A great fight card in Las Vegas this weekend on HBO PPV and promoted by Top Rank. All the fights on the card figure to be competitive, with an action-filled undercard to boot. But it’s the main event holds the most interest for the fans.

The main event features Erik “El Terrible” Morales vs. Carlos “Famoso” Hernandez, an interesting clash of styles to be sure, and it’s a fight that may be a worthy contender for “Fight of the Year” honors.

In fact, if Morales wins, it puts him into the running as “Fighter of the Year” as well.

Morales, from Mexico, the 4-1 favorite is the heavy hitter and a great counter-puncher. Hernandez, a southpaw from El Salvador is perhaps the better technical boxer. Both fighters have chins of granite.

There’s really little to choose from in this battle, and 4-1 is way to high on Hernandez, who will being a large contingent of Salvadorians, from So. Cal to Vegas, to cheer him on.

It’s a hard fight to pick. Boxer v. puncher, or in this case counter-puncher, but it’s easy to say that 4-1 is a price way to high for this encounter. 5/2 makes much more sense.

Both fighters have a lot riding on this fight. The safest bet here, in my eyes, is to bet the fight to go the distance. And if I had to pick the winner, take Morales by decision.

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: Thanks to the readers of this column for all the feedback, political and boxing wise. It means a lot to me that people are taking the time to think and get involved.***

Let’s talk safety a recent poll tells us that more Americans feel safer now then they did after 9/11. That’s both a good sign and a bad sign and it depends upon how the question was asked.

On the plus side, that tells us that the actions our President took correcting some of the flaws in our national defense was a good thing, and I couldn’t agree more.

On the negative side however, I just don’t feel any safer then I did before 9/11, and the almost daily news that the terrorists are planning to attack America again, is not what I’d call warm, fuzzy and comforting.

This great democracy is wide-open for terrorist attacks, and if you think that makes you safer, I have some Prozac for you.

Look at the conventions being held by both parties, this year for little or no reason, except to blast their opponents and slap each other on the back. And think of how confident the candidates must be that we are safer from a terrorist attack then after 9/11, when you look at all the security. But, if both political parties are going to waste the taxpayers time and money (do Republicans and Democrats watch each others conventions?) then security must be provided.

Personally, I don’t watch conventions. There’s no interest in it for me. I can watch the negative political ads for Bush and Kerry bashing, otherwise known as propaganda. I vote for the candidate on the real issues, not the half-truths their opponents say about them.

And I take the time to learn about all the issues, and see which candidate best represents me. I resent getting anti Bush or anti Kerry e-mails and simply delete them. People do have the right to choose, but partisans of either political party shouldn’t have the power to persuade them with half-truths and lies, although, sadly they do.

Most Americans get their information from partisan sources, that’s the sad truth, along with the fact that instead or watching the news and reading about it, they prefer some stupid reality show or a sporting event. Okay, I like some sports also, but who wins or loses that game doesn’t influence the rest of my life. The person we elect can!

Back on topic: Conventions in this day and age, when the President and the Vice Presidential candidates of both major parties, along with the platforms, have long-since been decided, is a complete waste of time and money.

It’s been so long, I have to check the history books to remind me of the last time a candidate was chosen at a convention. Seems to me it might have been Hubert Humphrey, but I haven’t had time to check. Trust me though, it’s been years.

Don’t misunderstand, I’m not saying that we shouldn’t protect our politicians with all the needed security, the security is indeed needed, however the convention is not! It’s a dinosaur. They have become out-dated with our new primary system, although it can still be used when and if the Presidential candidate has not been decided.

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