6/07/06 - In Rusty's Corner
In Rusty's Corner
By Rusty Rubin, editor-in-chief of the Ringsports.com publication and website advisor is the author
of "Off the Canvas", #22873, a view of American history and the social problems of the times,
as seen by an 80-year old ex-champion. "Off the Canvas" takes you from the time of the Great
Depression till the World Trade Center disaster and is a book that has been getting rave reviews.
Copies are $15.00 each available at authorhouse.com, (22873)
Ringsports.com and on-line major book retailers.
We're taking orders for autographed copies
of "Billy Soose, the Champion Time Forgot" co-authored by Tom Donelson. Soose was the
middleweight champion of the world, beating Tony Zale and Ken Overlin in less than a month's time.
Since Tom and I live in
different parts of the USA, it would be hard to co-ordinate a joint signing, both Tom or I will
be available. The book is available now at Authorhouse.com
(book id #31809) and other fine on-line outlets. Early sales appear strong.
Buy both books and the recipient will really appreciate your caring, and this writer
won't complain one little bit.
My next book, "Woozel, Boxing and Me", #31810 a compilation of true
funny boxing stories, oddities and quotes, will be out within the next 3-4 months.
"Woozel, Boxing and Me" is a final tribute to my best friend of more than 25 years,
who attended many of the boxing events with me. She passed away from colon cancer in Feb. 2004... The
early demand for the book has been strong. For advance ordering or to purchase an autographed copy,
please advise me ASAP...***
Our website (Ringsports.com) is back up and running
thanks to some volunteer help from Diamond, a good friend of ours and obviously of boxing.
Diamond is also helping us with the magazine.***
Don't ask me to explain why a fighter like Jose Luis Castillo couldn't make weight for an important fight
with Diego Corrales. He didn't even come close and the fight was called off, leaving a lot of people very
angry, including Castillo's promoter Bob Arum.
This isn't the first time for Castillo who is facing suspension and fines by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.
Castillo, an excellent boxer/puncher is proving an embarrassment to boxing and has to be dealt with firmly.
I trust the NSAC to do just that.***
This weekend you can bet the fight will go forward between two aging veterans, former long-time middleweight
king Bernard Hopkins, who is moving up two weight divisions to take on light heavyweight champion Antonio Tarver.
Hopkins has not fought above the middleweight limit in his career, and that in itself gives one poise to
ponder the outcome of this event.
Neither fighter is an exceptionally hard hitter, both are smart and look for the openings.
Hopkins, a surefire Hall of Famer gets the edge on experience and ring smarts as well as a superior killer
instinct. His last two fights (losses to Jermain Taylor) were close enough to have gone either way. Tarver
on the other hand has the advantage of fighting at light heavy and heavyweight in the past. He certainly
will have no trouble handling the poundage.
Win or lost, Hopkins will probably keep his word and retire, and Tarver will fight on.
Not an easy fight to pick by any means. But, since I have to, I'll take Hopkins by close decision. If
nothing else can be said, it figures that this battle will go the full 12-rounds.***
Agree or disagree, we'd like to hear from you. (Rngsportsr@aol.com).
Glove2Glove:
Former top fighter of a few decades back, Bobby Dykes passed away at age 77. Prayers for his soul.
Patti Brandenburg continues to have health problems and continues to need your help via prayers.
Prayer for the return to health to the father of Eva Futch, a great friend, and the widow of legendary
trainer Eddie, who passed away in 2001. Eva's father's cancer has returned and recent surgeries have
proved successful, but he still has a long way to go. And please pray that Eva has the strength to cope
with this difficult challenge she faces at so close to her having lost her esteemed husband.
Prayers needed for Elise Brown, grand daughter of Ringside Products head honcho and good boxing guy
John Brown. Young Elise has heart problems.
Prayers have also helped but continue to be needed for Dennis Wilcox, brother of boxing scribe David
Wilcox, who is in an Oregon hospital suffering from Leukemia. The family and everyone at Glove2Glove
ask for your prayers for his total recovery.
Prayers for the return to health of Audrey Talmo, wife of Ed, a long-time boxing fan who cares about our sport.
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.***
Please say prayers for the soul of Orazio Esposito, father of our photographer Richard Esposito.***
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.
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
absolutely 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: I really wish that Congress will get their heads out of people's personal
lives and into the job they are paid to do, represent their constituents. That would be a refreshing
and novel change. In my somewhat limited view, I am a strong supporter of states rights, not only in
the issue of gay marriage, but abortion as well. The government has more important things to do than
worry about what goes on when the lights go down or to come between me, my wife and my God in the abortion controversy.
Now please allow me to respond to a couple of questions that have been asked of me via the telephone and/or the internet.
A caller challenged me to say something nice about our elected President and the leader of the free world.
That's easy, He comes from an intelligent, proud family and he speaks good Spanish, or, I'm sure much better
than he does English. Another good thing about Dubya, he only has 2 ½ years left and he can't run again.***
Next, How come my home Senator Harry Reid implies that I or people like me who want immigrants to obey our
laws and come to America legally are racists? (I took the opportunity to re-phrase the question).
Personally, I like Harry Reid, I've met and voted for him on more than one occasion. That doesn't mean he's
right and I'm wrong. I'll let my record and friendship with the legal Hispanic community speak for itself.
As for Senator Reid, if I'm a racist because I want only legal citizens in America, then it follows that
he are far worse, he's a closet Republican, posing as a Democrat, who, along with most of those in the
U.S. Senate thinks it's more important to bolster the rich corporations, destroy the American middle
class and, who want to allow people who knowingly break our laws to become American citizens. Senator
Reid wants illegal aliens in the country so corporations can get rich by paying them what amounts to
slave labor. Who's the racist here?
Harry you shouldn't be afraid to tell it like it is, and you and the other Democrats come out of the
closet. Being a Republican is nothing to be ashamed of, unless of course you support this President's
anti-middle class policies, which is more anti-American than anti-Democratic. Under Dubya the middle
class continues to shrink and the tax cuts for the wealthy only make the problem worse.
Racist? I think not, but I am a proud American and want everyone to obey our laws. Is that asking too
much? I love my homeland and want to keep it safe, can the U.S. Senate and Congress honestly say the same thing?
I have the highest regard for the American Hispanic Community. They are by and large honest, hard working,
family people who want to ensure that their chosen homeland remains the greatest country this world has ever seen.
And, like Dubya, I'll ask the same question about Vicente Fox. How could the voters in Mexico have elected him?***
Via e-mail, a question as to if I'm working with any organization that wants to run a third party candidate?
As of now, no way. I believe that the only way to achieve equality in America is get people elected to the
Congress first, so you have a base in Washington to do the job and not have to worry about having your
vetoes overridden by a partisan Congress. Anyone trying to make headway in that direction, even if a
third party candidate could be elected, it will only be an exercise in futility.
America desperately needs a third political party, maybe more, but it has to be done right in order
to be effective. And I still favor getting rid of the labels of Republican and Democrat and having
the three parties call themselves Liberals, Conservatives and Moderates. At least we may have a shot at 'truth in advertising'.
A third party has to offer an alternative to the class warfare waged on America by Congress, and frankly,
I still believe most Americans are too complacent, and care more about who wins American Idol than
who wins the White House. Seems like they are going to continue to get what they deserve, being screwed!***
Agree or disagree, I'd like to hear from you.
(Rusty@ringsports.com)
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