Rusty Rubin, Managing Editor
www.ringsports.com

Former top heavyweight hospitalized with depression
Story courtesy of BBC sports online.

Sometimes sad news comes our way from unusual sources. At about noon today, Sept. 22, UK time, former heavyweight contender Frank Bruno was hospitalized with depression.

Denying use of any drugs, Bruno was taken to a mental hospital after being diagnosed with depression.

The popular 41 year old almost became the first man to beat Mike Tyson in their first meeting (Bruno had Mike dazed, but was so surprised, he couldn’t follow up in time), before being stopped himself.

On a personal note I met Frank a number of times in Las Vegas and found him to be a very personable gentleman, who seemed to sign autographs whenever he was asked.

Frank was trying to make a return to the ring, despite having retina problems.

And, while everyone reacts differently to their situation, depression is a common malady not only in athletes, but in all aspects of our society.

Frank and recently gone through a lot of money, spend on attorneys and a very costly divorce. So he had reasons to be depressed.

Boxers, more then most athletes tend to miss the roar of the crowd and being in the spotlight. Such is the nature of the sport. Unlike baseball or football, boxing is a one on one sport, athletes get more attention and therefore more adoration then if they played center on a football team or second base on a second rate major league baseball team.

It’s something that sticks with fighters, the roar of the crowd, the adulation of the fans, and it’s something that usually quickly disappears with each new generation of fight fans.

At 41, Bruno is certainly young enough for a comeback. But one must ask, is getting hit in the head good for anyone being diagnosed with depression?

And that diagnosis has caused some folks to compare him with Mike Tyson. Let me say that there is no comparison here. Frank Bruno has always been known as a clean-living gentleman, and you can’t really compare that to Tyson.

So Bruno may have to take anti-depressants or sleeping pills. I don’t know and frankly speaking, I don’t care. I do want him to take whatever he needs to get well and maintain a happy, healthy, normal life-style.

Frank Bruno gave a lot to our sport and brought some much needed class to it. He deserves to be remembered and treated better. If he had won the world championship, perhaps he would have been.***

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:

It’s interesting to see that in less then a week upon announcing his candidacy for US President, General Wesley Clark has become the front-runner for the Democratic nomination.

That may speak volumes for the rest of the field.

Not that there are a lot of poor candidates out there, just none that capture the imagination of the Democratic voters.

And it tells you that people trust the judgment of a military man to handle many things other then the military. Although I think he knows a thing of two about national security.

The economy is not in the great shape the Administration wants us to believe. There are a lot of people out of work, people who have exhausted their unemployment benefits, and I have to wonder how they are surviving.

We have gone from the largest surplus in memory to the biggest deficit in history, and the deficit is rising with every request the government makes for more funds.

This is not Bush bashing folks, it’s fact. I’m not blaming the President entirely for the economy, which was heading into a recession when he took over. But to suggest that a tax cut for those who don’t need it is a cure all, is like saying most Americans are fools and will believe anything. Although after noting that about 70% of the American people though Iraq was involved in the 9/11 attack, you have to wonder what our citizens are reading or listening to.

As he becomes familiar with the issues, I’d like to hear General Clark’s take on them. He well may be the best candidate for the highest office in the land. And I would like to see the best candidates from both parties run for President, because that means we will have good leadership for the next four years. It’s far better to vote for the better of two goods then the lesser of two evils.

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:

Again most welcome and will be posted as they arrive.