TALKIN BOXIN 
by Howie Reed 
November 24, 2002

"HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL AND TO ALL A GOOD DAY". Who said that? That of course would be the Thanksgiving Turkey that just found out that he’s being saved for Christmas.

THE week ended with three "big fights" in three different locations. In Dortman Germany Vitali Klitschko (32-1 stopped Larry Donald (39-3-2) in the 10th round. If you watched Ward-Gatti you saw the finish of this one. One service writer says that "Donald never landed a serious punch the entire fight." Why that should be a surprise to someone is a mystery. This was Donald’s 44 fights and the same could be said about his previous 43. He got the fight and the payday through the good graves of Donald King and the WBA. Interesting that in the crowd was Don King rooting for Klitschko. Why would he do that? Why would he root against his own fighter? Cause I’ll bet you a MGD that he had the contract in his pocket for Lewis-Klitschko sometime next year. say April or May.

In Derby England Johnny Nelson (42-13-2) fought to a draw with Guillermo Jones (29-2-2) to protect his WBO Cruiserweight belt. I toss that result in to please both readers in the UK. Now to Ward (38-12) and Gatti (35-6). IT was a good fight, which in itself is a rarity in these days. It was an honest fight between two fighters. It was as one sided as the scores would indicate. ( 98-91, 98-91, 98-90 for Gatti.). Regardless it was entertaining to the last drop. Kudos to HBO for doing the buildup to the actual fight in black and white cica 1950’s Friday Bight Fights. Nice touch. Should there be a third Ward-Gatti fight? NO. Between fights one and two Ward got older and Gatti got younger. In the third round Gatti hit Ward with a tremendous right which land on the side of Wards head partially on the ear. Ward went down. He survived the round and fought back but the fight was really over from round three on. Good fight. Nice payday and now let’s move on.

For Ward a couple of fights and then farewell. Back to driving the steamroller. Gatti wants Tzysu but he ain’t going to get him. He couldn’t handle Tzysu. Gatti tried to move up in weight and got hammered by Oscar. "Nice promotional move by Gary Shaw on that one." There is Zab Judah and Shambra Mitchell out there on the horizon. Either would be a pretty good fight and the later (Mitchell) is now promoted by Shaw who is yelling like a stuck pig that no one will fight Mitchell. Of course what he means is that "no one will fight Mitchell and pay him the big bucks of a real fighter." God I love boxing.

IT is well documented that I am not the brightest light in the chandelier. If it is not at first apparent then I write about 4,000 words a week to prove the point. Being an old Geezer I have trouble with all the dam "touchy-feelie’ crap that’s been floating around the last 5 or 10 year’s. I don’t care what the soccer Mom’s think cause mostly they don’t. I don’t care about some poll taken of ignorant people. I don’t care what they think. I also don’t give a rat’s posterior about either their feelings or their opinions. They aren’t bright enough to have either. In the words of Dennis Miller, "I don’t love my enemies. Kill the bastards" The creeps that perpetrated September 11 and their enablers have NO RIGHTS. I shed no tears
for people in those country’s that are oil rich but keep their populace in servitude. Solve your own dam problems without getting in my pocket.

One of the last bastions of right and wrong has always been sport. In sport it was always black and white. You weren’t a little bit guilty or a little wrong. There was no degree of guilt. Now thanks to the "bleeding hearts" that blame everything either on the father that wasn’t there, the fact that the defendant is an ignoramus, culture differences or a Mother that didn’t show them love there is no right and no wrong. Not only in sport but in life. The major sports (baseball, football and basketball) now use the rulebook as a guideline. Someone breaks a rule they are sent to counseling for goodness sakes. "We mustn’t do anything that may harm the person." I like it even better when some bum takes drugs and he’s sentenced to "community service". "Just what I want. Some druggie loose in the community working with kids."

If the definition of Major Sport is ignoring the rules then last Wednesday, with the help of the Nevada State Athletic Commission (by a majority decision of 4-1), boxing made it’s bid to stay outside the big three. On that day the Commission in a public hearing had the chance to pat Fernando Vargas on the head, say I feel your pain and send him on his way. The rumor spread the day before the hearing that was going to happen. Of course what would a politically appointed commission be without some playing a little "touchy-feelie"..

 According to Kevin Iole of the RJ, "Homansky, *(that would be commission and vice chairman Dr. Flip) who was chiefly responsible for the implementation of the policy, argued that it would be of far greater benefit to educate athletes about the dangers of steroids instead of penalizing Vargas." What an ass. Nice that "other commissioners felt strongly that Vargas needed to be penalized." For taking steroids prior to his fight with Oscar De La Hoya the Nevada State Athletic Commission suspended him for 9 months, fined him $100,000 and indicated counseling . "Guys show some Kelsey’s. If you believe that he didn’t know about taking the steroids and if he said he would never do it again (forget that he didn’t know) then why the hell does he need counseling ?" .No don’t answer. . The amount of
the fine is a joke as Vargas got over 6 million for his fight with De La Hoya but heck the Commission got more right than wrong which is enough for a gold star..

The theory that Vargas might have skated was much more fact than fiction. "The commission started its steroid testing program in January. Commission vice chairman Dr. Flip Homansky said the first year of the program was mainly for educational purposes rather than to impose penalties. Homansky spearheaded the commission's testing program and voted no in the 4-1 vote for the fine and suspension. Commission chairman Luther Mack also sent out a memo dated July 1 saying there would be a period of leniency until Dec. 31." I did not see the Mack letter but I do know that when the positive test was reveled Mack said, "This will not be a slap on the wrist."

"Given Homansky's philosophy and Mack's letter, it appeared Vargas might receive little or no penalty. The commission's prestated position was too soft, but, unfortunately, it had gone on record so it appeared Vargas might not be suspended. Even a six-month suspension is virtually no suspension because a major fighter such as Vargas isn't going to fight in less than six months after a hard, debilitating fight."

Some may have forgotten that after the contest with Mr. Oscar, Vargas tested positive for stanozolol. Of course as I just mentioned it, you now remember. Vargas did like every creep that gets caught he blames taking the steriods on someone else. It’s either someone else’s fault or they find God. The latter is called a "deathbed conversion." Vargas used a form of these ploys with "Do you think I would be dumb enough to take anything knowing I would be tested." The Commission of course knew that Vargas was full of it except for Dr. Flip. . "Vargas told the commission in an Oct. 25 letter that he was given the drug by an employee and took it unknowingly." Kinda of a new twist on "The dog ate my homework."

Allow me to digress for a moment. When living in California I rented some space for a advertising sign on my ranch to a company from San Jose. The amount was small about $45.00 per month. The problem was that each month I would have to call for the check. "It’s been sent." Three or four days later the check would arrive. I of course ,being a jerk, would vocally express my displeasure at waiting for the late check. 

One month the check arrived on time. I opened the check placing it on my desk, which was really a kitchen table. At the time I had two poodles Ginger (mother) and Susan (daughter). Susan loved to get on the table to "check stuff out." After opening the envelope and seeing the on time check I got busy elsewhere. I returned to find the check gone. Following a string of "expletives deleteds" I let out a " Susan, where’s my $#@&*%$ check." Around the corner came a tiny black devil with a tiny shred of paper in her mouth. The remnants of the check.

Nothing to do now but call San Jose. "Hello, this is Howard Reed in Martinez", I said to the sign persons daughter who answered the phone. "May I help you?", she icily asked. "Has your checked not arrived ?" "Yes the check got here but…now don’t laugh…..my dog ate the check." When the laughing stopped I heard, "Hay Dad…know that jerk in Martinez ? Well his dog ate his check>" "Mr. Reed we will send you a replacement", she said between giggles.

Back to the Commission. Certainly their decision wasn’t draconian but then it wasn’t a slap on the wrist either. In the great picture of things it was somewhere between "a slap on the wrist and being Kelseyed". We shed crocodile tears for the fact that "Fernardo’s NBC fight will have to be canceled ". Life’s tough. At the hearing Vargas got moral support from Mike Tyson. No I have no comment.

UNFINISHED business from when last we met. I quoted at length the column by Ms. Fionna Manning and her outrage at comments made by Shambra Mitchell. This is not really a Paul Harvey Moment but it is the rest of the story. I was under the understanding that Ms. Manning lived in Aussie. "Naw naw", I was told by the old wise one. "She now lives in Los Angeles." Here is someone that doesn’t live in a country telling the world how that country feels. I’m sorry now that I wasted the space even if I did get a dollar a word.

She need not worry about Mitchell getting a title shot against WBC/IBF/WBA jr. welterweight champion Kostya Tszyu. Ray Wheatley writing in Boxing World is reporting that any chance Mitchell had is deader than "Kelsy’s Knockers. In the story Tszyu responded to comments from Mitchell that he (Tszyu) was a "bum". "I believe the reason why he [Mitchell] said this was to try to upset me and try to make me angry so that I will fight him. But I don't care what he is saying.

 I do not need to prove anything to him... He, not me, needs to prove himself again and I don't think he deserves a rematch. Yes he fought against Vince Phillips and Vince is the only one to ever beat me, but Vince is Vince. At this time in my mind, I only have one fight ahead with "Jesse" James Leija and I don't care what Sharmba Mitchell says. I am completely focused on Jesse James because he is my next opponent and he can be very dangerous, I must only focus on him." The January 19th fight against Jesse James will be seen on Showtime, I think. Mitchell meanwhile has said, "I want Judah." Me too. I think it would be a great fight between to loudmouth jerks. Let’em both loose. Be still my heart.

Wash out IBF. That would be the International Boxing Federation which by-the-by is the only major sanctioning body headquarters in the US of A. The IBF has decided that Roy Jones is going to fight on March 1 against John Ruiz (and get his butt kicked) so they’re stripping him of his IBF Lightheavyweight Title. Well maybe. As this goes to press the IBF says that Jones is out, Jones either says Jones is in or out and Jones representative says….who cares? Loosing the IBF belt won’t stop Jones from having something to keep his pants up as he still has the WBC, WBA (super), IBO, IBA and NBA belts. Heck he has as many belts as Ineda Marcos had shoes. The IBF might decide to match #1 Antonio Tarver against #3 Montell Griffin for the title. What happened to number 2? There is none and I ain’t going there. I don’t do "Number 2 jokes". Although I can recall a number of year’s ago having breakfast at the worst Denny’s in the World, located in San Diego California. The waitress came to take the orders.. When she came to my pal, now gone on to keep God smiling, she said, "May I recommend the number two on toast." "Mame, I went to Catholic School and we would never ask for number two on anything." Patrick you were a one off and are missed.

The danger for the IBF is that IF Mr. Jones decides that getting whacked around by John Ruiz is not a good idea he’s going to want the title back. He did this with the WBC and it cost that organization 30 million. But then the WBC didn’t have Joe D running things. Bye-bye Roy.

IF we were doing headlines, which we are, this would come under "Man Bites Dog" The man in this case is Lou DiBella has won his defamation suit against middleweight champion Bernard Hopkins. A United States District Court jury in New York City awarded DiBella a total of $610,000. For those keeping
score that breaks down to $500,000 punitive damages with $110,000 compensatory. This is a case where Bernard Hopkins big mouth got him in trouble. He said that DiBella had demanded a bride from him to appear on a HBO fight card. At the time DiBella was an executive at HBO. Hopkins two attorney’s , Arnold Joseph and Scott Magaree, told the jury that they also heard the bribe attempt. The jury didn’t buy it. What’s the chance of lawyer’s lying ? In this case 100% which is probably why they’re called "paid lairs". DiBella’s attorney Judd Burstien is reported to have said, "This is a triumph of the truth over Bernard Hopkins lies. In my opinion Hopkins’ attorneys perpetrated fraud trying to help him and they brought shame on all lawyers." Howie Reed wrote, "lawyers have no shame. If they do, they never let it get in the way of making a buck. What are a thousand lawyers on the bottom of the ocean ? A dam good start."

HOOKS and Jabs. Iron Mike Tyson will return to Memphis on the 22 of February to do battle with Clifford "The Black Rhino" Etienne. Showtime will do the honors if that’s the right term. Should be a darn good scrap as the Black Rhino is made to order for Tyson. He keeps coming, keeps getting knocked down and keeps fighting. Should be a good one.

Remember all the talk about Hispanics being the savior of boxing in the USA? Forget that it’s silly gibberish. The heavyweights rule and now with Don King, a real pro, running things that division will get interesting. Back to the "Se Espanol’s". The really big exciting fight here in Vegas last week between Erik Morales vs Paulie Ayala did a reported 130,000 ppv buys. Guess someone forgot to tell the PPV audience what a big fight it was. Of course it is hard to get PPV in Chevie with a dead battery.

Kind of took a cheap shot at Good Guy David Tua last week for appearing on the stupid "Fistfull of Dollars" heavyweight TV show. He may still be on to fight Russell Chastain. The really good news he’ll fight Hasim Rahman on March 1 on the undercard of Holyfield-Ruiz at the Thomas &Mack in Vegas. Mr. King is booking one hell of a show for that night. King’s got a "used to be major casino" signed on as sponsor. Maybe he can bring them back to life as he’s doing with the heavyweights. Their profits are down 20 %, the CEO just chucked it in and they’re no longer a player. Funny this all happened after their Public Relations VP called to tell me ‘I don’t consider you a journalist. I don’t even want to see you at any of our properties again. I’ll have you arrested if I see you with a press credential." Not good to jack with me and my readers..

AND finally. "The Thai Tyson" Yodsanan 3K-Battery will definitely make his first WBA Super featherweight title defense against #14 ranked Lamont Pearson from the United States on Dec 5th at the Royal Park, Bangkok. That’s kinda of interesting. Maybe. But read on. This promotion is part of the 75th Birthday Celebration for His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great. The event will be televised live and the promoters expect 100,000 to attend in person. "There has to be a catch?" There is. The fight is FREE.

NO charge. Not on Baht. " Of course, there will be such great amount of audience joining the show over 100,000 people. The fight contract had been signed already by both parties. This made all Thai boxing fans around the country feel a lot delightfully. They have been awaiting to watch Yodsanan’s defense almost 8-month since winning vacant WBA crown on April 13th, 2002." Now there’s a press release.

(Opinions and editorials of HotBoxingNews.com is the opinion of those writers and may not be the opinion of HotBoxingNews.com)

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