Rusty Rubin is a veteran boxing writer

Quick!!! Call the police, Call the Federales, Call the Nevada Athletic Commission…Report the robbery of Manny Pacquiao and the gift given in kind to Tim Bradley.

All I can say is I’ve seen a lot of bad decisions in my time, and this one may take it’s spot in my top five (or less).

All those who bet on Bradley should give their new found money to a charity other than the Pac-Man Foundation…(okay, he may actually have one).

Some folks think this decision will bring new interest and blood to our sport. Why? Is it becoming as set-up as pro wrestling?

Sorry, judges, but even at my most generous, I could not score more than four rounds for Bradley, and that was being generous.***

This week, on the 16th an interesting heavyweight bout takes place in Newark, NJ., when Tomasz Adamek, who makes his home there, takes on Eddie Chambers from nearby Philadelphia.

Chambers is five years younger, but other than that there is little to make this prediction easy.

Adamek 45-2-1 (28), has lost to Vitali Klitschko and Chad Dawson, while Chambers 36-2-1 (18) has lost to the younger of the Ukraine brothers, Wladimir.

The fight is on NBC Sports Network and is a tough one to pick. Take Adamek, only on the basis of slightly tougher foes.***

On HBO on the 16th, from El Paso, Texas, Julio Caesar Chavez Jr. puts his 45-0 (31) mark on the line facing Andy Lee, a 28 year old southpaw who sports a record of 28-1 (20), for the WBC middleweight title.

It’s not an easy fight and probably will go to the judge’s scorecards. I’ll predict that Chavez comes out on top, assuming these judges are more on top of their game than those who scored the Bradley – Pacquiao fight last weekend.
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Rusty Rubin is a veteran boxing writer

The interesting fight of the week involves Tim Bradley taking on Manny “Pac Man” Pacquiao at the MGM Grand on June 9, for the WBO welterweight crown.

It’s an important fight for both fighters, as Bradley is reportedly broke and will get a big payday win or lose.

For Pac Man, who has pretty much decided on calling it a career soon, he obviously wants to go out on top. He knows that the match with Floyd Mayweather is probably never going to happen, so he continues to fight what’s left of a pretty week welterweight division.

Is Bradley weak, at 28, he is still young enough to be a force when Pacquiao and Mayweather retire, and at 28-0- (12), he has a few advantages here. He’s five years younger than Pac Man, and sports a two inch reach advantage.

Pacquiao, 33, is ½ inch shorter and a southpaw. He comes in with a 54-3-2 mark with thirty eight coming via the “KO” route.

Here’s the big difference in my mind. Pacquiao is the better puncher by far and has fought much better fighters. He also is an aggressive fighter on the inside, which may well neutralize Bradley’s jab.

I can see only three ways Bradley can come out on top. An accidental head butt causing a stoppage, Pac Man getting ill before the fight, or injuring himself while entering the ring.

I just can’t see anyway that Bradley can win this fight. But I’m glad he’ll be getting a much needed payday.

Pacquiao by an easy decision.

Glove 2 Glove:

Prayers for the soul of former champ Johnny Tapia, 45, current top contender from Thailand Thangthong Kiattawoosk, 35, (unsure of spelling of last name) and trainer Big Bob Murray.

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.

Hate to add a young boxer to this list, but former champ Paul Williams was involved in a motorcycle accident and needs your prayers for a full recovery.

Tony Triem is also in need of your prayers, as is L.H. Dalton and Marilyn Johnson.

Please 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? 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 the recipient 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!

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.***

Keep punching, always….Rusty

Rusty Rubin is a veteran boxing writer

What figured to be two of the more exciting fights upcoming were cancelled when two fighters tested positive for performance enhancing drugs.

All athletic commissions should enforce these laws. If the fighter can’t win legitimately, in the ring, without banned substances, he’s more of a coward than a fighter.

I personally have a zero tolerance policy towards anyone in boxing, or any sport, that has to resort to illegal drugs to win a fight. Heart and skill should be more than enough. All boxers take note, no one convicted of taking these banned drugs will ever get my vote for the Hall of Fame. I only wish other sportswriters would have the same courage.***

One major fight this weekend and it’s a tough one to predict.

The bout takes place in Nottingham, England between native born Carl Froch and Lucien Bute. The fight is for the IBF Super Middleweight title.

Bute a fast and smooth southpaw, originally from Romania and now fights out of Canada is two years younger and sports a 30-0 record with 24 coming via the knockout route.

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Rusty Rubin is a veteran boxing writer

A lot of sports will be televised this Saturday, and while nothing, including the Kentucky Derby (wish I could get down there again) is easy to pick, the fight between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Miguel Cotto might be the easiest, as they will be featured at the MGM in Vegas for a 12-rounder for Mayweather’s WBA super welterweight title on PPV.

It’s not that Mayweather is unbeatable (although he has been up till now), except for Manny Pacquiao, there is not a lot of talent out there, and I won’t hold my breath waiting for that fight to ever happen.

So exactly what tools does Cotto bring into the fight? Age is one advantage. At 31, Cotto brings a four year advantage here. Neither is a big enough puncher to expect a quick KO, although both have more than ample power to wear the other down.

Cotto has other problems, mainly Mayweather’s speed (foot and hand), his two reach disadvantage to Floyd makes it imperative to get inside, and to get inside you first have to catch Mayweather or slow him down with a power punch or two.

On paper, Floyd, 42-0 (26), it seems like an easy mis-match. I just can see no way that Cotto can out-speed him.

Mayweather should be able to land enough punches to either stop Cotto late, or win an easy unanimous decision.***

Time Magazine recently had an issue listing the most influential people in the world. I’d like to take that item to the readers of this column. Please e-mail me your top 10 boxers in the past 75 years and why. I also feel that the same poll should include the top 10 non-fighters who have had a major influence on the sport. Your help will be appreciated and my personal choices for both will appear in this column next week.
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Rusty Rubin is a veteran boxing writer

In Atlantic City on April 28, “Bad” Chad Dawson faces a rematch with “The Executioner” Bernard Hopkins who, despite his age, 47, keeps on fighting.

Despite his age, Hopkins can still fight, boasting a 52-5 record with 32 knockouts.

Hopkins last fight, against the same Chad Dawson, wound up as a two round non-decision in Los Angeles. Verdicts like that happen when an orthodox fighter meets a southpaw, which Dawson is.

Dawson 29, has a record of 30-1 with 17 coming by was of KO. His only loss was to Jean Pascal.
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Rusty Rubin is a veteran boxing writer

A very interesting and possibly very entertaining match this week, from Mexico City, for the WBO interim lightweight title.

What makes this bout interesting is that one fighter Serhiy Fedochenko is from the Ukraine and has fought all is fights, except his last one there. I haven’t seen him, but clearly there is some confusion as to his first name. Is it Serhiy of Sergey. I’ll go with Sergey who enters this tough match against Juan Manuel Marquez, with a record of 30-1 with 13 knockouts.

Fedortenko has not fought any ‘names’ and that’s what makes it tough to find a way to make a solid pick.

On paper, Juan Manuel Marquez is the only name that viewers will know and he is fighting on his home turf.

Marquez 38, one of the best Mexican fighters that ever donned a pair of gloves is aging a bit, but has never lost the heart that Hispanic fighters are known for. He has taken on all the iron in his division and gave them all his best.

Marquez enters the fray with a 53-6-1- mark and has 39 KO’s. One of those losses was to Chris John in Indonesia, a fight everyone who saw it (except the judges) say Marquez one. JMM will probably call it a career soon, but most fighters who retire don’t stay retired for very long.

Marquez has much the same problem this writer has, in never having seen his seven year younger opponent and not knowing what to expect. It could be the fight that upsets are made of.

But if Fedorchenko is seeking an upset, he came to the wrong place to fight the wrong opponent. Marquez is still one of the toughest fighters around and is fighting on his home turf.

Fedortenko may surprise Marquez but he certainly will not lost to him. Marquez by stoppage.
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Rusty Rubin is a veteran boxing writer

This is catch-up time as there are no major fights this week.

Last week I noted that HBO judge and commentator Harold Lederman will be inducted into the New York State Boxing Hall of Fame.

I located the rest of the list that I obviously couldn’t locate at the time of my last writing. Along with Lederman being inducted in the non-participant category are Jimmy Glenn; Ray Arcel; Gil Clancey;  Steve Acunto; Arthur Mercante Sr., Bill Gallo and Nat Fleisher. In the participant category we find: : Mike Tyson; Sugar Ray Robinson; Riddick Bowe; Vito Antofurtmo; Mike McCallum; Tony Canzoneri; Carmen Basilio; Benny Leonard; Gene Tunney; Carlos Ortiz; Emile Griffith and Jake LaMotta.

A lot of old friends getting their just rewards. Congratulations to all.

The event will be held at Russo’s on the Bay in Howard Beach, NY…Doors will open at 12:30 and more info can be had by calling 716-728-4862.***

I  write this column early, not because I played ‘favorites’ in last weeks picks, but because boxing lost a friend in Bert Randolph Sugar, who past away from lung cancer.

Boxing lost a lot when it lost it’s best known spokesman and most of us in the media lost a good friend.

Speaking for myself, I had spent many enjoyable times with Bert, and although I haven’t seen him for about six years, he always had a warm hug and lit cigar for me. (fortunately, I had stopped smoking many years earlier). I have a lot of stories about Bert and if I can locate the issue of Ring Sports that I did an interview with him in, I will publish it again on this site…. Continue reading In Rusty’s Corner →

Rusty Rubin is a veteran boxing writer

HBO judge Harold Lederman will be inducted into the New York State Boxing Hall of Fame. Congratulations to an old friend and the others who deservedly will be inducted with him.

Although Nevada has become the Mecca of boxing in the U.S. there is no Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame. I guess it’s understandable as I find it hard to find any native born people worthy, except maybe Gina Carano.

Nevada has had some great refs like Mills Lane and judges who were born elsewhere. The same can be said of the many well known writers of past and present. If being native born is the criteria, it may be a long time until there are enough people qualified.***

Two watch able fights this weekend, although not necessarily exciting ones. Both are hard to figure.

NBC Sports will be showing a card from Brooklyn New York, featuring native son Zab Judah in the main event. The fight is for the WBC lightweight crown.

While I can’t see Judah losing before the hometown crowd, he is 34 years old and his best days seem far behind them. Add to that equation the fact that he faces undefeated 24 year old Vincent Paris (22-0 (15), and you just may have the ingredients for an upset.

Judah, a southpaw who hasn’t shown a lot of power in his 4` wins (only three via the KO route), is a good boxer but clearly has seen better days, and perhaps better opponents.

Paris is a harder hitter and seems to be on his way up. Still it’s hard to see him winning a decision over Judah in Brooklyn. My guess is he needs a KO.
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