December 2000
CBZ Masthead

Dear Santa

by Steve Coughlin

Dear Santa,

First off, let me thank you for all of the wonderful things that you
gave me last Christmas.  Honestly, I wasn't THAT good to deserve Morales - Barrera, Trinidad - Vargas, Alexander - Rigby and Etienne vs. Clay-Bey all in the same year.  But thank you so much.  I promise you that I'll be even better this year than I was last year to show you how much I appreciate those great gifts ( Note to the readers - I have another, much more important article coming this month.  It's my way of helping out someone who literally gave his life to our beloved sport.  PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE read it and, if you can find it in your heart to respond to it, may God bless & keep you !).

Here's a list of what I'd like for Christmas 2000 :

#1)  Would you please have Roy Jones Jr. fight ANY one of these guys - Bernard Hopkins, Dariusz Michalczewski, Joe Calzaghe, Graciano Rocchigiani, Julian Letterlough, Vassily Jirov or Juan Carlos Gomez ?   I just can't take seeing him bully another stiff.

#2)  How about seeing to it that CHAMPIONS like Hopkins, Ricardo Lopez and Paulie Ayala get the HUGE paydays & respect that they so richly deserve ?  C'mon Santa, you know that they've been shorted in the past ... so make it up to them this year please !

#3)  I know that this is asking for a lot, but how about getting all
of the "fixers" out of judges seats for God's sake.  I won't mention any names like Dalby Shirley or Eugenia Williams.

#4)  Could you also see to it that guys who DESERVE a real, old- fashioned ass whoopin' for their moronic actions OUTSIDE the ring get one INSIDE the ring.  You know whom I'm speaking of here Santa - guys that punch out women, guys who punch out cops, etc., etc., etc. 

#5)  And while I'm at it, could you please see to it that these fights are made too :

Tim Austin vs Paulie Ayala, Naseem Hamed vs Aeclino Freitas,
Koysta Tszyu vs. Zab Judah, Shane Mosley vs Fernando Vargas and, just for my buddies across the pond, how 'bout Johnny Nelson vs. Carl Thompson II.

#6)  The next time a crooked promoter "finks out" others and admits to paying bribes to sanctioning organizations, may he be BANNED permanently from the sport for the good of the sport !   And while we're at it, have the crooked sanctioning body's heads be held accountable and given JAIL time for accepting / demanding the bribes !

#7)  PLEASE keep moron politicians OUT OF BOXING.  They can't run the country let alone clean up anything !

#8)  Lastly, but it really is the ONLY thing I want for Christmas
this year, is for you to make sure that NO ONE is seriously hurt
in a boxing match this year !  These brave men & women dedicate their lives to the sport that we love; don't make them martyrs to the sport too !

Don't forget the 20 year old Scotch I left out for you & the carrots for the reindeer too Santa !

Your Pal from the Cheap Seats,

Steve Coughlin