Rusty Rubin is a veteran boxing writer
I again request that all readers refer to the end of this column and also do their share to help myself and others in the fight against cancer. FYI, I do not have cancer and no one in my family has ever had it, so I’ve been blessed. I’m asking for stories of inspiration and miracles, not money. Your stories can help prolong and hopefully save many lives.
I can’t think of a better time than the post – Christmas season to share your blessings with those who are in dire need of help. (Please refer to bottom of this article).
I wish that all of our readers had a great Christmas and also my sincere wishes to all for the New Year.
I didn’t make any resolutions for 2013, but I do have some observations to share with all.
It doesn’t help boxing to have judges such as they have in Florida, who still needs Seeing Eye dogs and canes. It’s long past- time to clean up boxing in the Sunshine State.
We lost a lot of good boxing folks over the last year and they will be missed. I lost a lot of friends, and that’s something that’s hard to replace as one grows older, but that’s normal for all of us.
I was very happy glad see Evander Holyfield retire from boxing. He was once a great champion, but in recent years he had become a shell of his former self and was not helping to improve the image of boxing, but few were.
Of course now heavyweight Brian Nielsen wants to make a comeback at age 47…Why? Comeback from what exactly? Did anyone even notice he was gone? Well if he can add some excitement to boxing, I’m all for it, but I have serious doubts.
The Pacquiao – Mayweather blockbuster did not happen, but Juan Manuel Marquez pulled the shocker of the year by knocking out Pac Man in the sixth round. This shouldn’t diminish the value of the Mayweather – Pacquiao fight as that’s still the fight the readers want to see the most. Marquez, at age 39, has proven once and for all he belongs as one of the all time greats.
Now some people are saying that Pac – Man has early signs of Parkinson’s. If so, he should retire now. As exciting a fighter as he is, his health must take precedent.
My personal opinion, for whatever its worth is that Pac Man is saving all his energy for a big money and final fight with Mayweather…Yes, I still think it will happen, and I would be far from shocked if Pacquiao took Mayweather apart.
In fairness, the boxing gyms are still closing faster than we can open new ones and the recent Olympics didn’t do a lot for America for our sport either, and with the increased fan enjoyment of various forms of MMA, boxing is indeed in a slump.
On the other side of the coin, history shows that boxing, like most other sports is cyclical, and has been around since the early days of the Greek empire. It will return again, but perhaps not in my/our lifetime.
Mike Tyson seems to have turned the corner and is acting like a good will ambassador for our sport. Something I’m very pleased to see.
I wish Muhammad Ali a great 71st birthday in January.
Well known boxing broadcaster and aficionado Rich Marotta is, along with a group of other very knowledgeable boxing folks, starting a well needed Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame.
While no date or location has been announced yet, the electors did an outstanding job in their voting for the first class to be inducted, a great job and an A+ rating from this old scribe.
Here is the list of the first to be enshrined: Mike Tyson; Mike McCallum; Diego Corrales; Julio Cesar Chavez; Larry Holmes; Oscar de la Hoya and ‘Sugar’ Ray Leonard in the boxing category.
Others include legendary trainer Eddie Futch; his top pupil Freddy Roach:
Promoters to be inducted are Bob Arum and Don King.
Referees Mills Lane and Joe Cortez will be enshrined as well as outstanding journalists Al Bernstein and Royce Feour.
Mark Ratner and James Nave along with Sid Rogich and Kirk Kirkorian are also to be inducted.
I am also pleased to note that three of my boxing friends, Virgil Hill, Mills Lane and Jimmy Lennon Jr. will be inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame on June 6-9th, in Canastota, NY.
Also inducted posthumously is Arturo Gatti, Myung-Woo Yuh and journalist Colin Hart.
For further information, check out www.ibhof.com.
Glove 2 Glove:
Please say prayers for the soul of former Chicago boxer Johnny Lira who passed away a few weeks back, as well as boxing promoter Robert Morales Sr.
Al Mellon Andrews passed on at the age of 81. Well known and beloved timekeeper Arnie Koslow left us at age 88. Middleweight contender Willie Vaughn has passed away at the age of 80. Boxer Lee Sala also left us at age 86. Prayers for the souls of all will be greatly appreciated.
In need of your prayers for their return to health are former boxing champ Wilfredo Benitez and Midwest promoter Fred Berns.
Former heavyweight champ Ken Norton can use your prayers to help him recover from a serious illness. Prayers are also requested for boxing guy Reginald Boucher, father in law of boxing writer Keith Teciera. Reginald is battling cancer.
Prayers for the return to health of outstanding boxing guys Alex “The Bronx Bomber” Ramos. Alex has done much to improve the welfare of retired boxers. Your prayers for him have worked in the past. Alex is still facing some serious obstacles.
Health problems also facing another friend, Roger Davidson, who can use your prayers and ‘all the help he can get’.
Young ex-champ Paul Williams was involved in a motorcycle accident and needs your prayers for a full recovery.
Prayers also requested for the recovery of former champ Rocky Lockridge.
Tony Triem is also in need of your prayers, as is L.H. Dalton.
A friend, Marilyn Johnson has been diagnosed with A.L. S. and can use all the prayer power we can muster.
Please continue to pray for my Aussie mate and Glove2Glove member John MacDougall, who had to deal with the recent passing of his wife of many years, Gwen. John is also recovering from hip replacement surgery.
Also prayers for the recovery of outstanding referee Mills Lane and Denis Wilcox.
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 former champ Gerald McClellan, who is confined to wheelchairs.
On behalf of these great fighters who have given their all in our great sport, we thank you for your ongoing prayers.
Do you know of any boxing people in need of spiritual uplifting and/or prayers? Join Glove to Glove….Just drop us a line. Membership to our prayer group is free to all and no one will ever contact you except for other prayer requests. Your name will not suddenly appear on anyone’s mailing list. In short, there is absolutely no obligation. Every prayer request is most welcome and I know all the recipients will appreciate it.
Why? Because it’s healing to know that other people care, even about people they don’t know, and have the knowledge that God listens!
From our house to yours, Happy Holidays and the best for the New Year.
To join the Glove2Glove prayer group, or just request much needed prayers, drop Dave Wilcox a line at ubtdave@earthlink.net.
Glove2Glove, which has been a long-time integral part of the recently defunct Ringsports.com magazine and website. It is a program I wish to have continued a long after I have left the sport and this earth. I want to thank Dave and Deborah Wilcox, who have offered to take over the program and promised to continue it indefinitely. This generous offer means a lot to me. We always welcome new members.***
Thanks and God bless.***
Rusty Rubin, award winning managing editor of Ringsports.com as well as now defunct Nevada Boxing and Ringsports Magazine, is the author of three highly acclaimed boxing books! “Woozel, Boxing and Me”, “Off the Canvas” and “Billy Soose, the Champion Time Forgot” co-authored by Tom Donelson. These books are all available at Authorhouse.com, and all major book retailers. They are all more than worth the small purchase price, or contact me via this website for a personally autographed copy at a small extra shipping charge. All proceeds from these books go to fight cancer.
RUSTY WOULD LIKE TO URGE ALL HIS FRIENDS TO LIST THE FOLLOWING INFO ON YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA PAGE AS WELL AS YOUR E-MAIL. “HAVING BEEN BLESSED WITH SO MANY GREAT AND CARING PEOPLE IN MY LIFE, I HAVE CHOSEN NOT TO GET INVOLVED WITH NETWORKING; I’M JUST TOO DAMN OLD FOR THAT”.
HENCEFORTH, (or at least for the current quarter) ALL PROFITS FROM THE SALE OF ANY OR ALL OF THESE BOOKS WILL GO TO THE SUSAN G. KOMAN FOUNDATION, AND BE USED TO FIND A CURE FOR BREAST CANCER. . I ALSO CHALLENGE ALL OTHER JOURNALISTS, BOXING OR OTHERWISE, TO DO WHAT THEY CAN TO SUPPORT ME IN THIS EFFORT. IT’S ALSO CHANCE TO CHANGE THE PUBLIC OPINION OF THE PRESS AND OUR SPORT, AS WELL AS DOING SOMETHING REALLY IMPORTANT FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR WORLD.
MIRACLE NEEDED: For my next book to inspire others and do our share to fight cancer. If you have any to share, send them to Rustyrubin@sbcglobal.net, and in the subject matter write the word miracle. Let’s all do our part to help find a permanent cure for this dread disease! Names can be withheld by request as it’s the stories of inspiration that are most important. Please feel free to pass this request along to others who have experienced life changing experiences.
Together we may be able to find a cure for cancer and result in a much needed knockout win for the sport of boxing.
I now have some time to try to finish this latest work, which, God willing, will bring the world so much closer to finding a cure for cancer as well as improve the lives of others. Please send me your miracles at rustyrubin@sbcglobal.net
Finally, “My 2012 New Year’s resolution was to spend the rest of my life helping others, and I really need everyone’s help to do that.. Please step into the ring with me to add power to all the voices that are crying out for a cure for dread diseases.
Keep punching, always….Rusty