Rusty Rubin, Managing Editor
www.ringsports.com

HBO TV offers a couple of potentially outstanding fights this weekend, but both have the potential to be real stinkers as well.

Roy Jones jr. takes on Antonio Tarver, who he met and defeated in the amateur ranks. Tarver, a tall, somewhat awkward southpaw, is a hard fighter to hit. This would be Jones’ biggest test at light heavyweight, but the question remains, why would he go back down in weight? Is the light heavyweight belt that important?

My guess is that Jones is now looking for a rematch with James Toney either at cruiserweight for an additional title, or at heavyweight. Either match would be interesting to see. But Roy says that after this fight, expects to fight Mike Tyson and then retire.

Toney is a much improved fighter from his last bout with Jones, in which Jones beat him with a broken hand. Not an easy task. But in truth, Toney also beat himself by putting on too much weight between the weigh in and the fight, which slowed him down a lot for the speedy Jones.

Tyson is a shot fighter, but he still can punch. So if this match comes to pass, it will be Roy’s speed vs. Mike’s power. An interesting match to be sure.

Both Toney and Tyson will be very big final paydays for Roy Jones Jr., who is one of the few who I believe when he says that he will retire.

But these are matches for the future, right now, we look at Jones beating Tarver in a unanimous decision.***

On the undercard, Winky Wright takes on Angel Hernandez. Not a good match up for either, but since no ‘name’ wants to fight Winky, he has to make do with anyone who is willing to look bad in the ring against him.

Wright has been an under-rated boxer-puncher for some time. He can’t get the big fights because he’s a southpaw who tends to make everyone he fights look bad. He’s slick, and he has shown power at times.

I think most fight fans would like to see Winky got a shot for at least one real good payday before he calls it a career. Winky has more then earned it.***

To answer a question: I know of only one woman inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame and that would be promoter Aileen Eaton. I can’t think of any female inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame, although I may be in error on that one. Certainly I’ve never seen a female on the ballot.***

Finally, a strong boxing card on Nov. 15, at the High School in Meridian, Miss.***

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

Boxing feedback

Boxing Feedback
I thought that Floyd didn't look too impressive. N'Dou was able to land often and get his attention. He had Floyd swelling up by both eyes and Phillip even seemed to hurt 'Pretty Boy' a couple of times. I really like Freitas' and Casamayor's chances against Mayweather. In fact, I thought they were the better guys at 130 when they were all holding titles at the weight. And if I were Uncle Roger, I wouldn't go rushing into a fight with Gatti. He'll throw just as much, if not far more, than N'Dou and has true power in either hand. If Floyd lays against the ropes against Gatti he could well be on the business end of a beating.

I'm just glad that I managed to stay awake thru the Marquez - Gainer fight, if that's what we're calling it. I can't think of a worse bout in the history of HBO Boxing. Does anyone know if either guy was hurt before the fight? During? And with all of the abuse that Smoke took from Larry Merchant, why are we letting Juan Manuel off the hook? It takes two to make a stinker like that! Why didn't he force the action? Why didn't he walk through the few punches Gainer tossed his way and punish the body? I was as disappointed with Marquez as I was with Gainer.

Why would two guys, with so much at stake, do so little to win?...Steve Coughlin, Chicago, Ill.

Steve: we must've been watching two different fights. The only thing N'Dou landed were shots to Mayweather's arms and shoulders as Floyd allowed N'Dou to wear himself down with meaningless flurries. Floyd was never close to hurt in the fight. I wouldn’t mind seeing Floyd take on Freitas myself before moving up. In any event, he should take on whomever wins between Freitas and Grigorian (which I'm already getting amped about) to answer all remaining questions at 135.

I don't think Gatti has much chance to beat Pretty Boy. Floyd is much too quick and Gatti is war-weary by this point in his career. Kostya Tszyu however.... that would be interesting.

I'm starting to get a bit more enthused about the fight game again. I'm looking forward to the Jones, Jr. / Tarver fight this weekend which I think promises to be entertaining, the Freitas / Grigorian fight in January and even the Toney/ McCline fight in February.Looks like NBC is starting to get interested again too….D.C. Mays, via e-mail
To D.C. Mays
probably did D because I always turn down the HBO team while watching the fights. I watched it again last night and will stick with my original thoughts. Floyd had his corner working overtime on both eyes with the endswell between rounds and WAS hurt by a shot in I believe the 5th round. He wouldn't fair as well on the ropes with the MUCH stronger Gatti bombing away on him. I agree with Adam that if Arturo could hurt and last with Oscar he wouldn't be too troubled by anything Mayweather throws at him. And I think Floyd would do as well against Tszyu as Judah did - he'd get his ass handed to him.

Freitas - Grigorian ought to be a real beauty. SuperPuncher vs Slick Boxer with power! Maybe Showtime will put it on the air? And I'm intrigued by Toney - McCline too.That should be a real slugfest. NBC coming back is great news - just what the sport needs to give it a boost with younger viewers & casual fans.

And make sure you're around a TV on December 13th. That may be the card of the year; another classic Don King supershow, just like he used to put on in the 80s & 90s!!!

I love this game too ...Steve Coughlin

And with this Ringsports.com puts an end to the Floyd Mayweather saga, at least for now…

Glove2Glove:

Glad to report that promoter Moe Smith is back at work and doing fine after his heart surgery.

Please say prayers for the soul of Hungarian amateur great Lazlo Papp, who passed away earlier this month.

Please say prayers for former top-notch fighter Art Soto, who is having some severe health problems from Alzheimer’s and cancer.

Say a prayer for the return to health of great boxer Mando Ramos, who is badly hurting, a result of an unsuccessful back 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.

Your prayers have worked and Martin Sommers is no longer in hospice care, and in fact, is at home recovering. He and his family pass along their heartfelt thanks, and ask that your prayers continue.

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.

Touching on politics briefly:

Most of the feedback I’ve gotten from my last editorial was very positive. But a couple of people feel that I was suggesting that America turn tail and run from Iraq. That was never my intention.

To simply clarify what I said is that we fought in Iraq, we got rid of the dictator, and now it’s time to redeploy our forces. Redeploy does not and never had meant retreat or surrender. It means putting our forces where they are most needed.

We did what we set out to do in Iraq. We won! Plain and simple. Now it’s time to go after the real terrorists, Bin Laden and company, who were the ones who were responsible for the 9/11 tragedy.

I don’t know why this concept is difficult to understand. All we gain by staying in Iraq, at least in the eyes of the rest of the world, is the right for many of our major corporations to get big contracts to re-develop the nation. Which may be fine for anyone who owns stock in these companies, but not fine for the folks in the rest of the world that doesn’t.

One person actually called me and asked if I really gave ‘a rats ass what the rest of the world thinks of America?’ The answer is yes I do. We may be the greatest country in the world, but without our allies, we would be forced to go it alone, except for the few friends we are still fortunate to have, and it doesn’t take a genius to see what that strategy or going it alone did for us at the UN and in Iraq.

The biggest mistake we made was going into Iraq pretty much alone, or as some folks call it ‘cowboy diplomacy’. We could have and should have waited for the UN to join in, but we didn’t, and I don’t like revisionist history.

Again, we did our job, we paid the price. The world is now a better place and now it’s time to turn our attention on those who really are our enemies and the enemies of free men everywhere, Al Qaeda and the Taliban.

As an afterthought, the administration tells us that we are winning the battle for Iraq. If this is the spin on winning, I’d hate to think of how many more lives would be lost if we were losing?

Agree or disagree, drop me a line.