the other sanctioning bodies.

Here are the adjustments I would make to your plan:

I would have a board composed of writers, promoters, commissioners, physicians, etc. as you have proposed. They would be unpaid, as you proposed, and they would have regulatory powers as you proposed.

The one truly important difference is that inclusion in the rankings of this governing board requires a boxer's self-imposed exclusion from the rankings of other sanctioning bodies. In order to make it work, the regulatory body would need to entice boxers to do so. A step in the right direction would be health benefits, pensions, and revenue sharing amongst the top contenders and champions. With the media and the ABC on board, it could easily secure itself as the most respected of the sanctioning bodies. The proposal is not all that radical because many lesser boxers would be intrigued by the pension and health benefits, while many top contenders would be intrigued by the revenue sharing.

Please respond with any comments.

Joe Buro, Princeton, NJ

Sounds great. I also thought it would be good to have one group in charge like the NBA, MLB, NFL etc. Sounds like you have a good start. The fighters deserve better,(pay, benefits, pension). If there is anything I can do to help let me know. Shawn Darling, NJ.

Your column was very good and made all the sense in the World. That's why it will never happen. Too me, boxing is run by a very small, select group of wealthy men. They have all the power and the system is set up for them to get richer. Until they're gone or dead, I'm not confident any meaningful changes will be made. Unless of course it helps them get richer and have even more control than they already do.

Guys like Arum, King, and Kushner and DiBella have too much power, and control most of it. I'm not optimistic that we'll see any change for the better in the sport I love and worship. The people that now are in power must be removed for it to have a chance. They all have an agenda, and the power to implement it. This is the root of the evil. Sorry to big so long-winded.

Frank Lotierzo, PA.

Glove2Glove:

Special prayers go out to Mills Lane for his complete recovery. Mills, who suffered a stroke a few years back may be down, but knowing him, he’s far from out.

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 Parkinsons.

Please say prayers for solid boxing guy, member of the WBHOF and all around class act Sabitini Arbucci who is recovering from cancer surgery.

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.

Chas. Shandor, father in law of Ringsports.com writer Nick Constantine has been diagnosed with cancer and needs your prayers.

Prayers are asked for and welcomed for LaVerne Gaither of Atlanta, who is having some serious medical problems.

Also down but not out with cancer is Kathy Ceravola, sister of top referee Elmo Adolph, and my best friend and co-founder of Glove2Glove, Susiey Walker.
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.

Classified:
Reader Ed Ramos has the following articles available for sale. All come with letter of authenticity
1- Rocky Marciano golden gloves autographed 1968 trophy-$700.This trophy comes with a notarized letter of authenticity. The autograph was obtained by the son of the promoter of this tournament.
2-Muhummud Ali plaque -$1500.This plaque was given to Ali over 10 years ago and is in excellent condition.
3-Joe Louis-Max Shmeling vintage puppets from either the 1930s or 1940s-$300 set. These puppets are extremely rare and are in very good condition.
4-Sonny Liston cut signature-$1000.
5-Cassius Clay 1963 cut signature-$900.
6-Sugar Ray Robinson autographed collage poster-$400.
7-Boxing Illustrated autographed by Ali in 1974-1975-$300.This vintage Ali autographs is one of the best ones that I have ever seen on a magazine.
8-Cassius Clay autographed boxing glove from the early 1960s-$1500 or best
offer.

Touching on politics briefly: You may have read it here first, but don’t give me credit for it. It really didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that we are also fighting Al Qaeda in Iraq, and of course these brainwashed terrorists would love nothing more then to get their hands on this oil rich nation.

A few days ago, Usama Bin Laden or someone who pretended to be him, announced that his cold blooded group is going to make Iraq the new battlefield in the war, and for America and the rest of the World that’s very good news.

Here is our best chance to wipe out many of these scumbags and force them to turn tail and run back to the mountains of Northern Pakistan. And what an opportunity for our allies, who haven’t joined up with us yet, to join the fight against an enemy that left alone, will rack havoc in their homeland.

This could be out best chance of ridding the world of the insanity and rigidity of the Taliban, and to not jump in (if not jump for joy) and join the fight, would be a major mistake on their part.

And now in particular, it would be a major mistake for America to pull out of Iraq. It made sense to leave to combat terrorism in Afghanistan, but if Bin Laden thinks that he’s going to get control of a smaller, oil rich country, he’s got another thing coming. If he’s going to give us a chance to get revenge for September 11th, I say let’s welcome it with open arms. The only good terrorist is a dead terrorist!***

By the way, anyone notice how Haliburton, which has ties to the White House is getting away with stuff that you and I could go to jail for? Also the way that gas is going up in price, slowly so few notice, but still without any reason.

Agree or disagree, all responses are welcome and the best will be published.

Political feedback:

Hey Rusty... Ha, the first thing that came to my mind when Andy Card said that John Kerry should apologize for using the F word was, "well what about that time during the primaries Bush called that NY Times reporter a 'major league asshole'" and Cheney looked at him and said, "big time..." Granted they didn't know they were standing in front of an open mic. Kerry shouldn't have used that term in a publication marketed to youngsters because it sets both a bad example and another negative precedent. But to me it was really no big deal. Kerry still comes off as being far more presidential than Democratic frontrunner Howard Dean in my opinion.

Donovan Fletcher, via e-mail.