By Rusty Rubin, managing editor, of Ringsports.com, and the author of “Off the Canvas”, a view of American history and the social problems of the times, as viewed by an 80-year old ex-champion. “Off the Canvas is a book that has been getting rave reviews. With Christmas right around the corner, it would make a great, inexpensive gift ($15) for that boxing fan in your life. If you want to purchase an autographed copy, please e-mail me with the info. I’ll even include a gift card from you at no extra charge…You can also purchase copies on-line at all major book retailers and Authorhouse.com.

Well respected boxing journalist Pat Putnam, formerly with Sports Illustrated has this to say: “Off the Canvas is a good read. Rusty has been around boxing for more than 50 years, and knows his way around the darker corners of the sport as well as any. They call it the sweet science, but as Rusty so aptly teaches us in “Off the Canvas”, it is not always science and it certainly is not always sweet.***

Some fighters are just made for each other, and for great ring action. Gatti – Ward would be a great example, but Barrera – Morales would be as good or better. All wars!

I’ve consistently disagreed with the judges decisions on the first two Barrera- Morales fights, although all were certainly enough not to get upset over. Why should the third have been any different? It was, because if it were possible to make the fight any closer, I don’t know how.

It wasn’t, although I thought Morales landed the harder punches, Barrera’s face wasn’t chopped up like Erik’s was, and maybe that ultimately made the difference in the mind of the judges. It shouldn’t have, but probably didn’t. I watched a tape of the fight afterwards and scored it a draw.

At first I thought Morales won it, by one point, but I could easily have lived with a majority draw much easier than a majority decision for Marco. We can only hope for a Morales – Barrera IV.

Going in many pundits opined that Morales should have waited a bit longer, as he was coming off a recent very tough fight.

Full credit and thanks to both these brave warriors who put everything on the line every time they enter the ring.***

How good is Jermain Taylor? No question he has a lot of talent, but like most young fighters he’s been protected.

A lot can be learned by watching his fight on HBO this weekend, against former champ William Joppy.

Taylor is on his way up, and Joppy, 34, always a tough competitor, is not getting any younger. And keep in mind that the last thing to go in a fighter is his punch. Taylor has never really been a one-punch KO fighter, but he’s a survivor in the ring and knows how to wear someone down. This is a very tough fight for Jermain, and probably the definitive fight of his career to date.

This is a highly competitive on paper fight that can easily go either way, but from my corner, I see youth being served and Jermain Taylor, at age 28, taking another major step in his ring career. This time in the direction of the super middleweight title. I look for Taylor winning by a late TKO.

Finally, I want all our great readers to keep in mind that Rick Schroeders new movie, Black Cloud, will soon be coming to a theatre near you. I urge you not to miss it! It’s a great boxing that deals with both Olympic style boxing and the evils of racism and other problems of the Native Americans.

My good friend Stephen B. Acunto, who founded the American Association for the Improvement of Boxing, along with Rocky Marciano, now has his book “Champions Boxing Guide” available in Spanish. For details visit Steve’s website: AAIB.org

Please help me with my upcoming new book. Send all boxing jokes, stories, quips and boxing oddities to Rngsports@aol.com, thanks, and members of the boxing media are free to send this most welcome information as well. All submissions used will be given full credit in the book, and it will be given on who submits the story first, basis.***

Agree or disagree, feel free to express your views.

Glove2Glove:

Prayers for the soul of World Boxing Hall of Fame Secretary Irene Mendoza, who passed away in Southern California.

Dub Harris, WWII hero and founder and past President of the World Boxing Hall of Fame has suffered a stroke in Southern California. Please pray for his quick return to health.***

Prayers needed for the return to health of Alfonso Luna, father of our outstanding photographer Ray Luna, who has taken ill in Southern California.

Please say prayers for the return to health of Helen Wambolt, wife of our East Coast World Boxing Hall of Fame writer Danny Wambolt. Cards will also be most welcome.***

Please say prayers for wife of RS.com writer Marty Carson (auto accident) who is having health problems) of Indiana. Marty, who is a long time friend and a boxing expert, is also ailing a bit.***

Please say prayers for the return to health of Orazio Esposito, father of our photographer Richard Esposito.***

Sandy Johnson a great gal as well as a staff member of the Nevada State Athletic Commission is fighting breast cancer. A call, e-mail or card, along with your prayers would really do a lot to raise the spirits of an old friend.***

Special prayers go out to Mills Lane for his complete recovery. Mills, who suffered a stroke a few years back may be down, but knowing him, he’s far from out.***

Prayers for the return to health of Don Donelson, father of writer Tom, and Gene Sebastian, brother of former middleweight champ Billy Soose. Both are suffering from congestive heart disease. And to Arthur Terciera, father of writer Keith, also having heart related problems.***

Prayers are requested for Ringsports.com photo journalist Dale Hausner of Arizona, who is having problems with cancer.***

Prayers are requested for Kenneth E. Ryther father of our photo journalist Amy Green. Kenneth is suffering from Parkinson’s.***

Prayers for Ed “Whitey” Hadar, a former boxer who is having some serious health problems.***

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 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 finally figured out why President Bush was re-elected and challenger John Kerry a close loser. It was far more what Kerry did wrong than what Bush did right.

No one has explained to me, or anyone else as I understood it, why Kerry sat on $15 million in donations, which could have been used to help him win in Ohio and Florida, and may have swung the tide.

Why Kerry would take out a loan on his home to finance his primary campaign and not spend extra donations on his Presidential bid is totally senseless.

But looking beyond the money, which may or may not have made the difference, the key State this time around was Ohio, a swing State that has enough electoral votes to decide the election.

A lot of evangelical Christians came out to vote in this Mid-West power broker State, but not for the purpose of voting for Bush, from what I hear, that was an afterthought, as many would not have voted at all.

The key reason that Bush won Ohio was that gay marriage was on the ballot, and that brought out members of the religious right, who might not have voted otherwise, but as long as they did, they cast their vote against the ballot measure and for the re-election of George W. Bush.

The problem for John Kerry was that he couldn’t counter the extra ‘moral’ voters who didn’t want any part of gay marriage in Ohio. If this measure was on the ballot in a non-Presidential election year, the results probably would have been different, and so would our President.

The religious right did their moral and civic duty and came out in opposition to something they opposed. That’s what our system is all about, and it’s good to see them vote, although everyone should take the time to vote in every election, because everything that politicians do affects everyone in someway.

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