I want to give full credit to Ring 8, VBA in NYC, who when informed that the late Kid Gavilan was buried in an area of a cemetery that didn’t allow headstone on his grave in Hialeah, FL raised the money to get him moved to a different section of the graveyard, and also paid for the new headstone. CLASS ALL THE WAY! Thanks Guys.***

Great to see Felix “Tito” Trinidad back in the ring again, and he did amazingly well against Ricardo Mayorga. “Tito” showed no signs of ring rust from his seven year layoff and in fact got stronger as the fight went on. “Tito” was able to stop Mayorga in the 8th round. Welcome back Felix, boxing needs you.***

There’s always a controversy or two happening in boxing, it goes with the nature of the sport. The last few days I’ve been criticized for not being up to date on steroid abuse, which some people in the know attributed to Roy Jones Jr’s. last few losses and poor showings.

Not to make excuses, because I have no use for anyone who has to take steroids to prove they’re the best. They’re not, because if you take steroids, you have the edge, as it’s supposed to be a performance enhancing drug. And Jones last three showings didn’t enhance his performance, so why would I think they go together? Marc Ratner, NSAC Ex. Director told me that Jones tested negative for steroids in his last three title fights in Vegas, beating Ruiz and losing to Tarver twice. But steroids can be masked.

Call me dense, but I still don’t comprehend how performing enhancing drugs hurt your performance. It didn’t seem to hurt the performances of others that have been accused of using it. Baseball player Bonds has been accused of it, and he now has more then 700 career home runs. If he’s using, it sure didn’t hurt his reflexes or performance.

Taking this to the next level, steroids are illegal! Anyone caught taking them should be subject to tough and consistent punishment. Illegal should mean exactly that and tough laws should be used as an enforcement against them.

Here’s a tough suggestion. When a fighter is found using steroids, first offense, huge fine, and suspension.

Second offense: Bigger fine and bigger suspension.

Third offense: Banned from boxing for life.

Harsh, not harsh enough! How’s this? Once an athlete is caught using steroids, he’s banned from even being considered for the Hall of Fame and no wins after the fighter is found guilty, would go on their career record. In fact, his career record, in its entirety, should be stricken after the fighter is caught, and by the same token, he should be stripped of any and all belts won after that date.

Look steroids may help the athlete taking them for a brief time, but it can also cause danger to an opponent who doesn’t use the drug.

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.***

Update: We are again taking orders for autographed copies of my new book, “OFF THE CANVAS”. Check our website for details, or for an autographed copy, just $15, send me an e-mail. It’s also available on the web at Authorhouse.com, ID#22873, or through major on line book stores like Borders, Barnes and Noble, Waldenbooks or Amazon.com, and some of the major bookstores. If the store you frequent doesn’t have copies, you can ask them to order if for you. The reviews have been fantastic.***

Agree or disagree, feel free to express your views.

Glove2Glove:

Prayers for Las Vegas sportswriter Mike Lee who passed away after a brief illness.

Herb Platzner, father of RS.com scribe Harrin is having heart problems. Prayers for his health would be much appreciated.***

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.***

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.***

Prayers are requested for Donna Jean Landers, boxing fan from Oklahoma, who has been fighting cancer for three years. She needs your help my friends.

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

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

Sandy Johnson 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: As an independent voter for truth, let me be honest and say that my status as an independent voter was influenced towards the Dems after watching the first Presidential debate. Our leader did not look very Presidential, and could only repeat the same things over and over again, “It’s hard work! Stay the course!” etc. While I’m glad he’s resolute, not willing to change course when you’re going in the wrong direction, doesn’t endear George Bush to me.

The economy is the topic of the day, and too many Americans are out of work, or those with families who no longer have medical insurance.

While Sept. 11, created an immediate need to spend money for both national and homeland defense, a lot of money and lives have been wasted in Iraq, which judging by the way we’ve been treated, doesn’t want us there. Can you believe it? A country wanting the right of self-determination? What’s this world coming to?

There’s no question that when the President took over, the budget was balanced, and America was slowly ebbing into a mild recession. Add the cost of the war in Iraq to that, and you have a budget that many generations of our kids will have to pay the price for. Hell, it looks like seniors will, as usual, take it in the shorts as well, getting no benefit from the ill-thought-out tax cut. If I ran my household the way the government runs their budget, Lord knows how many times I would have claimed bankruptcy.

So with the economy in worse shape than the areas hit by the hurricanes, what does the President do, with a huge amount of support from both sides of the aisle in Congress? He gives another tax cut, much of it going to the rich who don’t need it. What of the seniors who vote, and continue to lose benefits…They got nothing, zilch, nada.

Many Dems did go along with this ill-advised tax cut, not once but twice. But remember, the issue is called a ‘tax cut’. And anyone who votes against a ‘tax cut’, for anyone, generally doesn’t get re-elected/

Does trickle down economics work? Maybe, maybe not. But ‘armament inflation’ worked for a while also. No guarantees my friends, except the national debt will keep rising, and Americans and their families will keep paying through the nose for years to come.

Energy: Hard to blame the President for the record energy price levels, but when the problem first surfaced he could have easily re-opened the recently closed refineries, which said they weren’t making enough money…Having the power of the ‘bully pulpit’ he could have done that. The gas and oil prices however would have still continued to rise, although probably wouldn’t be as high as they are today in America.

Think of a very cold New England winter and how many seniors will be faced with the prospect of putting on their heat, which is no longer affordable on fixed income, or freezing to death. Remember seniors gained nothing from the tax cut. Those who helped build this great country are forgotten, and even John Kerry rarely mentions them.

Jobs? Shipping the good ones overseas to get cheap labor and raise corporate profits is making America a banana republic. The citizens have not only lost jobs but have to settle for lower paying ones, most without medical benefits. And the taxes we’d pay for earning more money? They’re not available. John Kerry has taken a strong stand on this issue, Bush has not. In the past however, Kerry has supported outsourcing jobs as well.

I hope both candidates have learned, but I doubt the President has, as all he keeps saying is ‘stay the course.’ That statement scares me. I don’t want four more years of the same! For me and many others it’s been terrible, and that puts it mildly.

Am I better off today than I was four years ago? No. In my business advertising has remained stagnant. The stock market has also been stagnant at best; I’m told that I may have to wait (and live) longer to get my social security money back. We have illegal aliens crossing our borders both North and South. There is no inspection of 95% of the cargo ships entering this country.

I understand that the Republicans are asking how Kerry is going to pay for his new benefits. They say he’s going to have to raise taxes. It’s really as simple as taking back those stupid tax cuts for those who don’t need it, his rich friends.

The President pledges to work hard to ensure more home ownership. Under his policies there is simply no way people who have lost jobs, benefits and wages could pay for it. The rich get richer, the poor get poorer, and the middle class disappears.

And the cost of prescription drugs continue to rise, while the pharmaceutical companies continue to spend their record profits on advertising (not with me) although it’s the doctor that has to write the prescription and the ads have no value except as another tax deduction.

The Dems get a big edge on the economy, and that’s because Kerry has promised to make outsourcing no longer profitable for American companies. Under George Bush we’ve lost both jobs and benefits. I believe that American jobs should be done by American workers, right here in the good old USA, not overseas. Anyone else remember the slogan ‘made in America, with pride?’ John Kerry is right on this issue, we can do better!

I’m Rusty Rubin and I approve this message.

For the 1002ne or so time, IRAQ HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH SEPT. 11TH…EVEN THE PRESIDENT ACKNOWLEDGES THIS! We hold that truth to be self evident.

And I’d like to take some personal time to thank everyone who has taken the time to respond to these editorials, even those that don’t agree. It shows that you’re thinking, and that will help make your vote on Nov. 2, a very wise one. Here’s a free offer, the best e-mail (USA only), every week, will be given a free subscription to Ringsports.com the magazine (if they want it). You don’t have to agree or disagree, with me, just make your point correctly. It’s my way of saying thanks for caring…Thanks.

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