Joe Hensley's Ringside Entertainment and Sports

Formerly Homeless Chicagoan Tells How To Become Millionaire
The following article isn't necessarily boxing related. But this article incorporates so many themes that are prevalent in the sport of boxing (and in life): the struggle, the desire, the hard work, the dedication, the never give up attitude, that I had to include it on my website. This is amazing stuff and it just goes to show you, as human beings, how much we are really capable of. Just like in boxing.

CHICAGO (AP) -- It was just a movie set, but in a moment it showed Chris Gardner where he'd been - and how far he'd come.

There with actor Will Smith, who was playing Gardner, a former homeless man turned millionaire, Gardner stood in what looked like the train station bathroom where he once slept a quarter century ago.

Suddenly he was overcome with memories of teaching his 2-year-old son to never, ever open the locked bathroom door, no matter how hard someone pounded on the other side.

It didn't matter that he now had three homes - one a condo in New York's Trump Tower - or that he'd gone from selling his own blood to buying Michael Jordan's car.

"I had to get out of there," he said.

The story of how the 52-year-old Gardner did just that, climbed out of homelessness and became a millionaire stockbroker with his own 15-employee Chicago firm, is being turned into a motion picture, due out in December.

It's also the subject of Gardner's own just-released book, "The Pursuit of Happyness."

The unique spelling of "happiness" is intentional.

Even in the realm of rags-to-riches tales, Gardner's story is unique.

Take, for example, the events that led to his descent into homelessness.

A medical supplies salesman barely making enough money to support his girlfriend and baby, Gardner had one of those Hollywood moments in a San Francisco parking lot in 1981 when he spotted a man looking for a place to park his red Ferrari.

"I said to him, 'You can have my (parking) place but I've got to ask you two questions. What do you do and how do you do it?"' recalled Gardner.

The man was a stockbroker.

Gardner didn't know a single stockbroker or even what one did.

But the man said he made $80,000 a month - $50,000 more than Gardner made a year.

Gardner found a brokerage firm willing to hire him and quit his job.

But when he showed up for work he learned the guy who'd hired him had been fired.

Gardner's job was gone.

Then, days before a scheduled interview with Dean Witter, a loud fight with his girlfriend brought the police to his door.

The next thing Gardner knew they were asking him for $1,200 to clear up some unpaid parking tickets.

They may as well have asked for $12 million. Gardner spent 10 days in jail.

When he was released, his girlfriend and son were gone.

He had no money, no home and the only clothes he had for his job interview the next day were the ones he wore to jail.

How was he going to explain showing up wearing jeans and paint-splattered Adidas shoes?

"I couldn't think of nothing that could top the truth," he said.

He went with that and got the job.

A few months later came a knock on the door of the boarding house where he was staying.

"It's my ex and, guess what, she doesn't want the baby any more, here." he said. "The boarding house does not allow children. That's how we became homeless."

Some nights they stayed in a $25-a-night hotel, a park or under his desk at work.

And a few nights were spent in an Oakland Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) station.

"I had to teach my little boy how to play a game and the game is called SHHHH," he said. "That means no matter what anybody says on the other side of that door, no matter how much noise they make or what they threaten, we ain't here, OK?"

Finally, they moved into a homeless hotel in San Francisco, run by Glide Memorial United Methodist Church.

"There were no keys, so every day you take everything with you," said Gardner. "For a year, I'd take my son, his stroller, a big duffel bag with all his clothes in it, my briefcase, an umbrella, the biggest bag of Pampers in the world, one suit on my back and one suit in a hanging bag and we'd hit it every day."

When it rained, he covered the stroller with plastic sheets he'd picked up from dry cleaners.

Gardner told his co-workers nothing.

He also distinguished himself from others who turned to Glide for food and shelter.

"If you saw a man with a child, that was rare, incredibly rare," said the Rev. Cecil Williams, Glide's pastor. "I remember discussions about him, about how that man really loves that boy because he won't let him get away from him, he won't push him aside."

Day care took a huge chunk of his meager stockbroker trainee salary, and it took Gardner about a year to save enough to move himself and his son into their own home.

From there, his career blossomed, and in 1987 he opened his own firm in Chicago.

Today, signs of his success are everywhere, starting with an office that includes a gleaming desk made of a DC-10 tail wing, African art work, boxing gloves and photographs autographed by Muhammad Ali.

Sharing space with pictures of his adult son and daughter are photographs of Gardner with Nelson Mandela, and a vase full of dirt that Gardner brought from Mandela's yard after visiting the former South Africa president.

He no longer has the Ferrari he bought from Jordan.

Gardner, who never went to college, has contributed tens of thousands of dollars to education, writing checks for as much as $25,000 to teachers, janitors, bus drivers and others who work at schools.

Gardner is focusing much of his attention now on South Africa, trying to persuade major investors to invest $1 billion there - an effort praised by South African officials.

"In the current state of our economy, creating an investment fund is critical," said Yusuf Omar, South African Consul General in Chicago, who recently stopped by Gardner's office.

For Gardner, helping South Africans pull themselves up makes perfect sense.

"Everything I've learned working on Wall Street, 25 years, to be able to make a difference in the lives of a lot of people and we all make money, it (doesn't) get any better than that," he said.

Kendall Holt Out!

By KEITH IDEC
HERALD NEWS

Kendall Holt sounded like a defeated fighter Thursday, one who has grown so frustrated from a recent rash of career-crippling injuries that walking away from the sport entirely entered his mind.

The daunting alternative, becoming an actual defeated fighter on June 9, prompted the junior welterweight contender from Paterson to withdraw from an ESPN2 bout for the second time in three months.

Holt hurt his left hand landing an upercut in a sparring session two weeks ago in Fairfield. X-rays didn't reveal a fracture, but Holt has not been able use his left hand in any boxing drills, much less sparring, since sustaining the injury. The withdrawal cost the Kennedy High School alum a five-figure payday and the exposure he would've received fighting in Atlantic City the night before the light heavyweight showdown between Bernard Hopkins and Antonio Tarver.

Ultimately, though, Holt (20-1, 12 KOs) felt that he couldn't afford to encounter Jauquin Gallardo (17-4-1, 5 KOs) essentially with one hand in a 10-round "Friday Night Fights" main event at The Tropicana Casino & Resort. The three-time former New Jersey Golden Gloves champion determined the risk would've out-weighed the reward, especially since he hasn't fought in eight months and wouldn't have been able to spar for four full weeks in advance of the nationally televised bout. Holt has a magnetic resonance imaging exam scheduled for today, but the 24-year-old boxer will be out of action indefinitely.

"All of this (stuff) makes me feel like I'm just wasting my time," a dejected Holt said Thursday. "It doesn't seem like my career and my life are moving forward at this point. I didn't get a fight for a while. Then I get two TV fights and I have to pull out of both of them because of injuries. It makes me want to quit. Everyone I know tells me I'm crazy for feeling that way, but they're not living my life. They're not walking in my nine-and-a-halves."

Holt is still rated eighth among the World Boxing Organization's 140-pound contenders, and 14th in the World Boxing Association's rankings. He has been stripped, however, of the WBO Intercontinental junior welterweight title he won a year ago against Colombia's Jaime Rangel (30-9-1, 26 KOs). Holt recently repaired his relationships with West Paterson's Phil Forte, his manager, and Totowa-based promoter Dino Duva, but a second withdrawal in three months could also make it difficult for Holt's next fight to be broadcast by ESPN.

A knee injury, which was misdiagnosed as a hamstring pull, forced Holt to pull out of an ESPN2 co-featured fight against the Bronx's Felix St. Kitts (12-7-2, 7 KOs) on Feb. 24 in Verona, N.Y. Holt has also fought through a nagging shoulder injury since his career-defining victory over then-undefeated David Diaz (30-1-1, 16 KOs) 15 months ago in Ledyard, Conn. Holt hasn't fought since Sept. 24, the night he out-pointed Russia's Vladimir Khodokovski (13-9-2, 3 KOs) in an eight-round bout at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.

The injury-induced layoff has been particularly troublesome for Holt because he has sole custody of his son, Keshon, who will turn 3 next month. Without periodic paydays for fights, Holt is considering seeking full-time employment outside of boxing. The move might become necessary, but Holt knows it could cost him the boxing career many have envisioned for one of the most gifted fighters to emerge from a city rich in boxing tradition.

"If a person wants to go to the top in this game, you've got to devote all your time and energy to it," Holt said. "So working a full-time job, being a full-time parent, and trying to have a full-time boxing career, it's murder. Your attention can't be diverted if you want to get to the top in this sport. It's something I have to think about."

Castillo craving the weigh-in

As much as Jose Luis Castillo is looking forward to fighting Diego Corrales again at around 10 p.m. on June 3, he is more anxiously awaiting 5:30 p.m. on June 2. That is the time Castillo and Corrales are scheduled to weigh in for their heavily hyped rubber match at UNLV's Thomas & Mack Center. After officially weighing in at 138 1/2 pounds, 3.5 pounds over the lightweight limit for a title fight, the day before their rematch on Oct. 8, officials from the World Boxing Council and the Nevada State Athletic Commission are keeping close tabs on Castillo during training camp for their third fight.

"I know I am going to make the weight," Castillo said on a conference call Tuesday. "But it has been difficult having to set up these dates that they come and weigh me every week or so."

Castillo was fined 10 percent of his $1.2 million purse for failing to make weight on Oct. 7, but he is certain he won't have to pay the even stiffer fines he'll face for not making weight again.

"Last time I got hurt about 10-12 days (before) the fight," Castillo said, alluding to a rib injury he sustained during that training camp. "I wasn't able to do what I wanted to do. I think everyone knows I was not 100 percent. But this time around, I'm perfect. ... They've been coming here every week to check my weight, so I've been taking care of it and making sure I'm on the right diet and making the weight I need to make."

Castillo (54-7-1, 47 KOs) knocked out Corrales (40-3, 33 KOs) with a picture-perfect left hook in the fourth round of their rematch, but he didn't win Corrales' WBC and World Boxing Organization titles because he didn't make weight. Corrales has since been stripped of the WBO belt. Corrales and Castillo were supposed to meet a third time on Feb. 4 in El Paso, Texas, but Corrales sustained his own rib injury in sparring and, to fit Showtime's schedule, the bout was postponed four months.

Their first fight, a stunning slugfest Corrales won by 10th-round technical knockout a year ago, was widely viewed as one of the most entertaining encounters in boxing history. Corrales overcame two knockdowns within the first minute of the 10th to TKO Castillo barely more than a minute later.

Briggs back in contention?

Resurgent heavyweight contender Shannon Briggs won his 11th straight fight late Wednesday night in New York, where he forced Chris Koval to quit after three rounds at the Hammerstein Ballroom.

The Brooklyn-bred Briggs won the vacant United States Boxing Association title by recording the technical knockout win against Koval (23-3, 18 KOs), of Youngstown, Ohio. Briggs (47-4-1, 41 KOs) has not lost since former Clifton and West Paterson resident Jameel McCline (36-6-3, 22 KOs) out-pointed him four years ago in New York, but the huge heavyweight has met mostly C-level and D-level heavyweights in those bouts.

Still, Briggs, 34, is on a short list of potential opponents for International Boxing Federation champ Wladimir Klitschko (46-3, 41 KOs), according to sources close to the situation. That list also includes James Toney (69-4-3, 43 KOs, 1 NC) and Calvin Brock (28-0, 22 KOs), if Brock beats Uzbekistan's Timor Ibragimov (21-0, 13 KOs) on June 25 in Las Vegas. Klitschko is expected to defend the IBF title he won from Chris Byrd (39-3-1, 20 KOs) last month at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 11.

McCline, meanwhile, will continue his laborious climb back toward heavyweight title contention against journeyman Marcus Rhode (30-29-2, 25 KOs, 2 NC) on June 2 in Miami. If McCline wins that 10-round, non-televised bout, he will likely fight Turkish contender Sinan Samil Sam (25-3, 15 KOs) on July 29 in Oberhausen, Germany.

Boxer Dave Hilton Jr. to be paroled in June

Canadian Press

MONTREAL -- Former world boxing champion Dave Hilton Jr., who is getting parole after serving five years in prison for sexually assaulting his daughters, is romantically involved with a woman who is looking after two girls, says the National Parole Board.

Hilton, 42, was sentenced to seven years and eight months in May 2001 after a judge convicted him of abusing Anne-Marie and Jeannie Hilton, beginning when they were 12 years old.

Hilton, who will have served two-thirds of his term when he is released on June 20, faces a slew of conditions upon his release.

He must:

Avoid being alone with females under the age of 18 without the presence of a "responsible" adult.
Avoid contact with his two daughters and certain other people.
Abstain from intoxicants.
And participate in a program for sexual offenders in denial.

Hilton still maintains his innocence, a claim the National Parole Board finds troubling.

"The board is of the opinion that your contributing factors remain untreated," the board said in a May 10 letter to Hilton.

"You still deny the sexual offences for which you have been condemned and you do not see the pertinence to involve yourself in a program for sexual offenders in denial."

Parole officials also expressed concern that Hilton is involved with a woman who is looking after two girls.

"Moreover, this woman is convinced that you are not guilty of the sexual offences. In her own environment, there are two minor girls. This constitutes, from our point of view, a high-risk situation."

Anne-Marie and Jeannie agreed in 2004 to have their identities made public.

Hilton's sensational trial culminated with his conviction on charges of having sex with the girls between 1995 and 1998.

They testified Hilton began initiating them into sex at 12 and that he was obsessed with taking their virginity.

Charles Brochu, the lawyer for Hilton's two daughters, said he's waiting to see what happens when the boxer is set free.

"When he comes out of prison, he is supposed to give his side of the story, we'll see what he has to say," Brochu said in an interview Thursday.

"He can say what he thinks. A person who comes out of prison has a right to express himself."

Michel Brule, whose Les Intouchables publishing house put out a book by the two sisters in 2004, said the women, who at last word were both living in the United States, did not want to give interviews Thursday.

'Fighting Pacquiao is like fighting a tank'

Sports Phillipines

Fighting Manny Pacquiao is like fighting a tank.

This was how Michael Koncz, Pacquiao's manager, described his ward, who will meet Mexican boxer Oscar Larios for the World Boxing Council (WBC) inernationjal super feathereweight crown at the Araneta Coliseum on July 2.

This early the Pacquiao-Larios showdown is catching up attention like wildfire in the boxing world.

"Nobody trains as hard as Manny,"said Koncz, the 45-year-old Canadian manager of Bobby Pacquiao and Rey'Boom Boom' Bautista, who lives just a short distance away from the Wildcard gym where these Los Angeles-based Filipino boxers, including Pacquiao, train.

"Manny is 110% in great shape. And with two to three more weeks of training, nobody can meet head-on with a tank that is Pacquiao."

The Mexican fighter, Koncz also said, definitely will jab his way throughout and try his darndest to box Manny from the outside. He will use his height and reach advantages to the limit if he can control his tendency to throw his volume of punches.

"It is very hard to predict when two explosives explode. You can only take cover and hear the blasts for safety," continued Koncz.

In describing both fighters, who he admitted to have seen eyeball-to-eyeball, he was taking into consideration the racial similarity and background of both Pacquiao and Larios.

"Having come from the Philippines and Mexico, I know they have to survive poverty and to excel they will have to fight hard and train religiously to be where they are now," said Koncz.

In the full 70-round card announced on Wednesday by MV (Manny Pacquiao) Promotions, three other Mexican fighters are in the l0 rounders.They are Gerson Guerrero against Gerry Penalosa, Adrian Valdez versus Jimrex Jaca and Alejandro Felix Montiel against Rey 'Boom Boom' Bautista.

'Boom Boom' is the newest Filipino superstar in the sport following his unbelievable three-round win over Nicaraga's Roberto 'El Chucky' Bonilla Sunday in Staples Center, Los Angeles California.

The eight-rounders pit Glenn Porres against Jerope Mercado, Ernel Fontanilla against Ariel Delgado while the sixers feature Roel Laguna fighting Dominador Agrabio and Richie Mepranum against Efren Huesca.

The Pacquiao-Larios showdown will be on pay-per-view to be distributed live to the U.S. by IN-Demand, making it available to Direct-TV and virtually 99% for the pay-per-view cable homes.

ABS-CBN, media partner of MP Promotions, the largest and only multi-media and entertainment giant in the Philippines, will broadcast the fight around the globe. It is also viewed worldwide throughout The Filipino Channel (TFC), which reaches North America. Europe, the Middle East, Australia, Guam, Japan and other parts of Asia.

White has big plans for UFC

Taken from Press Telegram.com

I came across this article on the UFC that I find very interesting. The main reason the UFC is experiencing such a tremendous growth is brand name recognition. People recognize UFC. They recognize the NBA, they recognize the NFL. Boxing is just, well, boxing. Believe me, there are just as many boxing fans throughout America and the rest of the world as there are fans of any of the "major" sports. Boxing is so fragmented, so capitalistic, that it falls all over itself. That is why I think Professional Boxing should take the form of a professional league. Forget the state commissions, they've had it long enough, what have they really done? Forget a Federal Commission, I think that's a recipe for disaster. Let's have a private professional boxing league. Why not call it Major League Boxing! - Joe Hensley, President Major League Boxing (More on this subject to come in the upcoming weeks and months)

President looking to Canada, Europe and beyond.
Daniel Frias , presstelegram.com

The way things are going for the Ultimate Fighting Championship these days, it only seems realistic to see the fight company, headed by it's president Dana White, on the verge of "world domination."

The UFC, which is now owned and operated by Zuffa, LLC, has witnessed tremendous growth over the past year, mainly due to its popularity among young male adults and the success of their reality television series, "The Ultimate Fighter" on SpikeTV.

"We can't be denied anymore … we are a real sport," said White on a recent conference call.

Since Zuffa, LLC and White took over, UFC has seen its popularity reach new heights. The reality television show has received higher ratings than both NBA and NHL playoff games when aired up against one another. More importantly the Internet and mainstream media are helping it grow.

"We are pulling in the numbers," White said. "The male 18-34 demographic that all newspapers are trying to get to read their papers. Our Web site is a real machine for us. We get a lot of hits. They can't go anywhere else to read it. So they come to us. More mainstream newspapers are coming to us to cover us like they would do boxing. They are noticing a difference in readership because of the UFC."

The recent approval of MMA regulations in states like California have allowed the UFC to hold sanctioned fights in states where it was previously banned.

The "old" UFC was banned in many states because it had no rules and was seen as a bloody no-holds barred style of combat. The new UFC, with its rules and safety of fighters a main concern, has just named the former executive director of the Neveda State Athletic Commission as its new Vice President of Governmnet and Regulatory Affairs. Marc Ratner will help spearhead the campaign to educate State legislatures and commissions on MMA in hopes of having them sanction MMA fights in the future.

The UFC will put on its second event in the Golden State the first being last month in Anaheim at Staples Center on Saturday in Los Angeles. Headlining the event will be MMA legend Royce Gracie versus long-time reigning welterweight champion Matt Hughes.

Of course White has bigger plans than just the United States. He has been in talks with Canada mainly Edmonton and Montreal and has recently visited London in hopes of turning UFC into a global phenomenom much in the same way Vince McMahon Jr. did for the World Wrestling Entertainment in the mid-1990's.

"We do want come to Canada and we will come to Canada," White said.

No date has been set for such an expansion, but White did mention that UFC will be in Europe by the end of this year.

"We are putting together a game plan," White said. "Starting in London and going from there. We will open an office in October and have a fight in March. I have no one to run it over there so it looks like I'm moving to London for a little while."

Aside from Canada and the UK, White also mentioned that their will be an Ultimate Fighter Mexico.

"I think we will do well (in Mexico)," White said. "The (TUF) show airs down there and its done well. Soccer is king in London and football is king here. The Hispanic market likes fights. I think we will do fine.

"We're very lucky. I think of the NFL and what a monster it is over here. There is nothing bigger than the NFL (in America). But they have not figured out how to get into other countries. I don't care what color, race or culture you are. One thing that crosses over is fighting. Everybody understands fighting. We can make the move to other countries that other sports like NFL have not been able to do."

Of course with more visibility comes the problem of overexposure, something White doesn't worry about.

"Is baseball overexposed?" White said. "How many baseball games do you see on TV? As long as we put on good fights and fights people want to see, we should have no problems of overexposure."

While some people liken the UFC's recent success to the popularity explosion pro wrestling had in the 90s with companies like World Championship Wrestling (no longer in operation), the WWE (run by Vince K. McMahon), and to a lesser extent ECW (Extreme Championship Wrestling), White feels the UFC still has a long way to go before it reaches those levels of acheivement.

"We are not that high yet," White said. "We haven't even scratched the surface of how big this thing can become. Every year we've taken it to another level. We have a lot of things planned. We will start doing fights all over Europe. We haven't got to the level of Pro Wrestling was in the 90s or even boxing. We are still in a growing phase. We have big plans."

Martinus Clay Defeats Matt Vanda; Briggs Crushes Koval!

Shannon Briggs stopped Chris "Special K" Koval by 3rd round TKO tonight in New York City. I predicted, and was even sure, of a 1st round KO for Briggs. I didn't anticipate that Koval would get all worked up on speed, or smack, or amphetamines, or something! Special K is special all right, special as in crazy! Every time Briggs pounded him, and there were some big shots because you can't miss that guy, Koval would scream out like some wackadoo! That guy is cuckoo for cocoa puffs! Prediction correct. That was an easy one, although I am surprised Briggs didn't get him out in one.

"Magnificent" Martinus Clay, from Wilson, North Carolina defeated the 34-1, now 34-2, Matt "The Predator" Vanda (Clay was a very, very misleading 11-12 going in to the fight). When I heard about this fight, which was only a few hours before it started, I said to myself that Clay could beat Vanda, I knew the guy could fight. Martinus' trainer, although he wasn't in New York for the fight, Skip Crumpler, has had fighters on all three shows that I have promoted in the Richmond, VA area. I had the pleasure of talking to Skip, who is working on a Pro show in Wilson for June, during the internet telecast of the fight and kept him apprised as to what was going on in the fight. I first called him after the second round to tell him Martinus' won the first two rounds rather handily. Then I called him right after the fight was over telling him I thought Clay won. I scored the bout 5-2, 1 even for Clay. Randy Gordon, the former NYSAC Commissioner, and one of the commentators for the internet broadcast, scored the bout 7-1 for Clay. I was just hoping the New York judges didn't screw Clay out of this hard fought and well earned victory. The official scorecards were read. The first score was read 76-76 even a draw. Oh man, they can't take it from him! The second score was read, 79-73. I told Skip it's got to be Clay's fight, there's no way any sane judge would have given Vanda 7 rounds in that fight. The third score was read, 77-75, for your winner, by majority decision, "Magnificent" Martinus Clay! Skip was so happy! I am glad I could be the one relaying to him how his fighter was doing! He runs the Wilson, North Carolina boxing program which has a number of pros: "Tiger" Lee Hall, Ronald Bellamy, Mark Miller, Mike Eatmon, Rodney Green, Mike Barnes, Gary Lavendar, Mike Lavendar, and many others. Even though this was such an important fight, he just couldn't get away from his day job during the week. He was ecstatic that Martinus won that fight, and I am happy for Martinus as well as Skip! Well done! That just tells you about records in boxing, sometimes they're not only misleading, they can be big fat lies! Matt Vanda's not a bad fighter, but 34-1 going in to the Clay fight, that's what you call strategic maneuvering. Conversely, you have Clay, who has fought some very good guys, and often on very, very short notice at 11-12. You know, when you're from the country, like Clay is, and you don't have a promoter putting on shows all the time in your back yard, you have to go on the road to get fights. That means fighting tough guys on shows where they are the promoter's fighter. It can be a very tough proposition and that's why a guy like Clay had a record of 11-12 going in to the fight with Vanda. Congratulations Martinus and Skip! I hope this leads to huge things for you!

I didn't watch the fight, but I just read on Fightnews.com that John Brown was dominated over 12 one sided rounds by Herman Ngoudjo.

I am now 53-27 on my predictions.

Shannon Briggs ready to deliver

TIM SMITH, NY Daily

In the sci-fi series "The X-Files," there's a poster that hangs on the wall of the basement office of FBI agent Fox Mulder. It says, "I Want To Believe."

I'm reminded of that poster every time I talk to Shannon Briggs. For the last decade, Briggs held the promise of the next heavyweight champion of the world. Coming from the same Brooklyn cauldron that spawned Mike Tyson and Riddick Bowe, Briggs was supposed to be better than both.

He had Bowe's size, speed and fluidity and the discipline to control his weight. He had enough of Tyson's power to be a dangerous puncher without the uncontrolled ring fury that made Tyson walking TNT.

For a decade I have believed that Briggs was going to make good on all that promise. And I wasn't alone. We were all caught up in the Briggs mystique. The survivor's story of a homeless kid whose life fell apart when his father was sentenced to life in prison for attempted murder and his mother became addicted to heroin, who slept in the subway when he couldn't find shelter.

I'm still hooked on Briggs, though he has yet to reach his potential. He has an engaging personality and he is again selling the idea that he can become a heavyweight world champion.

"I'm more mature, physically and mentally," Briggs said at the Palm in midtown on Monday. "Having no money a few years ago, being flat broke, still fighting without a trainer or a manager, hustling to get movie deals to make money. It built character. I'm a strong guy. God knows how much potential I have. I haven't reached it yet."

Briggs (46-4-1, 40 KOs) will meet Chris Koval (23-2, 18KOs) of Youngstown, Ohio in the main event of the inaugural boxing card of Cedric Kushner's new promotion company, Gotham Boxing, at the Hammerstein Ballroom tonight. Briggs and Kushner have tied their fates to each other. If Briggs can become heavyweight champion, then Kushner can become a major player in boxing again.

Briggs' star burned brightly when he was trained by Teddy Atlas and managed by Marc Roberts. He became a celebrity boxer with little or no credentials to back it up. The biggest victory on his resume remains a controversial win against a 40-something George Foreman. Along the way Briggs fell out of favor with them all, including the brass at HBO. By 1999 Briggs was a dim star. Briggs said he needed a trainer and a manager that believed in him and weren't using him for their own interests.

But that is the way of boxing. Everyone uses everyone else. Briggs believes he has the right combination now with Kushner and his new manager Scott Hirsch, a millionaire Internet marketer and boxing fan, and new trainer Jeff Mayweather.

He believes things will be different this time. He is more settled, living in Florida with his wife and child and another child on the way. He has taken a low-profile route for his return, fighting on smaller cards in backwater venues and making no apologies for the caliber of opponents. He is 10-0 with 10 KOs in the last four years of his journey. He returns to New York to let the home folks see the new Briggs.

Given the state of the heavyweight division and the fact that Briggs is only 34 and can box, he has a better than average chance of being heavyweight champion. I don't know if he will ever reach his potential, but I want to believe.

Holyfield's Message To Hatton
by Stuart Brennan, manchesteronline.co.uk

CUT out the beer and the burgers if you want to end up as a true ring legend - that is Evander Holyfield's advice to Ricky Hatton.

The 43-year-old four-time world heavyweight champion is in Manchester this week for a sporting dinner at the Piccadilly Hotel tomorrow night, and announced that he will not quit until he has won a legitimate world title for the FIFTH time.

But he says local hero Hatton will have to rein in his laddish lifestyle if he wants to establish himself as king of the light-welterweights for years to come.
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Hatton has already said he is planning to retire at 30 - which means maybe three more championship fights - and that he wants one of them to be a career-defining clash with Floyd Mayweather, the man widely recognised as pound for pound No1 in the world.

And Holyfield, who watched Hatton edge a tough fight with Luis Collazo to take the WBA welterweight title in Boston recently, says that such talk is wise, given the Hitman's aggressive, high-pressure style, and his love for a pint and a pie when not in training.

"From what I heard of his lifestyle, he can only last for a certain time," Holyfield told M.E.N. Sport. "When you live a fast life, your career can end at any time.

"Not only that, Ricky takes a lot of shots, and doesn't get his head out of the way, so it is about how much wear and tear he can endure. He gets hit, and all that swelling takes a toll at some point in time.

"But I heard him say he won't fight for that much longer anyway, which is the smart thing to do."

Hatton might wonder how he could take such advice from a man whose first professional fight was in 1984 and last in 2004, and who is in talks about a ring return later this summer.

Incredible

But Holyfield would insist that he is not dishing out advice, just giving an opinion, as he, above anyone, believes in being his own man. With his legion of fans pleading with him to retire from an incredible career, Holyfield ignores all advice and chooses his own path.

And he warns Hatton that the glory is difficult to give up once you have achieved it.

"Personally, I never planned to stay in boxing this long," said Holyfield. "When I was 21, people first began asking me when I would retire and I told them I would be finished by the time I was 28.

"But at 28 I had just become the world heavyweight champion, had worked too damned hard to get there and wasn't going to give it up just because I had made it to the top.

"I wanted to walk around and be the world champion, and my goal then was to fight everyone in my era. I ended up doing that, fighting George Foreman, Larry Holmes, and then I wanted to fight Lennox Lewis, Mike Tyson and Riddick Bowe - all the people who were good."

But after seeing Hatton for the first time, he recognised a fellow warrior, and said: "I saw Ricky fight for the first time in the States, and he is a very good fighter. He reminded me of Barry McGuigan, very aggressive.

"But that type of style doesn't last long, because he will run into someone who fights hard, like Ricky does, and hits back just as hard.

"In Boston he fought a guy who had a bit more movement, and it was a very close fight at the end. Ricky must have won the first five or six rounds because at the end he started getting clocked. But he did enough.

"He doesn't want to change his style, because that would mean starting all over again. He has something that works for him - it's just a case of how long it lasts.

"If he fights Floyd Mayweather, who moves better than he does and has faster hands, I don't know...

"But I like Ricky's style. He makes it work, because there are people out there saying he ain't that great, but puts you under pressure. Life is about pressure and how much you can take."

Evander Holyfield will be at Piccadilly Hotel tomorrow night. Tickets are available on 01925 414123 or from www.fisherpromotions.co.uk.

Boxer's life turned in epic fight

By TIM ZATZARINY JR.
Courier-Post Staff

VINELAND, New Jersey Courier Post Staff

The ghosts of Johannesburg still haunt Richie Kates.

Thirty years after the South Jersey light heavyweight boxer lost an epic world-title battle to Victor Galindez in South Africa, Kates hasn't stopped tumbling the same question over and over again in his mind: Why?

He's never come up with the right answer. At least not one that satisfies him.

On May 22, 1976, Galindez, the World Boxing Association light heavyweight champion, knocked Kates out with one second left in the 15th and final round.

It's what led up to that stunning KO that still troubles Kates, who turned 53 on Sunday.

"I'm never going to accept the outcome," Kates, a Vineland resident, said in a recent interview. "I always think, "what if?' There's always going to be that void, but I don't let it eat me up."

A shot at the title

In the mid-to-late 1970s, Kates, who was born and raised in Bridgeton, was among a trio of South Jersey fighters -- including Mike Rossman of Washington Township and Dwight Braxton (now known as Dwight Muhammad Qawi) of Camden -- at the upper tier of what many boxing writers and fans consider the greatest era ever of the light heavyweight division.

Kates' close-cropped hair and mustache are graying now, and he hasn't even sparred with anyone in about five years. But he's never strayed too far from the sport that's brought him so much joy -- and pain.

Kates' first crack at the world title came when he met Galindez at Rand Stadium, a soccer stadium in Johannesburg. Kates had fought three times before in South Africa, which was then at the height of apartheid. Galindez, an Argentinian, had used his tough, brawling style to manhandle technically superior opponents like Kates. But Kates' blinding combinations would prove troubling for Galindez when they finally met on a chilly night before 40,000 fans.

In the third round, an uppercut and left hook by Kates opened a wicked gash above Galindez's left eye.

After he was cut, Galindez turned to referee Stanley Christodolou as if he wanted to quit, Kates recalled.

"I should have hopped on him with both hands," Kates said. "But I backed off."

Over in a second

Inexplicably, Christodolou, a white South African, ruled Kates caused the cut with an accidental head butt. Christodolou halted the fight to allow Galindez's corner to tend to the cut instead of stopping the fight, which would have made Kates the winner by technical knockout.

Kates returned to his corner assuming he was the new light heavyweight champion. Instead, he had to stand around in 40-degree weather waiting for the fight to resume.

The delay lasted five to six minutes, according to newspaper accounts; Kates remembers it dragging on for at least 15 minutes.

"Me and my entourage should have just walked out of the ring and refused to fight," Kates said.

But, half a world away from home, they weren't sure what would happen to them if they did.

"The worst thing to happen to Richie Kates that night was when he cut (Galindez)," said Millville resident Lou Clendaniel, Kates' longtime cornerman. "If he had not cut him, Richie would have been the world champion. The way Richie was fighting and the way he was keeping Galindez off and just pounding, pounding with his jab and (Galindez's) eyes and face were starting to swell, it would have never gone the distance anyway because Richie would have probably knocked him out."

After the fight resumed, Kates reopened the cut in each succeeding round. Several times, Christodolou allowed Galindez to wipe his bloody face on the referee's shirt.

"He was Galindez's guardian angel," Kates said.

In the seventh round, Galindez knocked Kates down with a left to the head, but the challenger got up.

By the last round, an exhausted Kates leaned on the ropes, waiting for the final bell.

A left hook by Galindez sent him crashing to the canvas.

"I still see it coming now, but this time I'm ducking," Kates said with a laugh.

Kates thought he'd made it to his feet in time to beat the 10 count. Instead, his dream of becoming world champion was over.

Reconciling the past

"Richie had his day in the sun, and he didn't get what he deserved," said Chuck Hasson, a Philadelphia boxing historian and author who saw Kates fight several times at the Spectrum and Blue Horizon. "He has nothing to be ashamed of. He was a highly regarded and highly respected fighter and that's something they can't take away from him."

Kates said he was a different fighter after losing to Galindez.

"Every fight that I fought after Galindez, it felt like I was fighting him again," Kates said. "I felt like no matter what I did, I wasn't going to win. I always went in there expecting something to happen that wasn't necessarily going to be in my favor."

Kates lost a unanimous 15-round decision in a rematch with Galindez the following year. Galindez, who retired in 1980 after suffering two detached retinas, died in an auto-racing accident in October of that year.

Kates fought on until 1983 -- when he realized he'd never get another world title shot. He took a job with the New Jersey Department of Corrections, where he works as a program development specialist assigned to Southern State Correctional Facility in Maurice River Township, Cumberland County.

His job is to get inmates into transitional programs such as halfway houses. Kates also is a deacon at his church, Union Baptist Temple in Bridgeton.

And five evenings a week, he trains young fighters at the Vineland Police Athletic League gym, occasionally working with pros. In 2004, Kates trained former world heavyweight champion Bruce Seldon during Seldon's brief comeback bid.

But his heart is with the kids who see boxing as a way to a better life, like he did.

Kates hopes to retire from his state job in about two years to be a full-time trainer. He's on the hunt for a young, hungry fighter he can take all the way to the top.

And, in middle age, he's inching toward making peace with his past.

"There was a time when a day didn't go by that I didn't think about (the Galindez fight) -- what I should have done, what could have been different," he said. "It just wasn't meant to be. Sure, I would have loved to have made millions after that fight.

"But," he said thankfully, "I'm still here."

Welterweight contenders will bring fireworks

By DAVID A. AVILA
The Press-Enterprise

Expect early fireworks when Georgia's Paul Williams and Argentina's Walter Matthysse meet for a welterweight round-robin tournament Saturday night at Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif.

Boxing and soccer will share the spotlight as Golden Boy Promotions and the L.A. Galaxy combine forces at the sports complex.

It's a special promotion featuring WBO bantamweight titleholder Jhonny Gonzalez defending against Fernando Montiel, the WBO junior bantamweight titleholder. Another world title bout features Daniel Ponce De Leon defending his WBO junior featherweight title against Alejandro Barrera, younger cousin of Marco Antonio Barrera.

The welterweight showdown packs the most potential pop with two top-ranked 147-pounders vying to remain in the WBA tournament and meet the winner of the Carlos Quintana-Joel Julio bout taking place next month.

Williams (29-0, 21 KOs) has fought in California arenas for the past two years and has built some following with his Tommy Hearns-like reach and speed.

"He can hit you from across the room," said trainer George Peterson of his fighter, the 6-foot-2 Williams.

The long-armed Williams has been moving from gym to gym across the country in search of the best in the world.

"I sparred with Teddy Reid, O'Neil Bell, Glen Johnson; they're all bigger than me," Williams said. "I like to pick up different points of their styles to see what I can do."

Matthysse (25-0, 24 KOs) made his American debut in San Diego, knocking out his opponent before fans could warm up their seats.

Eric Gomez, chief of operations for Golden Boy, acknowledged Matthysse has power, but noted that whether he can stand up to American boxers is another factor.

"This is going to be a big test for Matthysse," Gomez said. "It should be explosive."

When Matthysse met Xavier Tolliver last December, it was felt to be a good test for the Argentine. But the fight lasted only 2:27.

Williams has been featured on several televised fight cards, including his past four bouts against Terrence Cauthen, Marteze Logan, Alfonso Sanchez and Sergio Rios. He beat two by knockout and two by unanimous decision.

No opponent has been able to make Williams worry until now.

"I don't like tough fights," Peterson said. "I like fights I know we can win."

But for a shot at the WBA title, the Georgia team is willing to participate.

Whoever wins will then wait to see the victor between Julio and Quintana. Many boxing experts are picking Julio to win the welterweight tournament and defeat Quintana on June 24 in Las Vegas. But the Colombian powerhouse has yet to meet someone with serious power.

Quintana, out of Puerto Rico, has only beaten veteran Nurhan Suleyman. Like Julio, he's never faced someone who can hit him back as hard as he hits.

It's the same regarding Williams and Matthysse. Though the Georgia fighter has fought quality fighters, he's never faced a true welterweight with serious pop to his punches. Neither has the Argentine.

The winner of the tournament eventually meets the WBA welterweight champ, who is currently Ricky Hatton. Hatton's talked of going back down to junior welterweight after tasting the power of welterweight Luis Collazo. He doesn't hit half as hard as any of the tournament welterweights.

Mexico vs. Mexico

It's Jhonny Gonzalez, of Mexico City, versus Fernando Montiel, of Los Mochis, for the bantamweight world title.

Gonzalez (32-4, 28 KOs) is a much taller slugger who has developed from a pure puncher to a fighter who can box on the outside until the proper moment develops to unleash a left hook or right hand.

The 5-8 bantamweight captured the title against Thailand's legendary Ratanachai Sor Vorapin last year with an eye-catching knockout.

Montiel (32-1-1, 24 KOs) has already captured world titles in two other weight divisions. He won the flyweight world title in 2000 against Isidro "Chino" Garcia. Two years later, he grabbed the world title in the junior bantamweight division with a win over Pedro Alcazar. Alcazar died two days later from a brain injury that had not been disclosed before the fight.

It should be a slow-starting fight until Gonzalez finds the range. Then watch for fireworks. Both Gonzalez and Montiel have a common opponent in Mark "Too Sharp" Johnson, a future Hall of Fame candidate. Gonzalez demolished Johnson with body shots. Montiel suffered a knockdown by Johnson and eventually lost by decision.

In another Mexico versus Mexico match, Daniel Ponce De Leon, of Chihuahua, faces Mexico City's Barrera.

Ponce De Leon uses his southpaw stance to deliver bone-crushing blows. Though his defense tends to be weak, he has a solid chin and loves to trade bombs. Barrera beat Frankie Archuleta, a crafty veteran out of New Mexico.

Filipino fighter Z Gorres (23-1-1, 12 KOs), who recently signed by Golden Boy Promotions, will also be on the card. He faces Puerto Rican Jose Laureano (18-9-1) in a junior bantamweight bout.

Top Rank Sues Golden Boy!

By Kevin Iole, Las Vegas Review Journal

Top Rank, the Las Vegas-based boxing promotional company, filed a lawsuit Monday in Clark County District Court against boxer Oscar De La Hoya and his company, alleging De La Hoya fraudulently prevented Top Rank from promoting his lucrative May 6 bout at the MGM Grand.

De La Hoya stopped Ricardo Mayorga in the sixth round of a fight that sold an unexpectedly high 875,000 pay-per-view subscriptions. The bout also produced a live paid gate of $7.6 million, the 10th largest in state history.Top Rank had an agreement with De La Hoya and his Golden Boy Promotions that gave it the right of first negotiation and last refusal to De La Hoya's first bout after his Sept. 18, 2004, fight with Bernard Hopkins. Top Rank promoted that bout at the MGM Grand.

De La Hoya was knocked out by Hopkins, and he did not fight again until returning to win the WBC super welterweight championship May 6 by defeating Mayorga.

Top Rank chief executive officer Bob Arum estimated his company was damaged by at least $3 million. The lawsuit also seeks punitive damages.

"I don't want to try this in the newspaper, but our position is they didn't conform in good faith with the terms of the first negotiation, last refusal," Arum said. He conceded Golden Boy officials talked with Top Rank about the fight, but Arum said, "They did what they did just to give themselves a way to blow us out of the water. In other words, (they showed) a lack of good faith."

The lawsuit accuses De La Hoya and Golden Boy of breach of contract and breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing. It also accuses Golden Boy of intentional interference with contractual relations and intentional interference with prospective economic advantage.

It claims De La Hoya and Golden Boy asked Top Rank for exorbitant salary figures, well beyond what he had earned in his career for similar fights. De La Hoya's purse for the Mayorga bout, according to the contract filed with the Nevada Athletic Commission, was $8 million. He also will share in the pay-per-view revenue.

The lawsuit alleges De La Hoya and Golden Boy breached the Feb. 19, 2004, agreement by "failing to present to Top Rank an initial reasonable offer with the necessary terms and conditions (and) refusing to negotiate that offer."

Arum said he didn't think it would be wise to seek an injunction to prevent the fight and said he had to wait until after the bout to learn the extent that Top Rank was financially harmed.

Arum said he thought the bout would have sold better on pay-per-view had Top Rank promoted it rather than Golden Boy and Don King Productions.

"We're able to generate a bigger buzz, the way we promote," Arum said. "The fight with Hopkins sold a little less than a million (pay-per-view subscriptions), and there's no reason why this fight, if done properly, couldn't have done a similar figure."

Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions, said Monday he had not seen the lawsuit. "We will do whatever we have to do to prove we've done no wrong,'' he said.

Hopkins ready for Tarver's southpaw style

Bernard Fernandez, Philly.com
FORMER middleweight champion Bernard "The Executioner" Hopkins is adept at many levels. But in Antonio Tarver, his opponent June 10 in an HBO Pay-Per-View matchup in Atlantic City's Boardwalk Hall, he may be undertaking the most difficult assignment of his career. Not only is the IBO light-heavyweight titlist a naturally bigger, stronger man than the 41-year-old Hopkins, but he is a southpaw - and southpaws have always bedeviled orthodox (righthanded) fighters.

Hopkins can remember a time when he, too, was flummoxed by guys who came at him from a turned-around position. It was in the late 1980s, and Hopkins ate a steady stream of punches delivered from unaccustomed angles during sparring sessions with two future world champions, Robert "Bam Bam" Hines and John David Jackson.

But even as he was

getting thrashed in the gym, Hopkins was learning how to neutralize the lefthanders' preferred moves.

"I'm 9-0 against southpaws," Hopkins proudly points out. "My friend, John David Jackson,

offered to help me [get ready for Tarver]. Who'd you think pecked me in the face all day long with that right jab? I learned to fight southpaws from all that work with John David Jackson, him and Robert Hines. And you know what? I learned good."

Jackson, a former WBA and WBO junior middleweight champion who celebrated his 43rd birthday last week, was training Shane Mosley for his Feb. 25 bout with Fernando Vargas when he hooked up with Hopkins to reminisce about the old days.

"We had a long conversation," Jackson said.

"I said, 'Bernard, you know me. I love this game and I love this sport. I understand southpaws. I am a

southpaw. I've sparred with Antonio Tarver, in preparation for his first fight with Roy Jones. I believe I have a pretty good take on what he does.' "

Hopkins insists that, win or lose, this is his final bout, so it made sense for him to enlist all the help he can get. In addition to his regular trainer, Brother Naazim Richardson, Hopkins has brought in Jackson and renowned New Orleans-based physical conditioning specialist Mackie Shilstone.

Shilstone has devised a plan to pack 10 to 12 pounds of muscle onto Hopkins' lean frame for his first fight at light heavyweight since he weighed 177 for his pro debut, a four-round points loss to Clinton Mitchell on Oct. 11, 1988.

Jackson, who was born in

Denver, raised in Spokane, Wash., and now lives in Los

Angeles, resided in Philadelphia from 1988 to '92. As proof of how well Hopkins learned how to fight southpaws during that time, Jackson cites his seventh-round technical-knockout loss to his former pupil, who retained the IBF middleweight title on April 19, 1997, in Shreveport, La.

"When I first worked with him, he was a crude brawler," Jackson recalled. "He could have remained that way for his whole career. A lot of guys start out one way and never change. But Bernard really wanted to learn his trade. He's so much better

defensively now. His offense is multidimensional. He's an all-around fighter.

"I won't say he reinvented himself, but he was a student of the game who improved his craftsmanship tremendously. I look at him now and he instinctively does things that you don't teach in boxing. They're small things - nuances, really - that he picked up on his own. He's got certain moves that you couldn't show to some young fighter and expect him to learn."

HOLYFIELD: I WILL RETIRE AS A CHAMPION

Evander Holyfield has told Sky Sports News that he plans to carry on boxing and become world heavyweight champion for a fifth time.

The 43-year-old has not stepped into the ring since November 2004 when he laboured to a points loss to Larry Donald.

That result made it three straight losses for the American and led to calls for him to end his distinguished career.

However, Holyfield insists he has no intention of retiring and is even talking about having another 10 fights before he hangs up his gloves.

"I want to be the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world again," Holyfield said.

"I wouldn't talk about it if I didn't think I could do it.

"This time I'm going to do it a little differently. I'm not going to jump into the top 10 like I usually do. I'm going to work my way up."

When questioned about how many fights he was planning to have, he answered: "Could be eight, could be 10, could be more."

After losing to compatriot Donald, his fifth defeat in his last eight outings, Holyfield was hit with an indefinite medical suspension by the New York State Athletic Commission.

Under those terms, 'The Real Deal' is unable to fight anywhere in the United States until he is cleared by a doctor.

Holyfield feels his performances in his last two fights against Donald and James Toney were not a true reflection of his ability as he had not allowed himself to fully recover from a shoulder operation.

The man from Atlanta has now had an 18-month period of rest that has allowed him get ready to go again.

"I had a shoulder operation and I hadn't recovered," he said on his previous two performances.

"With my way of thinking, I thought I could beat both of those guys in the shape that I was in.

"Unfortunately I was wrong. Now that I've had a year-and-a-half with no fighting and no stress on my shoulder, everything's okay."

News of Holyfield's decision to climb back inside the ropes will not gain approval from a vast majority inside the fight game.

Yet the former cruiserweight champion, who's professional debut was back in 1984, feels those that really know him will understand his reasons for fighting on.

"I don't think there's a lot of people that want me to quit," Holyfield said.

"If people really knew me they know I'm supposed to be on top, and that's how I am supposed to retire.

"When people have faith and they are looking for a way to retire, they want it to be on top. It's not the way that you start, it's the way that you end.

"How many people are still a champ when they retired? I choose to retire as a champion."

Rematch with Barrera would ease Juarez's pain
Controversial revised decision has Houstonian shaking his head

By W.H. STICKNEY JR., Houston Chronicle

LOS ANGELES - From the disappointment and anger that swirled after a controversial loss in his marquee fight Saturday night, Rocky Juarez has found a source of comfort and optimism.

Originally awarded a draw with World Boxing Council super-featherweight champion Marco Antonio Barrera at the Staples Center, Juarez was stunned to learn later he had lost a split decision by a single point because of a miscalculation on the scorecard of one of the three ringside judges.

It was hardly the outcome the Houston boxer had envisioned during a 14-year wait that has included being denied a gold medal in the 2000 Olympics because of improper conduct on the part of a referee.

But after 12 action-packed rounds of the most sound tactical bout of his career, Juarez thought he finally had received an outstanding consolation prize.

About 20 minutes after the fight, officials from the California State Athletic Commission informed Juarez and trainer Ray Ontiveros of the final outcome.

"It was a miscalculation, bad addition on the Morita (ringside judge Ken Morita) scorecard," said Armando Garcia, chief executive officer of the CSAC. "It was not altered, not changed. The scores were added incorrectly. That's what it was. I have to double-check and triple-check. That's my job, and you have to tell the truth all the time."

A bad California dream
Juarez was incensed.

"I can't believe this," he said. "Who could believe this? I'm very upset and disappointed. I had been thinking to myself that 25-1-1 was OK with one draw against a legendary fighter like Barrera.

"But to come back in the dressing room and tell me I lost by one point is very upsetting. I am in California, in Oscar De La Hoya country, but I didn't feel I lost the fight.

"I don't understand how they could give the fight to Barrera, who was backing up the whole time. When I was walking out of the ring, everyone was saying, 'Good fight, you won, you won.' I wonder how they would have reacted if they had found out I lost."

For the record, Barrera is promoted by De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions.

When announcer Michael Buffer first announced the result, he gave these scores — judge Duane Ford 115-113 for Juarez, judge Anek Hongtog-
kham 115-113 for Barrera and Morita even at 114-114.

But after the scoring error was announced, it was revealed that Morita's tally should have been 115-114 for Barrera.

After any fight, members of the media are given copies of the judges' scorecards. Amazingly, when the amended score sheets were passed out Saturday night, the final scores of all three judges had been scratched through with at least one number having been changed for each judge.

Ford's new totals, which were scratched through twice, showed Juarez winning 115-114. Morita's new figures had Barrera up 115-114, and Hongtogkham had it 115-113 for Barrera.

On the Ford scorecard, an error of addition apparently had been made in the 11th round. He gave the round to Juarez 10-9, resulting in a running total to that point of 105-105.

The amended scoresheet showed Barrera's total had been written over to show the proper score of 104 (95 points through 10 rounds plus nine points awarded in the 11th).

For the 12th round, Ford's scores also were changed. He apparently awarded the round to Juarez 10-9, but the amended scoresheet had Ford scoring the round 10-10, resulting in his final tally of 115-114 for Juarez.

Morita apparently gave the 12th round to Juarez 10-9, but the amended scoresheet had a "10" written over the original score of 9 awarded Barrera, resulting in a final score of
115-114 for the champion.

Protest unlikely
Carl Moretti, an executive with Main Events, which promotes Juarez, said there is no point in protesting the outcome to the California commission, adding that similar protests in the past have not resulted in a change.

The most likely action to be taken, Moretti said, will be to seek an immediate rematch.

"It takes two to tango, and you need the other side, so we'll go right back here, if we have to, because we know what will happen in the second fight," he said. "But it's not us, it's them. They've got to sit down and say, 'Do we want to fight Rocky Juarez again.' And if I'm advising Barrera, I don't know if that decision can be made right away. You'd like to think it could."

In the aftermath, Juarez graded his performance a "B-plus."

"Because I didn't knock him out, and I think I had him. I think a lot of people saw Barrera hurt," Juarez said. "I think he was trying to survive in the fight. And I don't see how a fighter can win a fight jabbing and going backward, not really doing nothing, you know?"

Silver lining to outcome
To his credit, Juarez executed his game plan to perfection. He crowded Barrera most of the night, negating Barrera's trademark punches in bunches and speed of hand. Juarez bloodied the nose and mouth of the champ early, and by the end of the fight, Barrera's left eye was bruised and swollen.

He may have lost the match — the second of his career
(25-2, 18 knockouts) — but Juarez said he was a winner, too.

"I tell you what good comes out of this," he said, "people know the way the results should have been.

"They know I should have the WBC title, and I think this is going to open a lot of doors as far as HBO putting me back on (in a major pay-per-view fight), and the major networks allowing me to perform and show my natural talents on national television."

De La Hoya should do what's right and give Juarez a rematch

By KEITH IDEC
HERALD NEWS

Oscar De La Hoya seems sincere when he speaks of attempting to do right by boxers in his quest to become the sport's premier promoter.

"The Golden Boy" wants fighters to know exactly how much money they'll make, why they can't make more and what they can do to best protect themselves outside of the ring as well as they do inside it.

The nine-time champion thinks this tact is what will separate him from other promoters once Bob Arum and Don King head toward that big boxing ring in the sky. Boxing's biggest attraction has already made significant progress in those areas in a few short years as a promoter, but has mostly made headlines by aligning himself with such stars as Bernard Hopkins, Shane Mosley and Marco Antonio Barrera, all of whom have become partners in De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions.

De La Hoya said Saturday night in Los Angeles that he and Barrera, two of the most accomplished fighters of this era, inspire each other. Now they need to inspire a lot of other people by doing the right thing for a fighter not promoted by their company.

Because Rocky Juarez was wronged Saturday night at Staples Center in Los Angeles, where he lost a split decision to Barrera.

The result of the 12-round bout was announced as a draw by HBO ring announcer Michael Buffer, but 20 minutes later, after HBO went off the air, a judging error was revealed by Armando Garcia, chief executive officer of the California State Athletic Commission. Garcia acknowledged that he made a mistake in tallying the scorecard of judge Ken Morita. Buffer bellowed that Morita had scored the fight even (114-114), which rendered the entertaining encounter a draw.

After a recount, Garcia, a former Florida referee, concluded that Morita's scorecard should've read 115-114 in Barrera's favor. Judge Anek Hongtogkham also thought Barrera beat Houston's Juarez (115-113). The third judge, Duane Ford, had Juarez ahead (115-114) in the 130-pound title fight, though his scorecard was initially tallied incorrectly, too (115-113).

"It was a miscalculation, bad addition on the Morita scorecard," Garcia told the Los Angeles Times. "It was not altered, not changed. The scores were added incorrectly. That's what it was. I have to double-check and triple-check. That's my job, and you have to tell the truth all the time."

The truth is that this reeks of impropriety, even if Garcia simply made an honest mistake. A fight supervisor, in this case a representative for the World Boxing Council, is assigned, along with a commission official, to keep score as each world championship match proceeds. Are we supposed to believe that two people, not one, needed 20 minutes to realize that they couldn't correctly complete a simple mathematical equation?

If so, it's not like this is the algebra portion of the SATs. It's adding 10s and nines repeatedly over a 47-minute period. Worse yet, www.fightnews.com reported Sunday that two judges ultimately scored the 12th round 10-10, despite that it appeared as if those two judges initially scored the round 10-9 for Juarez, before scratching out those scores.

That's so suspicious it might make Julio Cesar Chavez, the Mexican champion the WBC wouldn't let lose, raise an eyebrow.

For argument's sake, though, let's assume Garcia and a WBC official both made embarrassing mathematical mistakes. Imagine if this happened in another sport. Humor me momentarily, and think what would've happened had an official scorer backtracked Saturday afternoon and said the Mets actually scored five runs through 8½ innings, not four, and Billy Wagner's wildness was forgiven in a one-run Mets win.

Fine, that's a bit of a stretch. The point is, boxing fans changed the channel early Sunday morning believing Barrera and Juarez drew, that a rematch was warranted. Now those fans, many of whom are already distrustful of boxing's establishment, are left wondering how Barrera's record stands at 62-4, not 61-4-1.

"I can't believe this," said Juarez (25-2, 18 KOs), who is promoted by Main Events, the Bloomfield company operated by Little Falls' Kathy Duva. "Who could believe this? I'm very upset and disappointed. I had been thinking to myself that 25-1-1 was OK, with one draw against a legendary fighter like Barrera. But to come back to the dressing room and tell me I lost by one point is very upsetting. I am in California, in Oscar De La Hoya country, but I didn't feel I lost the fight."

The implication that Los Angeles is "De La Hoya country," whether it is true or not, should compel him even more to do what's right for boxing, although it might not necessarily be what's best for his promotional company. De La Hoya and Barrera would make more money in what would be a riveting rematch against Filipino superstar Manny Pacquiao, who battered Barrera into an 11th-round submission 2½ years ago in San Antonio. That fight could come to fruition if Pacquiao (41-3-2, 33 KOs) defeats former 122-pound champ Oscar Larios (56-4-1, 36 KOs) on July 2 in Manila.

The rematch Barrera owes fight fans everywhere, though, is one against Juarez.

The 2000 American Olympian proved himself as a worthy adversary for 12 rounds, landing harder, more effective punches throughout the bout. The always-brave Barrera had his moments, too, peppering Juarez with a jarring jab and flurries of power punches, particularly later in the closely contested fight. Although the 32-year-old Barrera's face looked like one belonging to the loser, the fight appeared as if it could've gone either way, so a draw was a seemingly sufficient finish.

But a suspicious split decision was what we got.

De La Hoya, who unwisely wondered aloud if the fix was in following a second decision defeat to Mosley in 2003, knows exactly how Juarez feels. That's all the more reason De La Hoya should do what's right by boxing and Juarez, and make sure Barrera-Juarez II is the rematch we see later this year. He isn't contractually obligated to do so, of course, but if his repeatedly professed concern for bettering the sport is indeed genuine, it is what must happen.

Otherwise, De La Hoya, a fighter who has always walked it better than he talked it, will become part of a problem he promised to help solve.

BOXING IS NOT ONLY ALIVE, BUT DOING WELL!

By Cliff Rold www.ringtalk.com

BOXING’S EMINENT DEATH ALWAYS OVERSTATED!

Landover, MD-Boxing is a dying sport. We all know it. Crowds are smaller, press attention has dwindled and advertisers have left largely due to the mistaken notion that women were going to be big sports buyers. Boxing is indeed a dying sport…one that pulled 10,000 fans on Saturday night for a Jr. Lightweight showdown and some 50,000 in Australia only days before. It is a dying sport where an entire nation, Brazil, tuned in to see lightweight star Acelino Freitas get hitched a few years back. Yup, it’s dead all right.

BOXING A PART OF A NEW WORLD OF ATHLETICS!

This isn’t exactly subtle sarcasm and my tongue is hurting my cheek. Boxing is alive and well of course, and this last week was ample evidence of that. Here in the United States it would sometimes be easy to forget that. The U.S. fascination with heavyweights and ethnocentric belief that big time fights can only happen inside U.S. borders blind too many to the reality that, like every other business, Boxing is now global. Globalization has diluted the ability for the sport to cater in the same exclusive fashion to American fans that it used to while building fans around the world.

CROWDS ARE COMING AS ARE BIG FIGHTS!

That’s not to say that Americans aren’t buying the fights. Oscar de la Hoya’s near million buy Pay-per-View performance a couple weeks ago and the strong showing of crowd support for Marco Antonio Barrera-Rocky Juarez (that’s the Jr. lightweight showdown I mentioned) are healthy signs. Boxing isn’t the stateside king that it once was in say the day of Jack Dempsey or even Muhammad Ali, but it is not the WNBA either. The story that so many are missing is that it is still king worldwide. After Soccer, Baseball and Basketball, there is no bigger sport worldwide.

NATIONAL HEROES WHERE THEY USED TO BE NEIGHBORHOOD GUYS!

While Boxing has always had ethnic heroes, national icons are emerging more often. In the 1930’s, New York was a hotbed of fights between Irish and Italian Americans. Now we see that each nation is its own neighborhood. That’s what globalization is really all about: shrinking borders. Let me recount a story. A few years back, I was dating a girl whose family was from Romania. Her cousin came to visit and, being your typical American, I couldn’t speak a word that wasn’t in English. So I said two words: Leonard Dorin (at the time a world lightweight titlist from that country). Romanian cousin who was looking at me with nothing to say seconds before yammered on for minutes about the great Dorin.

HITTING CLOSE TO HOME!

My roommate, a native Ukrainian, shared similar excitement during Wladimir Klitschko’s win over Chris Byrd, calling his Dad to share the news. I’ve watched Mexicans on their knees praying during Julio Cesar Chavez fights, Filipinos go bezerk for Manny Pacquiao, and still there is room for fans in towns like Boise, Idaho to get excited about the upcoming Kenny Keene fight with aged veteran Virgil Hill. And just last Thursday, 50,000 in Australia turned out to see two of their own as Anthony Mundine earned a rematch with Mikkel Kessler for the WBA 168 lb. title by defeating Danny Green. Boxing isn’t dead; it just hasn’t caught up to itself.

SPLIT TITLES AND CONTROVERSY CAN BE OVERCOME!

The question is how to exploit a sport with rabid fans in all corners of the Earth and nothing tying them together. Split titles are often pointed to as a cancer in the game and under the control of the seemingly forever inept controls of folks like Jose Sulaiman and Marian Muhamad, they will remain so. Ring Magazine has made strides to create some reality amongst the mire, but still more is needed. Doug Fischer at Maxboxing has pointed out recently, and it is plain to many, that for most fighters those belts are financially crucial. They are often the only steppingstone for the nameless fighter to become household variety. Boxing must find a balance that allows for new money as well respectability. Again I turn to Soccer.

LONG PAST TIME FOR A WORLD CUP OF BOXING!

Every four years, Soccer goes global. It brings together the world’s best onto a single captivating stage called the World Cup. There’s no reason Boxing can’t do the same. A flyweight war like Jorge Arce-Pongskalek Wongjongkam has been prevented by politics; let politics bring them together under the banner of Thailand and Mexico. Through a process of elimination over four years, two fighters in each weight class could be brought together every four years in one mega-event. It’s the sort of thinking that needs to take place; I’ve offered reform suggestions in this column before. Using a BCS format for Boxing rankings is my favorite; this one could pass it. Making Boxing not only interesting, but important to everyone who loves sports and their flag, would be a great way to force even the ninniest of modern yuppie sportswriters to stop talking about the courage of golfers for a while. Boxing is alive; let’s make it vibrant.

Cliff Rold

24-KARAT NOTEBOOK…

Happy Birthday shot outs to my Mom, Aunt, and baby sis…Happy Graduation to my middle sis, who headed out from Fresno State to her honeymoon in Alaska and the same wishes to my ‘3^rd sis’ as well who took a Bachelors from George Washington U. To all these wonderful women in my life, all my love…George and Barbara Bush gave a great commencement speech at GW by the way. Beats the crap commie Willie Brown had to say during my final day at SF State…Roberto Vasquez continued his reign at 108 lbs. this weekend and a fight with Brian Viloria would be unbelievable…Jorge Barrios may not have been feared before Saturday at 130, but he is now…Final shot out to the fight of the week. Contenders Felix Cora and Vadim Tokarev proved, again, that cruiserweight is as good as it gets for action fights. That fourth round was amazing and Tokarev got the sort of victory that builds a champion.

News and Notes; Opinions and Predictions!

Prince Naseem Hamed tested positive for marijuana while in prison. He could face a longer sentence as a result of this positive test. I guess that's just too bad for the Prince. He got a lenient sentence anyway, serves his sorry, pot smoking as* right!

Prince "Ganga Head" Hamed

A formal inquiry into the Rocky Juarez-Marco Antonio Barrera scoring controversy needs to be undertaken for the sake of boxing's credibility. For not one, but two judges, to change their scorecards to make the last round even, is more than a travesty, it's a crime. If it looks like a duck, and walks like and duck, and sounds like a duck, it's a duck! Something is rotten in Denmark, or should I say California, with this scoring situation and it needs to be found out!

Look for the Shannon Briggs-Chris Koval fight this Wednesday from New York City to end via 1st round KO/TKO for Briggs. Find a sportsbook that accepts specific round props and lay money on a Briggs win by 1st round KO/TKO. The last time I was so sure of such a bet was when Tyson fought Etienne.

About two weeks ago I told you about an upcoming heavyweight fight and the opportunity to cash in. I said:

Huge Live Underdog Opportunity!

Heavyweight fight yet to be announced in June

There is a heavyweight fight that will be coming up in June that I can't wait for! I'm not going to release the names as of yet, but this will be a HUGE betting opportunity for you! I have not seen the lines posted on this heavyweight fight, and I'm not sure if it's 100% official as of yet, but I'm sure that the boxer I think will win the fight will be the betting underdog, probably a 3 to 1 underdog! This fight is a bigger lock to me than my upset pick of Sergei Lyakhovich over Lamon Brewster! I'm sure the fight will be televised, although it's an ESPN, or possibly ShoBox type of fight. I'll keep you posted! This is a big opportunity, I'm telling you! Don't miss out on this one! When the fight is announced, and it's 100% official, I will let you know. Time to make some money!

THE FIGHT HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED, AND IT IS OFFICIAL!

The fight that I am referring to is Dominick Guinn vs. Tony "The Tiger" Thompson. The line has not been posted as of yet but I'm sure that Tony "The Tiger" will be the betting underdog. That is a good thing because Tony will win this fight, and he will win it easily! A lot of people don't know about Thompson, but he really is one of the best heavyweights in the division today. I think he would beat Wladimir Klitschko, probably by knockout. He would also defeat Valuev, and Rahman. Come to think of it, a Rahman vs. Thompson fight makes perfect sense because Rahman is from Baltimore and Thompson is from Silver Spring, Maryland. I know my man Digital Williams would love it if that fight was made. The only belt holder that Thompson may not defeat is Lyakhovich, but even that fight is a real toss up. Do you get the picture? This guy can flat out fight! He's about 6'5" or 6'6" and he's a southpaw. He's built more like a basketball player, and I think that's one of the reasons he really hasn't made more of a headway in the game than he should have. He is the definition of a real sleeper in the heavyweight division. The fight is June 28th in Houston, TX and will be shown on ESPN2's Wednesday night fights. I just hope that Thompson is a 3 to 1 underdog just like Lyakhovich was against Brewster. This is the definition of a "smart money" fight. Remember, you heard it here first!

There is also another fight that is almost as exciting to me from a betting standpoint as the heavyweight fight I just mentioned. It is Eric Harding vs. Chad Dawson from California on June 2nd. The fight will be shown live on Showtime. The line is not out yet, but I have a feeling Harding will be the favorite because not that many people have heard of Dawson. Well believe me, Dawson is the real deal. He can fight, he's a big super middleweight, and he can punch! He will knock out Eric Harding, guaranteed! Keep your eyes open for this one!

For those that say Bernard Hopkins has no chance against Antonio Tarver, just look at Bernard's record and see that he stopped Glen Johnson, then campaigning as a middleweight, back in 1997. The same Glen Johnson who is 1 and 1 with Tarver. I have never been overly impressed with Tarver. I think he caught Roy Jones, Jr. at the right time in his career. I think Hopkins will win this fight, although I am not as bullish on Hopkins as I am Thompson and Dawson in the fights I referred to above, but I still think he will win. Bernard has a tendency at this stage of his career to lose close rounds because he's not active enough. If he loses against Tarver, this will be the reason. It's going to be a close fight though, I guarantee that.

Next weekend's Boxing After Dark card on May 27th from California featuring Jhonny Gonzalez vs. Fernando Montiel and Walter Matthysse vs. Paul Williams is one to look forward to. Mark your calendars. This is a great card.

Dorin Spivey has pulled out of his fight with Kendall Holt on June 9th. Dorin was not provided with all the pages of his contract, and he was smart enough not to sign for the fight. Don Elbaum was involved with the match making of the Spivey-Holt fight. I can tell you he has a shaky rep in the game. I'm sorry the Spivey-Holt fight isn't going to happen, because Holt has no chin, and Spivey would have re-emerged on the national scene with an explosive KO of yet another over rated Duva fighter. You take the E,L, and A out of Elbaum's name and you've got this: e l B a U M. Sounds like a Mexican Professional Wrestler, doesn't it? And in this corner, EL BaUM!

Barrera gets controversial victory

John Whisler
Express-News Staff Writer

LOS ANGELES — Rocky Juarez might want to start a little faster next time and perhaps be a little more aggressive.

But if the Houston native meets Marco Antonio Barrera again in a rematch, the best thing he could do is demand the fight be held in Texas.

After what happened Saturday night at Staples Center, Juarez likely will never fight in California again.

In another bizarre scene that only boxing can produce, Barrera was awarded a narrow, 12-round, split decision 20 minutes after the fight had been declared a draw.

As a result, Barrera (62-4, 42 KOs) keeps his WBC super featherweight title.

Juarez (25-2, 18 KOs) is left wondering what happened to sanity in boxing, if there ever was such a thing.

"I can't believe this. Who would believe this?" a distraught Juarez said in the locker room, nearly an hour after the fight ended. "I'm very upset and disappointed. I was thinking, a draw against a legendary fighter like Barrera is not bad. But now?

"How can they give the fight to him? I had him backing up the whole fight."

The problem was scorecards from two of the three judges apparently were added up wrong, prompting the change in decision.

Officially, judge Ken Morita scored it 115-114 for Barrera. Anek Hongtogkham had 115-113 for Barrera. Duane Ford saw it 115-114 for Juarez.

Two of the three judges changed their scores in the 12th and final round.

The one that mattered was Morita's. He scored the final round even, which changed his score from a draw to a one-point victory for Barrera.

HBO apparently went off the air after announcing the fight ended in a draw.

Juarez might not have deserved the victory, but he deserved better treatment.

The San Antonio Express-News scored it 115-113 for Juarez.

Juarez, 26, was attempting to become the second Houston fighter to win a world championship. Juan Diaz owns the WBA lightweight title.

As usual, Juarez started slowly, but came on in the final rounds.

Juarez put cutman Joe Souza of San Antonio to work early, sustaining a cut in the corner of his right eye in the first round. The cut wouldn't be a factor. His determination would.

After bloodying Barrera in the second, Juarez nearly knocked him down in the third with a left hook to the temple.

In the sixth, Barrera rallied. He rattled Juarez with a series of body blows — right on the beltline or below — and combinations to the head.

In the seventh, Barrera pressed the attack and ended the round with a flurry of punches to the head of Juarez.

But Juarez wouldn't back off. He stayed on the inside and forced the action. Barrera kept losing his mouthpiece and was given extra time by referee Raul Caiz Sr. to put it back in.

In the 10th, Barrera appeared to tire. Mouth open, nose bleeding, his left eye closing, he was on the receiving end of Juarez's blistering attack.