The Conscience of Boxing

by Pedro Fernandez

There is never a shortage of stuff to write about for the"Conscience of Boxing." That's right: "The Conscience of Boxing." This is a title one of my Ring Talk family members bestowed upon me. And I like it! For who better than I to show you a slow news day is never the case at www.fighters.com.

Promoter Cedric Kushner had a sit down with Angel Manfredy and company, and El Diablo has seen the light. Angel wanted a cool $1,000,000 dollar purse for his next fight. HBO balked and Angel lost the May 9, HBO date. Just because Angel dusted a seven figure fighter in Gatti, doesn't mean you can get that kind of money. Even though Manfredy beat Gatti, he can't generate the ratings Gatti can right now. El Diablo needs a few more scraps against recognizable foes and then to fight Gatti again. Manfredy returns in late June or July on HBO.

Went back over the Ham-head-Vasquez fight fought in Manchester, England Saturday night. Hamed didn't get hit but once cleanly. In all, it was a good win for the cocky lad from Sheffield, Eng.

Every week I get asked the same question. How did Henry Akinwande get a fight with Evander Holyfield. The reason being a Federal Court Judge (Norma Shapiro) decided she was a matchmaker and ordered the WBA to get Orlin Norris in a WBA title elimination fight with the next available contender. And that the fight must take place by December 15, 1997. The fight took place in Florida and nobody even knew about it! Why? Because the fight was on the dish network USSB which lacks in advertising and marketing, especially when it comes to boxing fans. But Akinwande outboxed Norris easily over 12 rounds and captured a unanimous decision. Odds in Las Vegas are a little less than 5-1 Holyfield.. The number may appear low, but the casinos are trying to get people to bet the fight. If they opened it 10-1, it wouldn't be right for two reasons. This isn't a 10-1 fight. And Evander Holyfield has had problems with taller fighters.

Don King's Fraud trial continues with King's Lawyer playing an excerpt from a tape recording of a conversation between King and his chief accuser with Maffia threatening to get King... Maffia, a Jack Ruby "clone" is the "G's" star witness and is also the King's fired accountant. Coincidence? Perhaps. My legal team expects the trial to last until the first week of May. They also expect the jury to hang or acquit. Think about it, A disgruntled ex-employee, the vindictive Justice Department, and a certain rival promoter in the background fueling the flames in the hopes that he could one day be King. That scenario is more plausible than you think..Did Wallace Matthews of the NY Post get booted off sports shock jock Jim Rome's TV show on FOX. It's too bad. Because like him or not, Wally was the star in that duo.

Shelly Finkel, the ex-rock promoter who managed the stars of the 1984 Olympic Team has taken over as Mike Tyson's representative. Talked with Finkel on the phone recently. He says that members of the English media have told him Mike Tyson is acting differently. "They say, it's like old times." It'll never be like old times for the ex-champion. One fight against a mid level foe and then a third whipping at the hands of Evander Holyfield. After that, Tyson is done. And before you even think about pro wrestling, Mike's too darn small. So there is only one other position available to Mr. Tyson. And that is...head of Apple Computers as CEO Steve Jobs wants out.

Just got word from my English wise guy David McIntyre that Chris Eubank was released from a hospital after three days of being hospitalized after losing a nod to fellow Brit and WBO cruiser guy Carl Thompson under Ham-head-Vasquez. Eubank, a loser only four times as a pro, has not been the same fighter since he was involved in that ill-fated match with fellow Englishman Michael Watson who was crippled as a result of his fight five years ago with Eubank. He's afraid to go after guys. Eubank missed the boat when Steve Collins was hurt, and again Saturday when Thompson was near the edge of the cliff of defeat. Chris just wouldn't push him off! It's too bad we couldn't of seen Eubank in the US near his peak.

Eubank rival Nigel Benn is working as a DJ in various London clubs. Dave says expect a comeback as Nigel's domestic woes are about to come to a head.

Pedro Fernandez

The writer has his own site at www.fighters.com He also hosts "Ring talk" a boxing talk show in it's 12 th year! Saturday nights at 11 PM ET, Ring Talk is aired on the TALK AMERICA Radio Network Saturday and Sunday evenings at 11 PM ET. The Saturday show is on TALK 1, and is two hours in duration. The Sunday edition of Ring Talk airs on the TALK 2 or TALK AMERICA 2 Radio Network. Both networks provide live Internet audio at www.talkamerica.com Check us out and see why Pedro simply has no peers in the media world of boxing!

The writer appreciates your input and can be reached at flash@inow.com

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