First an important and probably very exciting fight upcoming in Connecticut this weekend, when Diego Corrales matches up with Acelino “Popo” Frietas.

This is not an easy fight for either combatant, as Frietas has to find away inside the long reach of Corrales and in so doing avoiding his power.

Corrales has to be prepared for the hit and run attack of Frietas, not to mention the surprising power of a smaller man.

This can be a tactful fight, but I wouldn’t expect it. I look for an early knockout, which both are capable of providing. Since Corrales has shown more of a tendency to cut, I’ll take Frietas by TKO, midway.***

Black Cloud Productions asked if I would preview their new movie, “Black Cloud”, an offer which I willingly accepted.

Most of you know I am not a big fan of boxing movies, because usually the plot is weak and the action in the ring is obviously fake, like most martial arts movies you can see the punch (kick) miss all the time. That’s fine because it’s a story and the actors aren’t supposed to be hurt, but it’s not real life.

However, Black Cloud, played by Eddie Spears, based a novel written by Rick Schroeder, most recently of NYPD Blue fame, has a message to send, and one thing I personally appreciated, besides the great cinematography, was that it showed some of the beautiful culture of the American Indians in general and in this case the Navajo Nation in particular.

Besides Schroeder, making his directing debut, played a minor role as a racist cowboy, the actors were all largely unknowns, but they did an outstanding job and that helped make the movie one well worth watching. Country music fans will enjoy seeing Tim McGraw playing the sheriff in this film.

The plot is realistic and deals as much with racial prejudice both from the eyes of the Indian and the white man, as it does with amateur boxing. The fight scenes are realistic, as most were filmed live in Las Vegas at a Golden Gloves tournament. boxing event.

Filmed live on location in the Arizona desert, this film offers something to enjoy for almost everyone, but probably won’t win an Academy Award as best picture. Boxing films rarely do. But it has an excellent chance to pick up a few other Awards.

I don’t rate movies by the amount of stars or thumbs up (or down) it receives, just if it’s got a message to tell, how well it tells it and if it’s worth seeing. Black Cloud, which opens at five locations in September, fits all three. I enjoyed the film and I think our readers will as well.

An interview with Rick Schroeder and a full review will be found in the September issue of Ringsports.com, the magazine.***

Please help me with my new book. Send all jokes, quips and boxing oddities to Rngsports@aol.com, thanks, and members of the boxing media are free to send this most welcome information as well.***

Update: We are again taking orders for autographed copies of my new book, “OFF THE CANVAS”. Check our website for details. So far I have heard only good things about the book. Be aware that there is about a 3-week backlog on orders. It could be faster, to get non-autographed delivery “Off the Canvas” which is also available on the web at Authorhouse.com, ID#22873, or through major on line book stores like Borders, Barnes and Noble, Waldenbooks or Amazon.com.***

Agree or disagree, feel free to express your views.

Glove2Glove:

An old boxing guy passed away in Sacramento a few weeks back, when Sid Tenner went to his last reward. See ya in the big ring in the sky, old friend. You cashed your bet, as you were a 3-1 favorite to get there before me…Rest in peace.

Please say prayers for the return to health of Helen Wambolt, wife of our East Coast World Boxing Hall of Fame writer Danny Wambolt. Cards will also be most welcome.

Prayers are requested for Donna Jean Landers, boxing fan from Oklahoma, who has been fighting cancer for three years. She needs your help my friends.

Please say prayers for writer Marty Carson (auto accident) and his wife (health problems) of Indiana. Marty is a long time friend and a boxing expert.

Please say prayers for the return to health of Orazio Esposito, father of our photographer Richard Esposito.

Sandy Johnson a staff member of the Nevada State Athletic Commission is fighting breast cancer. A call, e-mail or card, along with your prayers would really do a lot to raise the spirits of an old friend.

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 for the return to health of Don Donelson, father of writer Tom, and Gene Sebastian, brother of former middleweight champ Billy Soose. Both are suffering from congestive heart disease. And to Arthur Terciera, father of writer Keith, also having heart related problems.

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 Parkinson’s.

Prayers for Ed “Whitey” Hadar, a former boxer who is having some serious health problems.

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.

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: First, I let me thank all those who have taken the time to write to me and express their views, both in politics and in boxing. I answer everyone, as time permits, even those I may not agree with. I respect everyone’s opinion.

I did not call our President stupid in my last editorial, so those of you who read it that way, please calm down. I have the highest regard for the Office and the person who serves as leader of the free world.

What I did say was that someone was giving the President stupid advice in regard to Iraq, and that I believe that while it may have been the right target later on, it was not the right target after Sept. 11th, and my own personal opinion is that we should have gotten rid of the Taliban and Al Qaeda first, as they were the guys who attacked us. There were no Iraqis on the plane.

And I cant fathom why our President would say that even if he knew there were no WMD’s in Iraq, he still would have gone in to get rid of the oppressive regime there. That statement makes no sense to me. That’s like telling all the dictatorial regimes in the World that we’re coming to get you, even if we have no reason to.

What gives us the right to tell other Countries, even those without WMD’s how to live? Isn’t that what Al Qaeda and the Taliban is trying to do in those countries? Is America no better than they are? I’ll give the President the benefit of the doubt, and that he made the remark without taking the time to process what he said in advance. But those types of mistakes can be very costly in these dangerous times.

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