Rusty Rubin, Managing Editor
www.ringsports.com

First, let me wish my old friend, and one of the nicest and funniest boxing people in the world, Fred Berns all the best in this retirement.

Fred has long been putting on more shows in the Midwest than any one else in the country. Best wishes old friend, enjoy the ‘Golden Years’ and hope that, unlike me, the idiot that termed them that was not color blind.***

A long-time reader, asked about my last column if I still disliked Larry Hazzard.

Perhaps I should have added Larry to that list, but I never really disliked him personally, which was what I was writing about. Larry was a fine referee, but he really hasn’t been an asset to our sport as the commissioner in the Garden State.

My biggest problem with Hazzard was that he overruled his own referee on more than one occasion, and being a former ref, Larry should know full well that when the bell rings, the ref and only the ref is in charge. But he seems to have cleaned up his act in that regard, and again, it was never personal, so it just doesn’t fit on that list.***

Anybody besides me ever ask what happened to the fights they used to telecast from Biloxi, Gulfport and Tunica. At one time you could see three or four good fight cards a month, emanating from there. And I miss seeing my old friend and outstanding referee, Elmo Adolph in action.***

And speaking of outstanding referees, glad to see my old friends Vic Drakulich and Norm Budden from Northern Nevada getting some good fights in Vegas. They both are excellent referees and have ‘earned their stripes’.

Speaking of which, they said that about Mike Tyson the last time they threw him in the slammer.***

I’m hearing (and hoping) that the report on Foreman – Holmes was just a rumor. God I hated that senior tour. As much as I like both guys, neither has anything to prove here.***

Finally, a quick look at Mayorga – Forrest held this Saturday at the Orleans in Las Vegas.

Forrest is a 3-1 favorite, but Mayorga still says he can take him out in two rounds or less.

There’s little question that he’s a big enough puncher to do that, but that would depend upon Vernon staying away and playing hit and run, until Mayorga, who’s a heavy smoker, tires himself out and runs out of gas. If Vernon fights that way, he wins an easy decision.

But if he decides to trade punches with the Nicaraguan, he’s going to be kissing the canvas once again.

One other factor: I doubt if Mayorga’s chin has been really well-tested, and if it doesn’t hold up all bets are off.

My pick: it has to be either Mayorga and under or Forrest and over, and this time, I’ll go with the favorite, to win an easy unanimous decision.

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!***

We ask for your prayers for the soul of Mass. outstanding sports and boxing writer/editor Pete Farley who passed away on June 29. Rest in peace fellow scribe. They don’t make writers like Pete much, anymore.

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, 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 than 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: Hope our readers had a wonderful holiday, and I gladly welcome them back. Hell, with the numbers we get, I’d welcome Sadaam as a member (that’s because like most of us, I can use the reward money) Oh well, maybe the Baa’th Party will help us clean up our act.…Seriously folks, glad you’re back with us and in one piece.

It’s going to happen, but except for the few loony birds planning it, no one seems to know where or when. Great title for a song, huh?

But it’s not the sound of music (another great title for a song or even a movie) that I refer to, but the attack on our great country, which surely will happen, especially now that our borders are even more open then before Sept. 11. Sadly it’s just a matter of time. (Hey, another great song title). Our politicians, who are more concerned about losing the Hispanic vote than the safety of our citizens have their heads up their butts once again, folks.

Has anyone heard our President or any of the Democratic Candidates talk about something that actually can get them elected? I haven’t. The biggest item should be, but ISN’T, national security. Number one, which should be number two, is our economy, and both these problems can be solved with one very simple solution—hiring more border crossing guards. More jobs equates to far greater tax revenue and far greater safety.

Which politician of either party has figured that out yet? None. Or if they have, they figure votes are far more important than American lives. DUH!

Don’t be fooled, my friends. They know, they’re just closing their eyes to reality, all because they want to get elected or re-elected and they need the huge Hispanic vote to do so.

The sad thing is, and I sincerely believe this, the vast majority of Hispanics who live here and vote are hard working, honest people who would love to feel secure in their adopted homeland, America, and would actually support tighter border controls.

Agree or disagree…feel free to write back at anytime.