Rusty Rubin, Managing Editor
www.ringsports.com

Okay, I finally saw the Oscar v. Mosley fight, courtesy of my good friend, and former writer, Mike Houser.

I hate to have my friends and advertisers upset at me, but I think Mosley won the fight, although not by a wide margin.

No offense to the three HBO commentators, who thought that Oscar won easily, but Oscar, at least in my opinion, just wasn’t aggressive enough. Mosley took the offense early and in my mind at least, you shouldn’t win a fight backing up, which is what Oscar was doing almost the entire night.

Neither fighter was particularly impressive, but I gave Mosley the nod mainly because he was the aggressor and that he landed the harder punches.

A third match figures to be another great payday and a must see.***

Tomorrow, Chris Byrd meets Fres Oquendo at the Mohegan Sun in Connecticut. Don’t look for an action packed fight, because you seldom if ever get that with Byrd. But Byrd makes just about everyone look bad and this fight should be no exception. Chris wins by decision.***

December marks the start of our 15th year in business. Anyone interested in advertising in our year end issue, or any issue throughout the year, at very special rates, please contact me and I’ll forward the info to our business office.

Agree or disagree, I’d like to hear from you.

Glove2Glove:

Please say a prayer for the return to health of boxing promoter Moe Smith, who had a four by-pass surgery on Thursday. Moe has done much for our sport. Cards can be sent to Moe at: 2713 E. 1st St., Post Falls, ID. 82854. By the way I spoke to Moe late last week and he’s home and doing great. Can’t keep a good man down.

Please say prayers for former top-notch fighter Art Soto, who is having some severe health problems from Alzheimers and cancer.

Chas. Shandor, father in law of Ringsports.com writer Nick Constantine has been diagnosed with cancer and needs your prayers.

Your prayers have worked and Martin Sommers is no longer in hospice care, and in fact, is at home recovering. He and his family pass along their heartfelt thanks, and ask that your prayers continue.

Also down but not out with cancer is Kathy Cerola, sister of top referee Elmo Adolph, and my best friend and co-founder of Glove2Glove, Susiey Walker.
Needless to say we need prayers for the return to health of both former champs Greg Page and Gerald McClellan, both confined to wheelchairs.

Glove2Glove is a non-denominational group set up to aide those boxing folks and their relatives in need of prayers and cards. We accept no money and only contact our members when someone is in need. It’s free to join. Simply send us your e-mail address. And even if you’re not a member, feel free to contact us if you are aware of some boxing person in need.

Touching on politics briefly:

I’m getting sick and tired of hearing Hillary’s name being bantered about as a candidate for President. In my view, that would be a sure way to make George Bush a shoe-in for a second term.

Too many people out there don’t like her, on both sides. I know a few Democrats who would rather campaign and vote for Bush then see her get elected.

Ten is enough, Hillary. Stay in NY and keep your job. You don’t belong in the White House, and you will never reach that plateau. You’ve made too many enemies.

I urge you to endorse a candidate of your choosing and try to help him get elected for the next four years. That’s where you can best help your party, and more importantly, your country.

Boxing feedback:

Well post as they come in, but until the furor over the Oscar v. Mosley fight dies down, will post separately.

Agree or disagree, I’d like to hear from you.

Political feedback:

An e-mail from my friend Salim Valli in the UK: “Like me you have not seen the Oscar – Mosley fight. I too am itching to see a copy on tape and see what all the fuss was about.

I read your article on bits & pieces, to be honest, Rusty, a lot of people in the UK and Europe do hold the view that Mr. Musengi stated, that Palestinians are victims and deserve freedom like we all enjoy in the US and UK.

It’s nice to know you are keen to hear my response to any views you get. I would have loved to respond to Ralph’s comment last time out, but I realize constant counter shots are not worth it. I only advise Mr. Martinez as regards to questioning Islam a famous quote from Bob Dylan “don’t criticize what you don’t know”.

If you wish you may post my little comment for all non-Muslim brothers to understand.

Howard Musengi of South Africa asks via e-mail, how come the US is so close to Israel?

I haven’t touched on the Palestinian question for a variety of reasons, mainly reiterating the problems does nothing to solve them, and frankly, I don’t have any solution to this problem that has been going on for a long time. In truth, I don’t fully understand it. In my mind killing has never solved anything and only accomplished more killing in return.

But since the question is asked, I will try to respond as best I can. The US is close to Israel because first and foremost, it’s the only democracy in the Middle East. They have been allies with us for a long time. It is a bastion of freedom in a land of dictatorships and monarchies.

Israel was created in 1948, by the UN, via the Balfour Declaration. They did not create a State for themselves, and America did not create it either.

Once Statehood was achieved, and from land that was indeed occupied by the Palestinians, many Arab countries, attacked them, and continuing attacks over the years have increased Israel’s need for protection, therefore they had to confiscate more land to be safe from further attack. The land originally belonged to the Palestinians before the UN created the Country of Israel. But if you go back through history, the Country of Israel existed well before Palestine. But the Palestinians, like any other people, certainly should have a homeland, but why haven’t other Arab countries offered them land, which is certainly abundant in the region?

What I have never understood is that since the Jews and Arabs are both Semitic people and should behave like brothers, why are they now (and in the past been) mortal enemies? I believe they were finally on the way to peace with the help of Abbas, but Arafatm the PLO and the terrorists of Hamas and other groups, who don’t want peace, blew up a bus killing innocent men, women and children. And of course Israel has to retaliate, and so it goes. The killing will not stop until all men of peace accept the fact that murder is no answer to their problems.

I believe that Israel expelling Yasser Arafat is a mistake and certainly killing cannot ever be justified, plus if they did so, they would make Arafat a martyr. He’s far from a martyr, but where would he be if a peace was made? Probably nowhere, as he’d lose much of his power, and probably a lot of respect from the terrorist organizations in the area.

It can only be when men who have a sincere wish for peace sit down and sincerely communicate their problems can any issues, anywhere be solved. As it almost was in the year 2000, when Barak offered Arafat a deal that no sane man would refuse, which speaks for Arafat’s sanity and his commitment to peace in the region.

But all this is history. I didn’t answer the question better, because there is no better answer. Israel has (to the best of my knowledge, no terrorist members of Al Qaeda and the Taliban, who threaten world peace. The same can’t be said of other countries in the region, sadly may I add. And many of these governments are, sooner or later, going to be endangered by Bin Ladin’s group because they want to force their beliefs on everyone else. Remember the lack of respect the Taliban had for those two ancient statues of Buddah in Afghanistan.

I for one would like nothing better if everyone, including the terrorist groups like Hamas and others, who call themselves freedom fighters, lay down their arms and sign a peace treaty with Israel that will last a million years.

Even if they were not both of the same heritage, the Israeli’s and the Arabs should and can become friends and allies for the common good, the destruction of the true terrorists, Al Qaeda and the Taliban, as they are the common enemy. All this killing over the past 55 years has not changed anything for the better. The true enemies of peace in the world are a group of brainwashed Muslims, who believe in a perverted interpretation of the Koran. They should be the ones everyone is fighting, because their goal is world domination.

And all nations, everywhere should commit to a war against them, because they will only grow and become more powerful if we let them. I have long said it’s them against us, the good guys vs. the bad guys, and with all the weapons of mass destruction around, it’s a war that no one can afford to lose.

Correspondence is always welcome and those who can express their points of view best, well be used…