David Martinez Boxing

Rusty Rubin is a veteran boxing writer

Interesting an important fight at Madison Square Garden this week, on HBO PPV, and should be worth the price.

Miguel Cotto, from Puerto Rico lays his WBA Jr. Middleweight title on the line against hard punching (particularly with loaded gloves) Antonio Margarito from Mexico.

Since the fight will be in New York, you know the fans will be heavily in favor of Cotto, 36-2, (29), who, at 31, is two years younger than his foe, who defeated him in Las Vegas.

Margarito, 28-7, has a big height and reach advantage always seems to have problems with his defense, or lack of. If Cotto gets inside, consistently, he’ll have Margarito fighting off the ropes and canvas most of the fight.
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Rusty Rubin is a veteran boxing writer

Since there’s a bit of a lull in major events right now, I heave decided to use most of this space to answering many questions that I get over the course of a year.

The most frequent question asked of me is; ‘is Ring Sports Magazine or the website up for sale’? The simple answer is yes, if the buyer can prove to me that he can maintain the quality we had over the years. It’s not the money here, but the hard-earned reputation. If agreement on a sale is reached, I will return whatever original investments there were, and donate the remainder to the Susan Komen Foundation for breast cancer research.

‘If my best friend “Woozel” died of colon cancer, why am I working on helping those with breast cancer’? The answer to that one is simple; I believe that once a gene is found to cure breast cancer, we are that much closer to the cure of many other cancers. Cancer is an ugly disease and it’s long past time that it is wiped off the face of the Earth. Even if we can save just one life, we are doing a very important thing as well as sending an important message.

‘Are back issues of the magazine available and if so, for how much money’? Most back issues are and the cost is $1.00 per issue plus postage. I’ve tried to keep them as it’s still my memory and my gift to the sport of boxing. If you want a specific issue, we’ll try to find it for you for an extra 50 cents for the labor. We many even have pictures of your favorite fighter….We can check that out for you and charge accordingly…Again, in any event ALL proceeds after the labor of finding and mailing, will go to the Omen Foundation.

A lot of people want to know ‘how I see the Pacquiao – Mayweather fight’. Simply put, although it’s a mega fight, it probably will never happen. Mayweather doesn’t seem to want to step up to the plate, and if he ever does, he probably will be a lot older and slower than he is today.
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Rusty Rubin is a veteran boxing writer

It’s not baseball, but I lost a double-header with my picks last week. No crying over spilled milk here, Bernard Hopkins vs. Chad Dawson, at worst should been called a no-contest when he was back-flipped and suffered a shoulder injury on Saturday night.

Jorge Linares was well ahead on the scorecards, when Antonio DeMarco landed some solid punches and stopped him in round 10. Linares could have backed away and won the fight on the cards, but as we have seen many times before, that Latino machismo wouldn’t allow that to happen.

Time to like our wounds and move on.

This week we have what should be an action packed fight from Madison Square Garden in New York.

Nonito Donaire, 26-1 (18) puts his WBC bantamweight crown on the line against veteran Omar Navarez, 35-0-2 (23) who holds the WBO title.

Normally I don’t like battles between two southpaws because they tend to be dull, but I just can’t see either of this battlers doing anything but letting loose.

Donaire, 28, is eight years younger than Navarez, who seems to do all his fighting (and winning) in Argentina. Taking nothing away from Navarez, it’s hard to comment on a fighter you rarely if ever see.

But the sheet says Donaire also has the edge in the height and reach department, and his only loss came ten years ago.

On paper a great action fight, but I’ll go with Donaire who should be the favorite of the NYC crowd.

Nonito by stoppage.
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Rusty Rubin is a veteran boxing writer

This Saturday, October 8, in the Philippines, local favorite Donnie Nietes takes on tough Mexican Ramon Garcia for the WBO light flyweight title.

I’m never completely sure of the fighters in these smaller weight classes. The one thing I do know is that these guys can mix it up with anyone.

Nietes, 29, comes in with a 28-1-3 record with 16 knockouts. Those three draws causes a bit of wonder, as does his one loss in Indonesia, not always noted for having the best officials.

Garcia 16-2-1, (19) is also 29, but he is a southpaw.

All this brings to mind that this will probably be an offensive blood bath, (and I’ve been at ringside for a few) ending early, perhaps even early enough to go to a non-decision.

But having seen little to none of either fighter, I’ll take the local favorite, Nietes, by an early TKO.
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Rusty Rubin is a veteran boxing writer
This Saturday, September 3, in Biloxi, Mississippi, Andre Berto and Jan Zaveck clash for the IBF welterweight title in a match televised on HBO.

Zaveck, 35, from Slovenia, is not well known in this country and his list of foes is not the ‘Who’s Who’ in the division. That doesn’t mean he can’t fight and can’t score a major upset here.

Zaveck boasts a record of 31-1 with 18 of those wins coming via the knockout route. His only loss was via a split decision in November of 2008.

Berto, 27, is considered by many as one of the top welterweights in the world and comes into this match at 27-1 with 21 knockouts. His only loss was in his last fight against Victor Ortiz, who, as a result, will be fighting Floyd Mayweather. The winner of that fight is likely to fight Manny Pacquiao next.

Berto has fought better known competition; he’s eight years younger than Zaveck and has a ½” edge in height.

This looks like an easy win for Berto, but in boxing, nothing is easy. Just because Zaveck hasn’t fought the ‘names’ in boxing doesn’t mean he can’t win in this interesting mach.

But, in this case I just don’t see it happening. The younger and seemingly stronger Berto should stop Zaveck somewhere in the middle rounds.
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