Rusty Rubin is a veteran boxing writer

With this lull in big-name boxing, I figured I’d take the opportunity to answer a few questions that have piled up in recent months.

In my last column I listed and answered five questions that are often asked to me. There were a couple I saved for this week, but I really got stuck on one of them and figured this response requires the most thought.

Even giving this much time to think it over, I can’t come up with a complete answer, so I will ask the readers to get back to me with theirs. This is not a right or wrong answer, simply one that requires some differing points of view.

The question and I ask everyone to respond, is ‘who are the top ten pound-for- pound fighters in the world today?

Sounds easy, right? Well, where to you go after Pacquiao, Mayweather, Juan Manual Marquez, Shane Mosley, and perhaps the other Marquez kin?
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Rusty Rubin is a veteran boxing writer

With this lull in big-name boxing, I figured I’d take the opportunity to answer a few questions that have piled up in recent months. 

1) Do I foresee the magazine or the website coming back?
A) Not at this point in time, at least not with me in charge. In my senior years I look forward to being as lazy as possible. 

2) Do I make more money writing for other sites than I did owning my own?
A) Didn’t make money on either. My rewards are the many friends I made over the years, far more valuable than the money (at least to me). 

3) Will boxing ever reach the heights again?
A) Probably, but not in my lifetime. Boxing has too many problems to cope with right now, including the extra competition from the MMA. The problem can best be seen in the lack of boxing gyms and the quickening (and sickening) demise of the amateur program. It’s also why we see so few exciting fighters on the horizon. 

4) Best pound for pound fighter ever? (more…)

Rusty Rubin is a veteran boxing writer

Congratulations to David Martinez, boxing guru, on three great years for his website, dmboxing.com.

It’s been a long time since I last watched soccer, so I decided to give it another chance. I saw the second half of the USA v. Ghana, and found little/no excitement in it. They call if football, but I don’t see it. My opinion only, but I found it boring. I tried to compare it to boxing, but the only thing these two sports seemed to have in common are the dives some of the athletes take.

Like I said, soccer is not for everyone, and for those who can say that they really enjoyed the event, great. I’m looking forward to four years from now, for the next major soccer event. A long time in this case, at least for this old scribe, is not soon enough. But until then I can watch real sports, news and the always dumb infomercials on the idiot box.***

The Los Angeles based World Boxing Hall of Fame event will be held on November 19, at the Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas. Among the new honorees expected to attend are Julio Cesar Chavez, Mike Tyson, Dwight Muhammad Qawi and Bennie Briscoe. In the expanded category, Graham Houston, Jimmy Montoya and Joe Goossen get their well-earned rewards as well.***

In the who gives a damn department, the aforementioned Mike Tyson may forego his Hall of Fame award to fight again, this time against Evander Holyfield.
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Rusty Rubin is a veteran boxing writer

Allow me to re-state something I have said many times before, that boxing people, as a whole, are among the finest people in the world. They are hard-working, blue collar folks, who when they get to know you, will give you the shirt off their backs in the middle of winter. That’s the main reason I’ve been involved with the sport for many, many years. 

The 100th anniversary of the Jack Johnson – Jim Jeffries fight will be celebrated in Reno, NV. from July 1-4. Among some of the names expected to be on hand are George Foreman and Ray ‘Boom Boom Mancini’. For more information please call the Grand Sierra Hotel in Reno. 

It wasn’t hard to see the upset that I gave out in my last column. This week an upset win is harder to see. 

American Olympian Andre Ward is fighting in his hometown of Oakland, California, and his opponent is not a big puncher. I just can’t see any major problems for him on June 19th. 

Ward, 26, and undefeated at 23-0, isn’t a big puncher, winning only fifty percent of his fights via the Knockout route. Ward is four years younger and has fought some tougher opposition than his opponent, 30 year old Allan Green. 

Green, 30, hails from Tulsa, OK. and sports an impressive record of 29-1 with 20 Knockouts. 

Greene has fought seven times more than Ward, so he’s far from a pushover. At 6’2”, he’s got a slight height advantage over Ward, but it’s negated because they both have the same reach. 
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Rusty Rubin is a veteran boxing writer

The Los Angeles based World Boxing Hall of Fame event will be held on November 19, at the Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas. Among the new honorees expected to attend are Julio Casar Chavez, Mike Tyson, Dwight Qawi and Bennie Briscoe. In the expanded category, Graham Houston, Jimmy Montoya and Joe Goossen get their well-earned rewards as well.***

The Canastota based International Boxing Hall of Fame has their inductions on the June 10 -13th weekend. It’s always a fun-filled event….For more information please call 315-697-7095 or go to their website IBHOF.com.

The 100th anniversary of the Jack Johnson – Jim Jeffries fight will be celebrated in Reno from July 1-4. Among some of the names expected to be on hand are George Foreman and Ray ‘Boom Boom Mancini’. For more information please call the Grand Sierra Hotel in Reno.
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Rusty Rubin is a veteran boxing writer

There are some fights that you can’t rate because of the match-up in styles. The one on Saturday night between big southpaw Paul Williams and tough Kermit Cintron is one of them.

Williams, a tall, 28 year old southpaw, with a huge reach and a solid chin takes on a foe who is two years older, prefers to fight inside, and who gives up eight inches in reach as well as two inches in height.

Williams, 38-1, is a counter puncher, who has a bit of an awkward style, and hasn’t really shown the ability to develop a great jab, considering his reach of 82”. His only loss was to Carlos Quintana.

Cintron also has a solid chin to go along with a 32-2-1 record. The trick here is to get inside the long arms of Williams and take advantage of experience, which is why Cintron has a chance to pull this one out.
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Rusty Rubin is a veteran boxing writer

I’ll take the two our of three winners last weekend and look ahead to one big fight on May 1, in Las Vegas.

For those of you who may be unable to read, be punch-drunk, or just inebriated, I refer to the upcoming fight between undefeated Floyd Mayweather Jr. and tough Shane Mosley. The fight takes place at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Most of the folks who saw Shane in his prime considered him the fastest puncher around, now at 38, he has found some power and looks even stronger than before. This could have been a classic about five years ago, and, it still can be.

Mayweather, 33, 40-0 (25) relies on two things speed and fighting older and slower fighters. Both figures exist against Mosley, 38, 46-5, (39).

Shane seems to have found himself again and he is not going to be an easy mark for Mayweather, who holds the speed advantage. Shane holds the edge in height and reach and he has the power to hurt Mayweather if he lands early.
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Rusty Rubin is a veteran boxing writer

Lucien Bute looked like a seasoned pro in stopping Edison Miranda in round three. It was a big step up and a learning experience for the Canadian. My other pick of the night was Kelly Pavlik over Sergio Martinez, also wrong. Pavlik cut early and was not able to be competitive in the final three –four rounds. Should make for a strong rematch.***

It’s been a long time since I lost two picks in a row. Time to see if I can either change things around or continue this unpleasant streak. Fortunately there are three excellent fights to choose from.

In Denmark, Mikkel Kessler takes on undefeated Carl Froch from the U.K. in what figures to b e an interesting match. Kessler, 42-2 is a year younger and has faced higher qualify foes. Froch, 26-0, has a small reach advantage but will that be enough to defeat Kessler in his homeland?

I don’t think so. Kessler by decision.

Then we have a couple of exciting bouts on HBO, one a heavyweight match between veterans Tomasz Adamek, 33, taking on Chris Arreola, 29.

Arreola’s only loss was to Vitali Klitschko which is a bit more respectable than Adameks defeat at the hands of Chad Dawson. Not that Dawson can’t fight, he can but he’s certainly doesn’t match up with Klitschko..
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Rusty Rubin is a veteran boxing writer

Allow me to continue to recommend two excellent books, “The Arc of Boxing” by Mike Silver and “My Life among the Icons” by my Los Angeles based friend, Johnny “The Flash” Ortiz. Both are great reads.

Sad news for all of boxing as Hall of Fame referee and good friend Arthur Mercante Sr. passed away at age 90. He will be missed.

Two fights of major interest this week, Kelly Pavlik meets Sergio Martinez in Atlantic City, where the younger Pavlik, 28, figures to prevail. Martinez, 35, is no slouch so you should be in for an exciting event.

Pavlik has 36 wins, with his only loss coming at the hands of Bernard Hopkins. Miranda 44-2-1, is a southpaw whose only losses have been to Antonio Margarito and Paul Williams.
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Rusty Rubin is a veteran boxing writer

Allow me to recommend two excellent books, “The Arc of Boxing” by Mike Silver and “My Life among the Icons” by my Los Angeles based friend, Johnny “The Flash” Ortiz. Both are great reads.

Upcoming, on May 15th, the “Battle of the Badges”

On the professional scene, while I have longed believed that the Nevada State Athletic Commission is the best around, I also believe that licensing the heavyweight fight in Vegas between Frans Botha and Evander Holyfield, was not in the best interest of the sport, but rather the best economic interest of Nevada.

Let’s be clear, I wouldn’t even accept payment to view this event, let alone pay for it.

If I wanted to watch dinosaurs, I could also rent “Jurassic Park”. It would be cheaper and far more exciting. I give this fight a rating of five fingers, all pointed south. I don’t believe it’s worth watching, even for free, which it’s not.

Want a pick. No chance here. I don’t even care.
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