10/03/06 - 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.
"Billy Soose, the Champion Time Forgot" #31809co-authored by Tom Donelson, is also available. Soose was the
middleweight champion of the world, beating greats like 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 at Authorhouse.com
(book id #31809) and other fine on-line outlets. Sales have been strong.
My newest book, "Woozel, Boxing and Me", #31810 (now ready to purchase) is a compilation of funny and true
boxing stories, oddities and quotes, will be out within the next few weeks. "Woozel, Boxing and Me" is a final tribute
to my best friend of more than 25 years, who attended many boxing events with me. She passed away from colon cancer
in Feb. 2004. The early demand for this true, and in my not-so-humble opinion, one of the funniest boxing books
ever written, has been strong. For advance ordering or to purchase an autographed copy, please advise me ASAP.
Mark Your Calendar:
Oct. 14, 2005...World Boxing Hall of Fame induction, LAX Marriott...Call 909-239-3541...Inductees includes
Roberto Duran, Matthew Saad Muhammad, Julian Jackson, Eddie Perkins and many more. Fans would not want to miss
this tribute to some truly great boxing people. This event figures to bring out a packed house, so make your reservations early.***
Most people I know are calling the fight between Edison Miranda and Arthur Abraham, in Germany, the
‘fight of the year’. Wish I had seen it, but sadly, all I can report is the old news, that Abraham won
a unanimous decision, although fighting with a broken jaw early on, and bleeding throughout much of the
fight. A lot of points were deducted from Miranda during this brawl, and that may have proved to be the difference.***
Four important fights this weekend. In Chicago, a fight card headed by Nicolai Valuev taking on veteran Monte
Barrett in an important heavyweight encounter. Barrett can fight, but he’s also very inconsistent. So far,
we’ve seen the same solid Valuev in all his bouts. If you’ve got to pick it, look for the Russian to KO
Barrett, who needs this fight to stay in contention.
On the undercard highly regarded Paul Briggs takes on Tomasz Adamek in a light-heavyweight match-up. I’ll
take Adamek to stop Briggs midway.***
At Mandalay Bay in Vegas, Diego Corrales and Joel Casamayor clash, and if their heads don’t (clash) I look for
Diego to stop the Cuban southpaw. But if they bang heads, which I think they will, the winner will be the
fighter ahead on the cards at that time, and that could be Casamayor.
An interesting undercard fight features champ Vic Darchinyan taking on hard punching Glen Donaire. A war
should break out here, and an upset it possible, but I’ll take Darchinyan to win via a late stoppage.***
Finally, if you can find it in your heart to help keep the world famous Kronk Gym open, please e-mail me and
I’ll give you the address where to send your donations.***
Agree or disagree, (not about my age) I’d like to hear from you. (Rusty@ringsports.com)
Glove2Glove:
Please say prayers for long time promoter and friend, Moe Smith, who has been having some ongoing heart related
problems. Prayers also for the return to health of top of the line referee Chuck Hassett who is reportedly
battling prostate cancer.
Patti Brandenburg continues to have health problems and continues to need your help via prayers.
Prayers for the soul of kickboxer/boxer Shelby “Girl” Walker who was found dead in the home at age 31. Also
prayers for the soul of famed Mexican/American boxing scribe Jose Antonio Vasquez-Delatorre who passed away at age 77.
Prayers for the return to health of Cindy Luna, 39, niece of RS.com’s outstanding West Coast photographer,
Ray Luna. Cindy who has survived a health scare and has returned home.
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 going to re-cooperate at his California home with his closest relatives. Dennis is 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 recovery of good friend and great boxing guy Norm Cote, Past President of the
World Boxing Hall of Fame, who is undergoing dialysis three times a week. Norm’s a great guy and a
fighter and we have to be there in his corner.
Prayers also for former World Boxing Hall of Fame President Charlie Casas who are having some severe health problems as well.
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: Gas prices are coming down, the obvious meaning, another election must be upcoming.
As always the economy will be one of the burning issues with the electorate.
A lot of Americans are upset because of the recent attacks on President Bush at the United Nations. Actually,
ignoring the insults (freedom of speech) is the American way. We are big enough to take the insults. Besides,
I know of few Americans of either political persuasion who hasn’t called our elected leaders far worse.
How many other countries allow the leaders of opposing belief systems to come into our homeland and allow them
to speak their mind freely? This should be a lesson in freedom to all the third world countries.
Freedom of speech is what makes America great and is a blessing that is looked up to by many nations throughout
the World, since they know from experience that it would never happen in their homelands.
The elected leaders of Venezuela and Iran have the same right to speak freely in this great land as anyone
else has, and since they were invited by the United Nations, they actually deserve more rights than illegal
aliens, who we foolishly allow to vote and negate the ballots of real American citizens. This stupidity
makes one wonder if this criminal element (coming into America uninvited is against the law) is what so
many Americans gave their lives for.
Voters should have to prove their citizenship to claim the right to vote. Thanks to a bunch of left wing
Democrats and many less than conservative Republicans, neither whom gives a damn about what the American
people want, say that asking people to prove their legality is ‘racial profiling’. These clowns just don’t
get it! They are supposed to represent legal Americans not alien lawbreakers.
President Bush has been called many things, that goes with his job, but ‘Devil’? He may well be the worst
President of my generation, but calling him the ‘Devil’ is a stretch, even for me.
As for ‘the smell of sulfur’ at the U.N. that Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez spoke of, that may have been the
wind blowing the wrong way from across the river, from the many chemical plants in New Jersey.
Also, there is a solution for Iraq. Let’s find a strong man, like Saddam power wise, who would rule with an iron
hand, but without the killing or torture that their last President used, and a man who can be a trusted ally
of America and free world interests.
I hope that I’m wrong, but I am becoming more and more convinced that no real democracy is going to work in that
part of the world. These people, except for Israel, have never known democracy, and probably never will.
A strong leader may be the only way out of this mess, which we blundered into, thanks to false intelligence
(is that an oxy-moron)?
However, finding someone to fill that bill is a tall order, and I don’t think we should be forcing our preference
of strongman to be leader of Iraq, or any other country. That choice should be made by the people. This
approach seems to make the most sense.
A strong leader in Iraq could save a lot of lives and hopefully prevent an all-out civil war, if we’re not
already mixed up in one, in the cradle of civilization.
Pray for wisdom from Washington (yes, even from this crop of elected leaders, it is possible) and for our
troops on the ground in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Have a great week.
Agree, disagree or just want to help? I'd love to hear from you.
(Rusty@ringsports.com)
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