Rusty Rubin, Managing Editor
www.ringsports.com

I was going to take a long weekend and not write this column, but because I wanted to make sure that I wish our many friends out there a great 4th of July.

This is the one holiday that I always prefer (but only slightly) to a 5th of good scotch.

One of the reasons I enjoy this holiday so much is because of the great patriotic music that comes from the heart of this great nation.

And while Christmas is another festive occasion, as it should be, it’s in the dead of winter and has a totally different significance to me.

So I have decided to answer a question that has been asked to me on numerous occasions.

A question that I get asked relatively often (not by my relatives) is besides Mike Tyson is there anyone else in boxing that I dislike?

First, let me state once and for all I don’t dislike Mike Tyson. I feel sorry for him, but not much, as he does most of the damage to himself. But his reputation as being a screwball hasn’t helped the image of our sport. As I often said, someone with brain damage doesn’t need to be hit in the head.

But there are a few (very) boxing folks that I could gladly live without as part of my life.

I think James Toney is a great fighter when he trains hard and wants to be, but from a past experience I wouldn’t want to deal with him more then I have to. But my thankfully brief encounter with him was a long time ago, and people change.

More recently, I met Zab Judah, and I took an almost instant dislike to him. He came off as very arrogant and I don’t deal well with people like that.

Judah’s manager Shelley Finkel is not one of my favorite happy faces either, but in that regard, most people don’t care for him, so at least I’m not alone there.

Finally, there’s Prince Hamed, who I really don’t know, but because of his apparent arrogance, I don’t think I wouldn want to deal with him more then I have to. But that may have been more for show, so I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt.

Don King has a questionable, but probably well-earned reputation, but I’ve always had a decent relationship with him, although he refuses to supply those at his long winded press conferences free samples of “Preparation H”.

But being a bit more serious, which is hard to do at times. I wish Don would be good enough to help us with the cruise and more important to raise much needed funds for Greg Page and Gerald McClellan, in short, let him put his money where his mouth is.

Now understand, that over the years I have found that the vast majority of people in this business are good guys and class acts. I freely admit that no one has tried to pull any fast ones, but that doesn’t mean they don’t on others. I can and do only speak of what I know to be facts, and that’s also a fact!

Agree or disagree, feel free to comment at anytime.

Odds and ends:

For the record, we are still calling for Billy Soose to be inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. Soose beat Tony Zale and fought a draw with Charley Burley; neither of which could be considered an easy opponent, and he did so as a converted puncher. He was a big banger early on, but a broken knuckle on his right hand caused him to become a boxer. The transition is one that very few have been able to make successfully.

As a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America, and a voter for those inducted into the IBHOF, I take personal offense that this former champion's name does not even appear on the ballot. The World Boxing Hall of Fame in LA had the good sense to induct Soose in 1994. Let's hope that common sense carries over to the IBHOF.***

Reader Ed Ramos is looking for a bottle of Old Kentucky Cabin bbq sauce, Muhammad Ali fashion shade sunglasses, Ali's high school yearbook, Ali large popcorn bags, Ali cookie box, Cassius Clay golden gloves and Olympic Boxing finals full tickets, Ali champ shoe bumper sticker and a Mousehammad cat toy. He is also seeking a 1960 Olympic-boxing program. If you have or know of someone who has these items call Ed at 1-860-246-9096, or e-mail him at Andinoramos@hotmail.com.

Keep reading this column for info on when our next boxing party at Spiros Sports Bar at Mira Loma and Longly, in Reno, will be held.

Glove2Glove: Is absolutely free and the only time you will be contacted is if someone is in need of prayer and/or cards. You join by sending us an e-mail. It's that simple. And Glove2Glove is our way of showing that boxing folk genuinely care about each other and the world we live in.

The success of the Glove2Glove program has provided some sensational results, and we can take credit in extending a number of lives. It also shows the world that boxing folks care about each other, and stand tall for them. In short, it enhances the sometimes-seedy reputation of our sport.***

Now we ask you to take a moment and pray for the soul of the wife of our ratings chairman, Eric Armit, who passed away peacefully on Friday from the scourge of cancer. Eric is a class act, so we know his wife had to be as well. May she rest in eternal peace!***

Glove2Glove is on a crusade to help former champions Gerald McClellan and Greg Page and their families. They were injured in the ring and have very high medical bills. We need your prayers for them. And remember that on July 4th, that their freedoms have been taken away from them to a great degree, and we should do what we can to help.

And, to improve the image of our sport and the great people in it, we need you on board our Thanksgiving Cruise out of Miami, Nov. 23-30 to raise money for these great warriors who have given us so much and have received so little back. Hey guys, the Lord remembers a lot more then we choose to. We owe it to our fellow human beings and our sport to make the extra effort.

I know Thanksgiving traditionally should be spent with family, but what better way to celebrate the holiday than with your family, and the boxing family as well? We hope you take part in this event to show the world how strong and committed the boxing family is. I know a lot of folks think that all people in boxing should be committed anyway, so let's change their minds.

Thanks to Ron Borges of the Boston Globe for the extra coverage of this event. And thanks also to Alex Ramos of the Retired Boxers Federation who has jumped in to help the cause.

100% of the money we raise will go to these two families. And the price is very affordable and includes some extra boxing guests and entertainment. Join us. For information, please drop me a line at Rngsprts@cs.com. Or, if you can't make it, a cash donation to the RBF for Page/McClellan would be much appreciated.

Remember, fans, the worst things happen when you do nothing. And the feeling of trying, even if not successful, makes you a winner, no matter what!

URGENT!!!! We ask for your immediate prayers for the return to health of the sister of referee Elmo Adolph, Cathy Cerola, suffering from cancer. She has taken a turn for the worse and needs your fervent prayers. Only the Lord can help them now, and with our prayers, he will.

A very special prayer was answered and we received the best Christmas miracle imaginable, as the oncologist who had given her about three years to live, now said that four more chemos and we should get all of it. At last report, they did! Your prayers for the return to health of Glove to Glove CO-founder Sue Walker, has worked, and in the words of Robert Duval in the motion picture 'The Apostle', 'We're small but we're powerful'. If we can do this with a relatively small group, imagine what we can do if we had the big numbers.

We still need your prayers for Sue who suffered a seizure recently, and needs a complete and quick recovery.

Glove2Glove is absolutely free. The only thing we ask is an e-mail address so that we can notify you when a boxing person or a member of his family is ailing. Sue has been my best friend for 25 years and thanks to some of the wonderful people out there, she will be with me for a lot longer. But please keep those prayers coming. You can send a message of encouragement or prayer for her to our e-mail address (Rngsprts@cs.com) or drop a card to our Reno office. I'll see that it gets to her, personally.

Thanks and God bless.***

To answer a question I seem to be asked more and more frequently. Yes, the website and the magazine are seeking new investors, and hopefully working partners for further expansion. If you are interested, give me a call or drop me a line via PO or e-mail.

This opportunity will not last very much longer! Once we start our push to make the mag and the website the finest in the world, the opportunity will either be long-gone or very expensive. For any doubters, I suggest you watch our smoke.

Touching on politics briefly: I will just use this space to wish all our readers a safe and sane 4th of July.

I ask to take a moment to reflect on all those brave men and women who risked life and limb, to make the United States of America the greatest country this world has ever known.

Enjoy your freedom my friends, and pray that some of our politicians have the balls to stand up and stop all the illegal immigration. Because it only takes one guy with one WMD, to take away the freedom that so many people gave their lives for in the past.

God bless you all.