Here are Honest Howie's takes on some upcoming big fights. Naseem Hamed vs. Cesar Soto October 22, 1999 Hamed by middle to late round KO. Soto can be hit, and Hamed sure can hit hard, so the ending should favor Hamed, who has looked awful in his last couple of outings and has a tendency to get knocked down. Soto is on another level than Paul Ingle, who gave Hamed a scare, and so there should be good exchanges and ebb and flow, but Hamed's superior quickness and power should win out. Hamed needs to buckle down and win impressively if he's going to silence the critics of his wrestling-style entrances to the ing. Hopefully we'll be spared the backlit effect where Naseem's Dumbo ears look like giant alien elongated protruberances of unknown origin, and I must admit I'm secretly hoping that the insufferably arrogant Hamed takes a pratfall doing his patented over-the-ropes flip. Erik Morales vs. Wayne McCullough October 22, 1999 Morales by middle to late round KO. Wayne McCullough is still tough and gritty, but he's older and slower and smaller than the harder-hitting Erik Morales. Wayne's heart should carry him for a while but, barring a lucky punch, Morales' two-fisted attack should wear down the past-his-prime McCullough. Mike Tyson vs. Orlin Norris October 23, 1999 Tyson by early to middle round KO Orlin Norris is tailor-made for Tyson: Norris is always in front of you and looking to trade, a disastrous situation against the bigger, stronger, harder-hitting Tyson. That's why Tyson is fighting Norris, because Mike needs and wants some easy money fights before setting his sights higher. I don't know if Tyson can still beat a young up and coming heavyweight contender, but he can certainly still starch the Orlin Norris types. Roy Jones vs. Graciano Rocchigiani November 6, 1999 Jones by decision. This should be Jones' toughest test since the first Montell Griffin fight, when Jones, behind on the judges' cards, hit Griffin while Montell was on the canvas and was disqualified. Roy Jones was always a legend in his own mind, but he used to be able to back it up in the ring. Jones seems to me to be slipping, with his quickness receding like his diminishing desire to fight. By contrast, this is the chance of a lifetime for Rocchigiani, who is definitely a top tier light-heavyweight c ntender. I don't think Rocchigiani will pull off the upset, but I think he'll do better than expected, leading others to question whether Jones still has the goods to back up the attitude that makes Naseem Hamed seem humble. Lennox Lewis vs. Evander Holyfield November 13, 1999 Lewis by middle to late round KO. This is the end of the line for Evander Holyfield. Lewis fought cautiously last time, and I expect a lot more aggression from Lennox this time around. Lewis now knows for sure he can beat Holyfield, while Evander is older and slower than last time. Holyfield is used up after all his wars over the years, and his confidence must have eroded. Lewis is both bigger and stronger than Evander, and also has the edge in quickness. Combined with the psychological anger fueling Le is, and Holyfield's knowledge that this is probably his last fight, win, lose or draw, I think Lewis will be able to take out Holyfield in a thrilling if sad KO that even the judges can't take away from Lennox. I would be surprised if Holyfield has enough left in the tank to make much of a contest of the rematch. Michael Grant vs. Andrew Golota November 20, 1999 Golota by late round KO. This should be a terrific fight for the fans, with lots of heavy exchanges and maybe more knockdowns than Foreman v. Lyle. Grant looked awful beating Lou Savarese, a club fighter, and seemed to be low on stamina. By contrast, Golota has fought better opposition and has gone the rounds. On the other hand, Golota is what is known in classical Freudian psychoanalytic technical jargon as a nut job, and you never know if he'll have his head screwed on right come fight night, or do a d psy-doodle like he did against Lennox Lewis. My guess is that Lou Duva has had enough time and a few fights with Golota to get his man in the zone or the cagey Duva would not have matched Andrew against Grant. This is Grant's big chance to shine, but I'm guessing that Golota will be ferocious and will wear down and take out an increasingly tired Michael Grant in the late rounds. John's postscript: I see that Howie doesn't think that Michael Grant is ready for Golota yet. He just may be right. Golota is big, quick, powerful, is now with Duva in his corner--but as Howie so aptly puts it: a nut job. I did not see the Grant vs. Savarese fight, but all I talked to who saw it said Grant looked awful. I hope it was the wake up call he needs. This is a big risk for Golota and a big opportunity for Grant. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that Grant's physicality will frustrate Golota, who will be disqualified for low blows (what the hey, take a risk occasionally...Golota has been known to hit way South before). BTW, today is Laila Ali's debut. If anyone hears the results before I do, please post.

From Reuters: Ali's Daughter Announces Boxing Debut By Jill Serjeant BEVERLY HILLS (Reuters) - As nervous as a butterfly and as jittery as a bee, the daughter of former heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali Tuesday announced her professional boxing debut. She has already been dubbed the ``Madame Butterfly'' of women's boxing despite not having even a fought a single amateur bout. But Laila Ali, 21, knows she has much to prove -- not least to her doubtful father whose dazzling hands and footwork allowed him to ``float like a butterfly and sting like a bee''. ``He's skeptical about it. He's not comfortable with it. He doesn't want me to get hurt. But he's going to support me as a father,'' Ali told a news conference announcing her Oct. 8 debut as a professional heavyweight. Ali, a tall 168-pounder who took up boxing only a year ago, said she would fight April Fowler at the Turning Stone Casino in Verona, New York in what is likely to be the most closely scrutinized bout in the history of female boxing. ``Nervous? Yes. I'm nervous,'' she admitted. ``There is a lot of pressure on me. I know that everybody is going to be watching me. All expectations are going to be very high.'' ``I'm gonna get hit. I'm gonna get my face swollen. That's going to happen. Every other fighter deals with it and so will I,'' she said. The youngest daughter of Ali's nine children, 5 foot 10 inch tall Laila said she had sparred with her father -- now ailing with Parkinson's disease after 21 years in the ring -- and had done some of her training at his private gym in Michigan. But she was reluctant to draw too close a comparison with the man won his first world heavyweight title at the age of 22 and went on to anoint himself ``The Greatest''. ``I think my footwork is very good, like my father's. I'm also very strong, very confident.'' ``I'm coming to this sport with respect to other female boxers. I'm not planning on just coming in and dominating this sport because there are a lot of other women who have been training long and hard,'' she said. Ali, who also runs her own nail salon business in Los Angeles, said she became interested in boxing at the age of about 18, long after her father retired. It started as a form of exercise until she got hooked ``when I felt how good it was hitting a bag.'' For the past year she has been training six days a week, running three or four miles (5-6.5 km) a day. She and her father have not yet decided whether he will watch her take on Fowler -- a former amateur who lost her only professional fight. And she was uncharacteristically tight-lipped about how much she would earn from the bout. ``I'd rather not answer that,'' she said.

For those using metric and have no handy converter, I'll try again: Laila Ali is 5'10" (70 inches) tall (177.8 cm) and weighs 168 pounds (76.2Kg)

Friday, October 8 Ali's daughter wins by knockout Associated Press VERONA. N.Y. -- They called Muhammad Ali "The Greatest." Just call his daughter "The Quickest." With her father watching from ringside, 21-year-old Laila Ali made her pro boxing debut by knocking out April Fowler at 31 seconds of the first round Friday night before about 2,800 fans at the Turning Stone Casino Convention Center. It was no fight at all. Fowler, a waitress from Michigan City, Ind., was inept in the ring, often turning her head as she punched. Ali speared her with several jabs and then knocked her out with a left-right to the jaw. When Fowler hit the floor, Ali stood over her with her fist cocked, reminiscent of how her father stood over a KO'd Sonny Liston in the first round of their rematch in 1965. Her father showed no emotion when the fight ended, but his wife, Lonnie, smiled broadly. The 5-foot-10 Ali, who weighed 166 pounds, could have trouble finding opponents because most female boxers are not that heavy. While the daughter was in the co-featured match, it was the father who drew the crowd. Shortly before 9 p.m., as the ring announcer acknowledged "a man who needs no introduction," the crowd rose to its feet, cheering. Muhammad Ali then entered the ring with Lonnie. Also accompanying him was Hannah, Laila's sister, and one of two daughters Ali had with his third wife, Veronica. Laila's mother, Veronica Kennedy, sat on the other side of the ring from Ali. Laila Ali, who owned a nail salon in Los Angeles, said she got interested in boxing when she took it up as exercise to lose weight. It has been suggested that she is exploiting one of the most famous names in sports. In a TV appearance earlier in the week, however, she said, "It is my name, too, so I don't feel I'm exploiting anything." Fowler, fighting for just the second time -- she was knocked out in the first round 18 months ago -- had said she expects to be back serving tables at her restaurant Saturday night. Fowler, who is divorced, also said she plans to celebrate her son's ninth birthday Sunday. The fight preceded a 10-round heavyweight match between Donovan "Razor" Ruddock and Jose Ribalta. Ruddock knocked down Ribalta twice and stopped him at 1:49 of the first round. There was no question, however, that the main attraction was the Ali name.

No question! She's going to have a tough time finding opponents alright, obviously this first one was a soft touch to avoid embarassment. The fight wasn't televised either. It sounds like she could handle much tougher opponents.

Just from what I saw of her, she could probably embarrass a lot of male middleweights, although I am totally against the idea of intergender boxing and it almost makes me glad that Andy Kaufman is dead.

For those who just have to know, Margaret McGregor (age 36, 130 pounds) pounded out a unanimous decision over Loi Chow (age 34, 125 pounds), in the first intergender professional boxing match sanctioned in Washington state (and the first known anywhere). McGregor, a landscaper and former kickboxer is now 4-0. Chow, a jockey and weightlifter (who moved like his muscles were carved of stone) is now 0-3. No one was hurt, but the crowd was terminally bored by the lack of action, even though the women in th audience were thrilled at the outcome.

There'll be no keeping them barefoot and pregnant now!

That was never my intention. My uncles did plenty of that, thank you. I just don't want to see a woman killed in the ring because this woman was able to beat some tomato can who didn't know how to fight.

But I guess if being killed in the ring--and in combat--is equality, that IS what the women's movement is fighting for. (I'm not against equal pay for equal work, BTW. G.I. Jane should get combat and hostile fire pay.)

I was being facetious...but you make valid points. I never intended to mean you, Joh, dear, but your comment that the ladies in the audience were thrilled by the outcome made me think of that phrase. Ill timed, as is most of what I have posted lately! Sorry!

I saw a brief video clip. The audience was mostly women...and understandably they were thrilled. I don't know if this is true equality--frankly, I'm not sure what true equality is--but it is someone's idea of it.

...as far as I can figure, true equality is such that no one is satilsfied with the arrangement - either sex! Women shall partake in combat when men bear children! The whole notion sounds better than the implementation of same, I am afraid!

I think there are more women ready for combat then there are men ready for childbearing.

You could safely wager the farm on that...or even willing whether or not they are ready!!!

Yet another desultory chapter in the ongoing saga of Mike Tyson, a.k.a. "Count Dreck-u-la." Tyson was disqualified in his bout with former cruiserweight champion Orlin Norris today in Las Vegas. Tyson hit Norris in the head after the bell ended the first round. Norris hit the canvas hard, which injured a knee and rendered him unable to continue. The fight was on pay-per-view, and as usual, I am glad I did not waste my all too meager, hard-earned dollars on watching this escaped psychiatric patient/human train wreck.

I was just listening to ESPN radio about the fight. There are clearly no clear decisions on whether Norris had a knee injury, but they all agree on the cheap shot after the bell. When will they DQ Tyson for all times? Probably after he stops drawing the rich, famous and stupid to pay big bucks to watch his side show!

Tyson-Norris Fight Ends in No Contest Norris injures knee and can't continue after blow lands late ASSOCIATED PRESS LAS VEGAS, Oct. 23 � Mike Tyson knocked down Orlin Norris with a left to the head after the bell ended the first round Saturday night and the fight was declared a no contest. Ring announcer Jimmy Lennon, Jr. said the fight was stopped "after an accidental foul." The stoppage of the fight was greeted with loud boos from the crowd in the MGM Grand Garden, which was the scene of Tyson's third-round disqualification for biting Evander Holyfield's ears on June 28, 1997. As soon as the fight was stopped, a host of security personnel flooded the ring. Several minutes after the fight ended, Norris remained sitting on his stool. Abel Sanchez, co-trainer of Norris, said the fighter could not continue because of a twisted knee. After ringside doctor Flip Homansky examined Norris and conferred with Nevada Athletic Commission members, the commission took its action. Tyson had his right glove on Norris' arm when the bell rang to end the first round. Then Tyson shot home a short left to the head that dropped Norris. "He threw it (the fight)," Tyson said. "How (did) I hit him in the jaw and he hurts his leg?" After Norris went down, Tyson went to a neutral corner and was followed there by referee Richard Steele, who lectured him. Steele then turned and signaled he was penalizing Tyson two points. Meanwhile, Norris got up and walked slowly to his corner as Steele beckoned Homansky to come look at Norris. While this was going on, many in the crowd of 12,987 were venting their displeasure. Tyson, fighting for the first time since he knocked out Francois Botha with a single right on Jan. 16, put pressure on Norris from the outset. He landed a couple of hard rights, but he was mostly wild. Norris got in a punch or two, but was mostly wild, too. Then came the left after the bell that ended the fight as Norris left the ring with an ice bag on his right knee and was helped by Sanchez. Those remaining in the arena booed him. It was another bizarre happening in the life and career of Tyson. Because of out-of-the ring problems, the match was only the eighth in the last eight years for Tyson. His career was interrupted by a three-year prison term on a rape conviction, and this year by a 3� month jail term for assaulting two motorists in Maryland after a fender bender. Tyson was supposed to get $8.7 million, but it was not immediately known if his purse would be withheld. Norris' purse was to be $800,000, but because of his manager's cut and an IRS lien, plus a court order involving a lawsuit with former promoter Frank Warren, he was only to receive $264,640. Tyson is supposed to fight Shannon Briggs on Feb. 26 in Madison Square Garden. Before this fight, there was the possibility he would also fight in December. What happens now is anybody's guess. The 33-year-old Tyson weighed 233 pounds, having lost 57 pounds since he was released from jail May 24. The 34-year-old Norris weighed 218. Tyson's record remains 46-3 with 40 knockouts. Norris, a former cruiserweight champion, is 50-5 with 27 knockouts. On the undercard Saturday night, Diego Corrales knocked down Roberto Garcia twice in the sixth round before finishing him off with an overhand right at 48 seconds of the seventh to take Garcia's IBF junior lightweight title. It was the first loss in 33 fights for Garcia, making his third defense of the title he won in March 1998 from Harold Warren. Corrales (29-0, 24 knockouts) hurt Garcia with a flurry of punches in the sixth, finally knocking him down with a short left followed by a right hand with a minute left in the round. Garcia got up, but his legs were rubbery and he went to one knee after a big right hand with 15 seconds late. He managed to get up again and the round ended before he could be hurt further. � 1999 Associated Press. All rights reserved. JOHN'S POSTSCRIPT: It was announced that Tyson's purse would be held up pending a meeting of the Nevada State Boxing Commission. Tyson was NOT disqualified, as I erroneously surmised earlier. The fight was called a "no contest." This is another bizarre (read that "stinking of Don King") decision. Steele took two points from Tyson after the end of the round, but ring annoucer Jimmy Lennon, Jr. was instructed to announce that the match was a no-contest due to an "accidental foul" on the part of Tyson. Common sense (and boxing rules) would dictate that if two points are deducted for the late blow, how could the foul be accidental? The reason for calling it a "no contest" rather than coming to the proper conclusion (a disqualification) is two-fold: 1) preserve Tyson's record (no, not his criminal record, although this is certainly related), and to keep Norris from getting a victory by disqualification. Norris had a clause in his contract for a rematch at three times the $800,000 purse he fought for, sh uld he win. That would cost Don King $2.4 million dollars for Norris alone, for a match the public probably wouldn't pay to see. This was not a sellout ringside at the M-G-M Grand (big heavyweight fights, title or otherwise almost always sell out in Vegas), and who knows how much was made or lost via pay-per-view. I'm a hardcore boxing fanatic and I wouldn't pay to see it.

YET ANOTHER SIGN THAT THE BOXING APOCALYPSE IS UPON US! Olympic Boxing Champ Arrested: 48-year-old Stevenson headbutted airline employee ASSOCIATED PRESS MIAMI, Oct. 23 � Three-time Olympic boxing champion Teofilo Stevenson of Cuba was arrested Saturday for headbutting a United Airlines worker who tried to stop him from passing a checkpoint to board a flight to his home country, Miami-Dade Police said. Miami-Dade Police Sgt. Steven Leibowitz said the 48-year-old Stevenson was charged with aggravated battery and resisting arrest with violence. Stevenson posted $12,500 bond and caught a later flight to Cuba, Leibowitz said. The injured airline worker, 41-year-old Pedro DeLeon tried to stop Stevenson as the boxer tried to force his way past a checkpoint, police said. Stevenson headbutted DeLeon, chipping DeLeon's front tooth, they said. Airport police arrived to find United Airlines workers trying to restrain Stevenson. When officers stepped in, Stevenson began fighting them. Police were able to arrest the combative boxer without being injured. Alexandra Villoche, general manager for United Airlines in Miami, said DeLeon was looked at by paramedics and sent home. He had cut lips and a chipped tooth, she said. The 6-foot-3, Jamaican-born Stevenson grew up in Cuba and still lives there. He was a super heavyweight champion in the Olympics, winning the gold medal in 1972, '76 and '80. In 1980, Stevenson became the first Olympic boxer to win three gold medals in the same division. He won his first gold in Munich in 1972 by default after Ion Alexe of Romania broke his thumb in the semifinal bout. In 1986, at the age of 34, Stevenson, who always remained an amateur, won the world championship. � 1999 Associated Press. All rights reserved. JOHN'S POSTSCRIPT: So they let Stevenson go back to Cuba. Hmmmm...no extradition agreements there!

It is amazing how the story permutates as time passes. The ESPN guy was still in the boxing site giving his take on the fight and he called it a DQ. Now it is a "no contest" to insure all of the wrong things about this "sport." Greed triumphs once again and the populace gets their bread and circuses to keep them happy. Pathetic!

OK, John...another case of steroid poisoning??? How miserable...Apocalypse, indeed. (And most assuredly a hero's welcome to the "Fatherland of Castro" from whence come no extradition treaties...!)

Your analysis is right on the $$$, Marcia. At its best, though, I would still not put the sport in quotes. That hurts personally. Unfortunately, very little about boxing lately seems to resemble the sweet science I know and love.

I truly enjoy collegiate and Olympic boxing, and the prostitution of the sport with what has been happening of late is reprehensible. I grieve with you and I am sorry I put those quotes there. Just as Pro wrestling needs a new name to preserve the true nature of collegiate and Olympic wrestling, so does the game of professional boxing. It is no longer a sport in the true sense of the word.

I hope everyone who "paid-per-view" is refunded for a "no-contest" as presumably they didn't pay to view no contest (Of course they won't be - the promoter may withhold the boxer's purse, but far be it from the TV company to withhold the fee from the promoter).

especially considering that the promoter is Don King...

Oh Mark, not a chance for a refund for those willing to pay to view it (I did not) - they did view what there was of it, for better or worse. Hours of call-in show time has been given over to the merits or demerits of the non-event. I do not recall anyone wanting their money back, but I did hear several calling for the retirement (forced, if necessary) of Tyson. Not a chance for that as long as Don King is greedy (forever!) and Tyson gets a fat paycheck! We are doomed to future hype and non-boxing even s, I am afraid!

John will be disgusted (but not surprised) to learn the Nevada Boxing Commission just said some harsh words to Make Tyson on his behavior but issued no jedgement or sanctions against him. A little slap in the wrist for appearances' sake then back to business as usual. How revolting!

It's possible that either you or I misinterpreted this. Here's my reading of it. They would have a legal fight on their hands that they could not win if they had tried to keep his purse. They did the only thing they could. They said they would not renew his license to fight in Nevada when it expires 12/31/99. If they stick to their word, that will be good enough for me. We'll see what happens then. As for Mike--he can take a hike.

I trust your take much more than Mr Mariotti and his like on the all-night sports talk shows. He was the reporter in this case. ...make that a l o n g hike (short pier optional!)

They can use a long pier just as long as Mike keeps on walking when it ends!

Precisely the point!

What's your take on the upcoming Holyfield Lewis rematch? Can Holyfield resurrect himself? Is Lewis not a part of the fix?

Holyfield has done it twice before when everybody said he was finished (prior to the second Bowe fight and the first Tyson fight). Lewis is definitely not part of the fix. Riddick Bowe threw a perfectly good championship belt in the trash can to avoid facing him. I don't see Holyfield honestly beating Lewis in a clean fight, but I think Lewis has to K.O. Holyfield for the powers that be to anoint him. I think he'll get screwed again if it goes to the scorecards again. Despite his infidelities and out- f-wedlock children, Holyfield has the cleanest image in boxing, and boxing, which needs an image boost, doesn't want to let go of that. Lewis is a dreadlock-wearing Goliath who has tested positive for marijuana in the past and dare I say it--isn't American. That wouldn't matter in any other division, but in the heavyweight division, being American--and a proud one, like Holyfield or Foreman--is everything.

A shocking article in the Miami Herald that I saw at http://sportspages.com says more than 50 fights have been fixed or tainted over the last 12 years. Some of those involved are George Foreman, Butterbean and others. One heavyweight admits faking a second round knockout to Foreman in Oct, 88 in Marshall, Texas. He took a dive. Heavyweight Andre Smiley admits to taking 14 fake knockouts bdtween 1990 and and 1997. At least four Butterbean bouts were bogus, either thrown or "tainted with fraud". And Foremans rise to fame was built on at least four faked fights.

Sadly, this no longer surprises me...saddens me, yes!

And this is the tip of the iceberg. Or so the article says.

*sigh* They might just as well do as Pro Wrestling did and make it a side-show in actuality rather than masquerading as a legitimate sport...unless they wish to clean house with a REALLY stiff broom!

KEN RODRIGUEZ krodriguez@herald.com More than 30 prizefights have been fixed or tainted with fraud over the past 12 years, according to men who have fought and lost to George Foreman, Frans Botha, Eric ''Butterbean'' Esch and other top-ranked fighters. Tony Fulilangi, once a world-ranked heavyweight, says he faked a second-round knockout by George Foreman on Oct. 27, 1988, in Marshall, Texas. ''I really hate to say this because it's not good for the sport, Fulilangi said. ''I took a dive." Former heavyweight Andre Smiley says he made thousands of dollars faking 14 knockouts from 1990 to 1997. ''I made a lot of money throwing fights, he said. Some fighters negotiated payments to throw matches. Others, unbribed, fell down merely to avoid injury and get a quick paycheck. Widely suspected but rarely documented, fake fights threaten to remove the last shred of credibility that separates boxing from professional wrestling. ''The fix goes to the issue of integrity and trust in the game, said U.S. Rep. Mike Oxley, R-Ohio, who has sponsored a boxing reform bill aimed at protecting young fighters from unscrupulous promoters. ''Nothing could be more American than believing in a fair fight. And if that is not happening, the public has every right to lose faith in the sport." Fall guys helped heavyweight Butterbean Esch boost his earnings from $600 a bout as a little-known club fighter to $60,000 as a star attraction. Two opponents and two boxing commissioners say at least four Butterbean matches were thrown or tainted with fraud. Boxers told The Herald that many fraudulent matches were arranged by promoters or matchmakers intent on improving a fighter's record and ranking to earn big-money title fights. The sport, some fighters say, is steeped in corruption far worse than alleged criminal misconduct now under FBI scrutiny. GRAND JURY PROBE A New Jersey grand jury is examining allegations that the International Boxing Federation extorted money from fighters and promoters in exchange for elite rankings. Rankings determine title fights and other lucrative matches. In June, federal agents raided the Deerfield Beach headquarters of promoter Don King, seeking evidence that might link him with alleged kickbacks to the federation. The FBI investigation, however, does not center on fighters paid to throw matches. Club fighters or journeymen are often asked to take dives, according to Herald research. Sometimes, well-known fighters are approached. Iran Barkley, a former world light heavyweight champion, has been asked to throw a match. ''They said, 'I'll give you $30,000 to do this, to do that,' he said, declining to identify who approached him. ''They wanted to build up some kid and felt my name would look good on his record. . . . I would never do it. BOXER 'SAT DOWN' Fulilangi says nobody asked him to throw his fight to Foreman. No one had to. Then 28, Fulilangi says he took the match after telling a promoter that he had a bad back and a bum leg and was semi-retired. The promoter insisted and the money was good: $30,000. A Foreman uppercut dropped Fulilangi in the second round. An overhand right floored him a second time. ''He never hit me the third time, Fulilangi said. ''He jabbed me and threw a swinging right hand. I went under it and sat down. Videotape of the fight confirms Fulilangi's account: Foreman missing with a right hand, Fulilangi reeling into the ropes, then falling to the canvas. Announcer Al Albert: ''I don't think he even connected, but it is being counted as a knockdown. Said Fulilangi, ''I went down just to get the money. I went to the airport with a smile on my face." Foreman laughed when told of Fulilangi's account. ''That happened to me all the time,'' said Foreman, 50, who won the heavyweight title for the first time in 1973. ''If they're getting a whuppin', it's up to them to decide if they want to continue.'' NOT SO UNUSUAL Fulilangi's fake knockout is not an isolated incident. The dive is common, boxers told The Herald. According to sworn statements and interviews with more than 60 fighters, promoters, trainers, managers, matchmakers and commissioners: Two former heavyweights, Andre Smiley and Mike Smith, threw fights at the behest of Sean Gibbons, a matchmaker with Top Rank Inc. Smiley told The Herald that Gibbons offered him bonuses during fights to fall down. Smith told the Oklahoma Department of Labor that Gibbons routinely asked him to throw fights. ''A complete lie, Gibbons said. Two other men helped fix matches for the late promoter Rick Parker. Former heavyweight Tim Murphy said he conspired with Parker to throw a 1991 fight with former pro football star Mark Gastineau. Boxer-turned-matchmaker Sonny Barch said that under instructions from Parker, he bought 10 or 11 victories for Florida heavyweight Mitch Sammons in the late 1980s and early '90s. Sammons did not respond to certified letters seeking comment. Little-known heavyweight James Calvin Baker threw four matches, including one on national cable television against Butterbean. Baker said he also threw a fight against Barkley. Butterbean and Barkley said they have no knowledge of opponents throwing fights. Two other Butterbean opponents have been suspended by state commissions for taking dives -- Richard Davis and Bill Duncan. Davis, according to the Illinois boxing administrator, faked an injury to the testicles during a loss to Tony Velasco last year. Duncan, according to the former Oklahoma boxing administrator, ''tanked'' -- or deliberately lost -- a bout against Butterbean in 1997. Obscure heavyweight Darryl Becker once fought Butterbean under an alias. Videotape shows Becker -- introduced by the ring announcer as Jack Ramsey -- falling to the canvas after a glancing blow to the shoulder. Missouri boxing commissioner Tim Luekenhoff, who identified Becker in the videotape, calls the knockout ''a dive.'' Becker denies taking a dive and fighting under an alias. HISTORY ALTERED The comeback that turned George Foreman into an American icon was built on a series of questionable fights. Before winning the heavyweight title again in 1994, Foreman knocked out at least five men who entered the ring with bogus records. One of them, Mike Jameson, was billed as having won 17 fights and lost 15 when he was 13-16 and hadn't fought in nearly three years. Foreman also knocked out one opponent who fought under multiple names. Journeyman Frank Lux suffered a third-round knockout by Foreman in 1988 while using the alias Frank Williams. Promoters listed Williams as 33-13-3 when he met Foreman in Anchorage, Alaska. According to Fight Fax Inc., official keeper of boxing records, Lux, who also fought as Frank Albert, was 14-28. Lux, who denies ever taking a dive, says he learned about fake identities and how to escape injury in the ring from manager Bruce ''The Mouse'' Strauss, notorious in the 1980s for taking dives after two or three rounds and fighting under phony names. Lux says promoters often fabricate records of fighters and splash them on a poster. He doesn't know who gave him the 33-13-3 record for his fight with Foreman. ''I didn't argue with them, he said." ONLY THE SURFACE? Interviews with boxers and matchmakers who refused to be identified suggest that The Herald's investigation identified only a fraction of the fraud. Over the past 13 years, there may have been hundreds of fights thrown. ''People say it doesn't go on but it does, says one former world champion who requested anonymity. ''I've been there when they fixed fights. I'm talking about people paying people to take dives. I've seen the rehearsals. I have first-hand knowledge of that. It still happens. A lot. Herald research editor Elisabeth Donovan and staff writer Manny Garcia contributed to this report.

Sad but true. $-it happens. I'm relieved that Foreman had nothing to do with the alleged fixes here. Many fighters take dives themselves for the payday. In my couple of years as a matchmaker, Mario Silva never once asked me to do anything illegal or dishonest--despite his reputation as a gangster. I have seen "fighters" lay down for a payday before. They were immediately crossed off my list for projected employment. If I ever work as a matchmaker again (doubtful since I want to stay in Hilo), I will resign if ever directed to conduct such monkey business. I love real fighters, those who get in the ring and give their all, whether talented or not. I kn w the duplicity exists--at all levels of the fight game, including some dishonest "journeymen" (and it's hard to blame them...they don't have a retirement plan...most will never see a payday of more than a couple of thousand bucks unless they lay down. I'm not excusing them--there's no excuse. But the rottenness is a top-down phenomenon and the two names most responsible are Don King and Bob Arum. It is enough to make people go to the WWF. At least it bills itself as "Sports Entertainment" instead of a legitimate sport. It's also the reason I seldom pay-per-view for a bout. I have connections at a couple of watering holes locally who will allow me in for no cover to see such bouts. I still believe that Lewis had nothing to do with a fix. They only mentioned when fighters take a dive. They never mentioned paid off judges (which only works if the fight goes the distance). Orlin Norris, on the other hand???? Mike Tyson will never get another penny of my money. I decided that several years ago and have stuck to my guns. But there has been dishonesty in many, if not all sports. The Black Sox threw the 1919 World Series (although it looks like Shoeless Joe, who took the money, didn't realize the fix was on by his statistics). There have been convictions for point shaving in both college football and basketball. Paul Hornung and Alex Karras were both suspended for betting on NFL games. There is evidence that Pete Rose bet on baseball, although not on games involving his teams. It is rampant in boxing. The Mafia has al ays been close to the fight game. But there are honest crooks (oxymoron, maybe, but legal and honest aren't always the same thing--ask any lawyer), too. I worked for one.

Ya mean it all boils down to semantics? (didn't think so...)

No I don't mean it all boils down to semantics. I mean that often honest and legal are two different things. I know that everytime Mario Silva was mentioned in the paper, he was an "alleged crime figure" as well as a promoter. I'm not doubting his mob connections. I do know that I was never asked to do anything mentioned in that Miami Herald article, nor did I do anything of that nature. I also believe that there are honest promoters out there. I believe the Duvas are honest and I believe that Cedri Kushner is also. But I am finding it as hard to defend boxing, which I still love, as Hillary Clinton is finding it hard to defend Bill, whom she claims to still love, as well.

It is very difficult not to be a crusader when something means as much as boxing does to you. There is always a nagging voice talking to your mind that there must be something which could be done...but i think this is bigger than a crusading individual or several, for that matter. I suppose that means tax dollars at work again...and senate subcommittees and I will watch them on CSAN as I always do...

...CSPAN...of course!

I think I like CSAN better. C-SPAN is just an acronym for boring. Maybe if the Republicans took on the Democrats in Senate subcomittee cage match battle royals!

No holds barred??? I'd pay to see that if they were not so old and feeble to begin with...!

Steve Largent for the Republicans (young, by political standards, former NFL star) vs. Al Gore for the Dems (still young by political standards, physically fit...let's see if he is ready for a REAL political battle)

BTW, the president and several executives of the International Boxing Federation (IBF) were indicted for taking bribes from promoters to rig rankings. Again, the only surprise is that they were caught (if there is a conviction...Don King has been indicted several times, but never convicted). I would only feel good about this if the promoters allegedly involved were also indicted, including King and Arum. Yes, again I know that the power players who rule boxing are mostly corrupt. So were the Roman em erors who ordered the mostly Greek gladiators to fight to the death in the Coliseum (has anyone seen "Spartacus" lately?). This is nothing new...which was the subject of a smart-assed commentary by Larry Beil yesterday on ESPN. I have never heard our beloved Hawaii boy quite so sarcastic.

Al Gore, physically fit? Really? Steve I can see - he is a natural athlete... Matchmaker, do your thing! (I thought the only thing Gore was fit for was to be the son of somebody famous...and to hug trees, which I have been known to do as well...!)

I caught Larry Beil yesterday and was amazed...I thought it was funny... and I wondered how you were reading what he was saying. Irreverent, at the very least.

I read it as total sarcasm--the lowest link on the human food chain. Right of course...and it looks like one of the bribes Bobby Lee took was $100,000 from Cedric Kushner to get Axel Schultz the fight with Foreman for the latter's IBF heavyweight championship belt. The first defense for Foreman should have been a rematch with Michael Moorer, who he KOd for the belt. I should have known, but I don't know how it passed me. Foreman was the beneficiary of a questionable decision--likely because his promote , Bob Arum, paid Lee a bigger bribe. Gore jogs and lifts weights...he doesn't get any play for it because the jogging reporters are always following Clinton jogging to McDonalds. Gore is also famous for the (lie if you believe Republicans) (misstatement if you believe him..of course, Reagan was also famous for saying he "misspoke") that he INVENTED the internet--which he certainly did not.

and I mean that sarcasm is the lowest link on the humor food chain rather than human, but I find sarcasm is the tool of those not funny enough to use real irony.

Let's face it. Gore is boring. If I had to cover one or the other, I'd go for the one who at least keeps me awake (don't trust him, so I have to stay awake!) Bravo to Larry B. Too bad it did not get print coverage.

Irony is a fine art and requires a facile mind and wide knowledge. You are an expert at this - Larry is not, I think. But, good, nonetheless! (Listening to Cricket match. Yay!!)

I occasionally resort to sarcasm as well. Roald Dahl is pretty darn good with irony. Larry is a fine sportscaster. I just am bemoaning or to use your word "lamenting" (something I don't enjoy doing) the requirement that any cable network sportscaster be a card-carrying member of "Wiseguy Nation." Larry didn't do that at KGMB, but he got really good at it at KTVU and it got him the national shot. It certainly was intelligent of him to realize that was the only quality he needed other than his knowledg of sports and good looks to make it to ESPN.

Any thoughts on the upcoming Holyfield Lewis rematch, I know I already asked this but the fight is drawing near. Will you watch it in a sports bar or something?

I guess the easy answer is who is being paid to do what? I believe that Holyfield would have to KO Lewis to win legitimately and that Lewis would have to KO Holyfield to not get screwed by a tainted decision. It all makes me want to puke. I'll probably watch it at Fiascos, which is abvout a mile from me or maybe Shooters, which is in the building I live in. The former is the better atmosphere, but the latter is an elevator ride and a fifty foot stagger home without having to put a key in the ignition. My heart like to see Holyfield win--but only if he deserves it. If Holyfield doesn't have enough left for a legit win, I hope Lewis KOs him and that Holyfield retires without being seriously hurt. Sorry for not being more definitive, but I don't know who is being paid for what. I do believe however, that both of these fighters will fight and neither one will lie down. A warrior is supposed to win with honor or be carried out on his shield by the Valkyries. That is, ideally, what I hope for.

You? Stagger home??? I have never seen you like that. Hmmm... (internet proves educational again!) As regards Larry Biel, ESPN has a requirement that all personnel pass the WiseGuy test. I am afraid they are responsible for its proliferation. It gets tiresome!

(Your Valkyries are mere children right now. You will be required to live a long and full life here until they are grown to immortality and can enable your trip to Valhalla. Bonzai! Okole Maluna! Salut!

If Don King were to rig it to make the most future money, how would the fight go? What outcome would most likely result in a rematch?

Post heavyweight championship fight comments, John Burnett? How does the heavyweight division look now? Is a Tyson vs. Lewis showdown inevitable?

I emailed him to post his comments, please...or to email them to me and I would post them for him I talked to guys Saturday evening at Basketball who had seen the fight and found it went the distance with Lewis winning a unanimous decision. I am curious to know John's take on that, as well.

�b Times of London Rob Hughes witnesses a welcome shift in the power base of boxing Finished business brings justice and a place in history The claim that British world heavyweight champions are forever in sepia is no longer true. Lennox Claudius Lewis, child of the East End of London, is bringing home the many belts that divided world boxing. It took him 12 intense rounds here on Saturday. It took ten years of sustained effort and self-belief, and an often unfair battle against loaded boxing politics, to get his chance. And it has taken a whole century, since the Cornishman Bob Fitzsimmons in 1897, for anyone born in Britain to be acknowledged as the outstanding heavyweight on earth. I do not suppose Old Bob's achievement, which also came against an American in Nevada, was accompanied by a chorus of "Inger-land! Inger-land! Inger-land!" as Lewis's was. And wherever the spirit of Fitzsimmons lies, it now has a soulmate. "Its a great feeling," Lewis said before leaving the Thomas and Mack Center. "A lot of people don't realise the years of trial and tribulation of me trying to be the heavyweight champion. But I can't look back and be bitter. Now is the time to be happy - it gets no better than this." With that, he, his mother Violet and their entourage slipped into the night in a white stretch-limo. A matching limousine, with windows darkened to keep out the pain, transported Evander Holyfield, the Gospel Warrior, into what should, if he summons the will to break the boxing compulsion, be an overdue retirement. Holyfield thought that he had won the bout on Saturday but three Nevadan judges were unanimous and, with a dignity that contrasts with his bull-like aggression in the ring, Holyfield accepted the verdict and wholesomely acknowledged the "reality" of Lewis's triple crown. The two limos were barely out of first gear before the neon boards switched off "Search for the Truth - Unfinished Business". Busy, busy Vegas has new acts to sell, new one-night stands, new heavyweights starting this morning with Bill Gates, the Microsoft entrepreneur, in town for a convention. The bruises that both men - and boxing - have absorbed this year are history. But the measure of what Lewis has achieved is registered in the names of the prizefighters that he joins. Since Fitzsimmons, only six non-Americans had been undisputed heavyweight champions - Tommy Burns (from Canada, 1906-08), Max Schmeling (Germany, 1930-32), Primo Carnera (Italy, 1933-34), Ingemar Johannson (Sweden, 1959-60), Gerrie Coetzee (South Africa, 1983-84) and Trevor Berbick (Jamaica, 1986). None lasted long. The United States, with its grip on the purse strings, on television and on the boxing councils, had no fewer than 37 champions in the century. Doubtless, an American will be first to challenge Lewis - Mike Tyson, if the new champion gets his way. "I'm willing to box anybody out there," a triumphant Lewis said. "I'm ready for the younger fighters, but I'd love to box every boxer in my era. I would love to fight Mike Tyson if he's available." Tyson, the discredited. Tyson, the beast who is a has-been. Tyson who needs the money but whom boxing, if it is to regain repute as a sport, does not need. It is not hard to see Lewis's perspective. On paper, Tyson is the big name missing from the Lewis portfolio. Five years ago, when Lewis almost begged a meeting with the fearsome one, Tyson sidestepped him. Now Tyson has fallen into disrepute. Now that the fingers of Don King, Tyson's manipulative manager, are prised from the belts, how could it be good for Lewis, or for boxing to hand back the opportunity. What had seen Lewis through in Las Vegas had been his morale, his greater reach and weight - unlike the bout in Madison Square Garden in the spring, when Holyfield looked a spent force, over-age and underweight in the modern era of giants. Lewis, at 6ft 5in, dwarfs him; Lewis, at 34, is three years younger; Lewis at 17st 3lb has bulk to spare. To his credit, Holyfield changed his training routine from day to night. He hired fitness and movement experts. He rediscovered indomitability to give a far harsher, closer contest than in March. Then the judging, most obviously of Eugenia Williams, who said she could not see what she was scoring, betrayed Lewis. On Saturday night there were times when a draw loomed as legitimate. What would the judges do in this febrile arena? "Stand up if you hate Don King!" sang the 6,000-strong English support group in the top tier. Their chant was pertinent, for King is the figurehead of a mistrusted scene. By night, when King's prices ranged from $200 to $2,000 in the hall, and $50 in clubs and hotels screening pay-per-view, Holyfield v Lewis II appeared deceptively unispiring compared with New York for the first bout. There, the English were brash, loud and clad in Union Jacks. Here, trust in pro boxing appeared to be flagging. The 17,913-seat arena was not sold out. The glitterati assembled in New York were reduced to a few. Boxing, under FBI investigation and the subject of an attempted legal and legislative clean-up, is no place the Beautiful People wish to be seen visiting for the moment. Theirs was the loss. After New York. where the result was contrived and the boxing unmemorable, Saturday in Vegas stirred the blood. Even King praised Lewis. "It is every mother's dream," the promoter shouted, "to have a son who becomes the heavyweight champion of the world. Lennox Lewis is the unmitigated, undisputed champion of the WORRRLD and we have on this platform Mrs Violet Lewis, who is that mother." Nice try. But Violet, like her son, does not appear comfortable in the presence of King. She knew how over-the-top, how banal the peace gesture was. For what mother wants her boy at risk in the ring? The state of health of Muhammad Ali and the decline in Holyfield makes a mother fear. As Lennox Lewis said: "Now I have the championship, everyone will want to fight me."

Way too may articles to post here are contained in the Sports Section of the Times of London. Each is a very good read and gives insight no US periodical will. Until John posts, read here: http://www.sunday-times.co.uk:80/news/pages/tim/99/11/15/timsptbox02004.html?1319194

From John Burnett It was a boring fight but the decision was the right one. I feel sorry for anyone who paid $50 to see it pay-per-view. The fight certainly doesn't call for a rematch. A postfight poll on MSNBC showed that 67 percent of respondents wanted Lewis to defend against Tyson next (9 percent picked Michael Grant--as did I, 7 percent picked Henry Akinwande, 4 percent picked Holyfield, and almost 13 percent picked "somebody else"). If the public wants to see Tyson, they'll get him. Lewis is the best heavyweight out there right now, but has all the excitement of a bologna sandwich. Tyson is outrageous, unpredictable, undependable, sometimes criminal, but he is never boring, which is why I guess more people pay to see pro wrestling than boxing. I personally think that Tyson ought to make his living in pro wrestling--along with Dennis Rodman.

I agree, he's a precarious sideshow. But let him be put on the sacrificial alter of Lennox Lewis, who comports himself much more admirably than any other fighter in memory. He comes across as honest, humorous, and seems to have pretty clear vision. But is he actually managed by Don King? If so, it seems so incongruous.

Lewis is not managed by King, but by Panos Eliades, a London businessman of Greek extraction, who rather amusingly takes very little cr*p from King. King is allowed to hog the stage as the promoter, as usual, but Eliades does not back down on money issues. I remember reading that some provision in the last promotion catered for Lewis to do very well out of the purse of a re-match in the event of a draw, and King didn't know it was there, tried to jolly the match back to the previous terms, and got completely rebuffed. Lewis, as John says, is a good but uninspiring fighter (with a sense of humour).

That's a relief that Don King doesn't have his mitts on Lewis. Maybe this Greek promotor has more scruples than the typical lot. The problem with boxing is there's only a top level tier, there's no middle. Or at least no one's interested in the middle. That's why Tyson surfaces again so easily, purely out of name recognition. He's the only one folks know about. And he's notorious.

HBO is showing the Holyfield Lewis fight tonight. IBF went home with it's belt rather than give to Lewis. Should Lewis just throw all these belts in the trash? Maybe the BCS or whoever does the football rankings for bowl games should rank the boxers and do away with all these belt scams? The IBF wanted a $300,000 sanctioning fee. What the hell is a "sanctioning fee"?

From John Burnett No, Lewis shouldn't pull a Riddick Bowe and throw away any belts (Bowe threw away the WBC belt when they told him he would have to fight Lewis after Bowe had beaten Holyfield in their first fight that's how Lewis got his original title). All of the "governing bodies" of boxing demand a "sanctioning fee" for recognizing the fight as a title fight for their organization. That helps to pay for the belt itself, officiating and other administrative charges, plus a tidy but hopefully not excessive profit. For a fight of the largest magnitude, $100,000 is usual, customary and perhaps reasonable, $300,000 is excessive, like someone is being bribed--maybe IBF Prez Bobby Lee? NO! NOT THAT PARAGON OF INDICTMENT!!!!!!!!!!!!! He's FAR too honest and honorable for THAT!!! (Ooh, am I resorting to sarcasm? Sorry, Lee's not worth the effort of real irony, and I apologize to Larry Beil, as well!)

Paragon of Indictment?! *LOL* Love it! Thanks, John

I saw the fight over the weekend and thought it was a lot closer than the first fight. Lewis has a kinds of hands down at his side, laid back style. But his long reach really helps him out. It was David (Holyfield) and Goliath (Lewis), but more of a friendly Goliath.

FROM REUTERS: Boxing: Lewis Plans to Defend Title Next April LONDON (Reuters) - Briton Lennox Lewis plans to defend his undisputed world heavyweight title next April following his points win over defending champion Evander Holyfield of the United States on November 13. Promoter Panos Eliades told a news conference Tuesday the Lewis camp hoped to arrange a home fight in April and manager Frank Maloney said they would now sit down and discuss a possible opponent. North American Boxing Federation champion Michael Grant is one possibility while Lewis said he would also consider a bout with the former undisputed champion Mike Tyson. ``It would be a great fight,'' Lewis said. ``I would love to fight Mike Tyson.'' Eliades said he had received offers from China, Japan, South Africa and Canada to stage Lewis's first title defense.

Lewis Makes Muted Return to British Life LONDON (Reuters) - Beyond a trio of bored Soho nightclub bouncers, Lennox Lewis made a muted return to British life on Tuesday on an appropriately drab November day. For all the interest shown in the heart of London's West End, the bouncers would have been better employed chucking people in rather than keeping them out of the first British news conference staged by the new world heavyweight champion. The indifference of the crowd hurrying through Leicester Square reflected the ambivalence in Britain to Lewis. If often too passive for many fight fans' taste, Lewis is the genuine article in a way that Frank Bruno never was. Yet if Bruno had defeated Evander Holyfield for the undisputed world title there would have been calls for a ticker tape parade, freedom of the City of London and a place in the new House of Lord's. Bruno's ability was in inverse proportion to his impressive physique. Lewis has proven himself the best of an admittedly lackluster crop of heavyweights. STEWART PRAISES LEWIS Lewis chose to tour the U.S. talk shows for a week rather than return home to a hero's welcome and he shows no taste for cheap publicity. It was left to his trainer Emmanuel Steward to provide the requisite soundbites on Tuesday. Lewis, opined the veteran American, was the best heavyweight he had ever been associated with. Furthermore, he said, the best was still to come from the 34-year-old. ``He has got so much talent that is in reserve,'' Steward added. ``In his next fight he will really display that.'' Promoter Panos Eliades said Lewis hoped to stage the first title defense next April, although no opponent has yet been decided. North American Boxing Federation champion Michael Grant, whose points defeat of Poland's Andrew Golota was watched with interest by the Lewis camp last Saturday, is a possibility. So too is Mike Tyson, unless the troubled former world champion self-destructs in the meantime. ``It would be a great fight,'' said Lewis. ``I would love to fight Mike Tyson. ``His fans would like to seem him fight me and my fans would like to see me fight him. But he has been a naughty boy.'' Steward said he believed Lewis could fight any of the present contenders at the rate of one every five to six weeks, raising conscious echoes of Joe Louis's ``bum a month'' campaign. ``He can knock them all out in six months,'' Steward continued. ``I would like to seem him fight every other month.'' Lewis, meantime, intends to bask in the luxury of his new found status. ``Even to be undisputed champion I had to box 24 rounds,'' he said in a reference to the controversial draw in the first Holyfield fight. ``Now I am undisputed champion, I will set some other goals. ``There are some big guys out there. But none really as good as Evander Holyfield.''

From John in re the article above: Tyson's unreliable and Lewis is uninspiring...what a bore-snore that could be, unless Mike took another bite. As for Emanuel Steward, of course Lewis is the best heavyweight he ever had. He has never had a decent heavyweight before. He's had tons of good lightweights, welters and middles, though.

Of course Lewis would love to fight Tyson, it's the biggest possible payday and the easiest fight. And as far as Michael Grant, he wasn't totally convincing the other day, he came close to being KOed. Tyson's the only guy with name recognition, well, I guess there's George Foreman.

John: Michael Grant isn't ready yet. He may be one day, but he got a late start and frankly, is looking like Riddick Bowe used to--like a worldbeater one day and a chump the next. It looks like we are going to have to take another dose of Iron Mike, like it or not.

Wednesday - 14:56 12/01/99, EST Tyson to Fight in Germany in August - Manager BERLIN (Reuters) - Former world heavyweight champion Mike Tyson will fight Ukraine's Vitali Klitschko in Germany next August, Klitschko's manager was quoted as saying Wednesday. ``The fight will take place in August,'' manager Klaus-Peter Kohl told the daily Bild. Kohl said he would like the fight between Tyson and Klitschko, the German-based World Boxing Organization (WBO) heavyweight champion, to be staged in Hamburg's main soccer stadium. The manager said the fight, which was originally scheduled for January, would be Tyson's first since his October 23 no contest against Orlin Norris in Las Vegas. Norris injured his right knee and could not continue after falling to the canvas when Tyson punched him after the bell at the end of the first round. The Norris bout marked Tyson's return to the ring after a nine-month absence during which he spent 3-1/2 months in jail for assaulting two motorists after a minor traffic accident last year in Maryland. Previous Article: Olazabal Plays Down Garcia's Million Dollar Chances Next Article: Torrance Named European Ryder Cup Captain

...and the side-show continues... Tyson to Fight British Champ Next Month in London LONDON (Reuters) - Mike Tyson will fight British heavyweight champion Julius Francis on Jan. 29 in his first fight outside the United States since he lost three world belts in Tokyo in 1990. Tyson, 33, will be hoping to avoid a rerun of his shock 10th-round knockout by longshot James ``Buster'' Douglas when he meets Francis in Manchester. ``Iron'' Mike is trying to resurrect his career after being banned for biting Evander Holyfield's ears in their 1997 title fight. His last outing against Orlin Norris in October ended in farce when Tyson punched Norris after the bell had sounded for the end of the first round. Norris retired injured and the bout was ruled no contest. ``We're hoping for a happy experience here in England, without the darkness and anger that has surrounded previous fights,'' American fight promoter Jay Larkin told a news conference Tuesday. ``We're looking at it as a relief from the whirlpool Mike's been living in in the States.'' British promoter Frank Warren said only 3,000 seats remained for the fight at the 21,000-capacity M.E.N. Arena after tickets went on sale Sunday. Warren would not reveal Francis's likely purse for the January fight but confirmed it would be more than the 15,000 pounds ($24,250) he was due to earn defending his Commonwealth title this week. Francis has had to relinquish his Commonwealth belt as a condition of taking the Tyson fight. The 35-year-old Francis, who has won 21 of his 28 contests with 11 knockouts, said he feared nothing after life as a bouncer, a kick-boxer and a fighter in unlicensed bouts. ``I know how to get down and dirty too,'' the ``Woolwich Warrior'' told the news conference. ``I'm not going to let Tyson intimidate me with his dirty tactics. Tyson feels pain and bleeds like any one else. Let the best man win.'' After serving a jail term for grievous bodily harm 10 years ago, Francis now lectures at schools and prisons on the dangers of a life of crime. The father of four has successfully defended his British title three times this year but has struggled to take a step up in class. Francis lost a European title challenge to Croatia's Zeljko Mavrovic in 1997 and was beaten by German Axel Schultz and current WBO champion Vitali Klitschko of the Ukraine in 1998. One cloud still hangs over the bout as Francis's promoter Panos Eliades last week told Reuters he had knew nothing about the Tyson fight. Eliades played no part in Tuesday's official confirmation of the January event, where Welshman Joe Calzaghe will defend his WBO super middleweight title against top-ranked contender David Starie.

John's considered view of the contest upcoming: It's sad. Barring bad knees and ear bites, Tyson will demolish this glorified doorman inside of 3.

Tuesday - 23:23 12/14/99, EST Angry De La Hoya to Return to Garden NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oscar De La Hoya returns to Madison Square Garden without a title but with plenty to prove when he takes on welterweight contender Derrell ``Too Sweet'' Coley on February 26. De La Hoya is coming off his first career defeat a contentious majority decision awarded to Felix Trinidad last September in Las Vegas after De La Hoya danced away the last three rounds thinking he was far ahead in the scoring. ``I'm going to come out with a different style,'' vowed De La Hoya, who said he was ``programmed'' during training to stay up on his toes and box the dangerous Trinidad. ``You cannot let these judges juggle your career around. ``You have to come out and be very, very aggressive. I'm going to come out with such anger ... I'm really looking forward to it.'' The 26-year-old De La Hoya, who relinquished his World Boxing Council title to Trinidad, thought he was safely ahead after putting on a boxing clinic against the Puerto Rican International Boxing Federation champion. But after running away from Trinidad in the final rounds, American judge Jerry Roth scored it 115-113 for Trinidad and fellow-American Glen Hamada had it 114-114. Bob Logist of Belgium scored it 115-114 for Trinidad. De La Hoya, whose record fell to 31-1, said he still believes he won his bout with Trinidad despite admitting that he lost the last three rounds. ``Every time I watch that fight I gave myself another round,'' he said. The Mexican-American said he is convinced he could have knocked out Trinidad and longs for a chance to recapture his title. In the meantime, De La Hoya says he will go back to more base instincts when he goes against the 29-year-old Coley, 34-1-2, in the 12-round, WBC welterweight eliminator. Coley's only defeat was a controversial split decision to Oba Carr in 1995. ``No more boxing on my toes and this and that,'' said the handsome boxer. ``But it's very sad that a lot of people don't really appreciate that skill anymore of boxing. But, hey, if I have to please the fans and please the people then I'm going to go out and go back to my old style and duke it out.'' The Garden card will also feature a junior welterweight match between Arturo Gatti (30-4-0) and Joey Gamache (55-3-0).

John: Coley is a worthy opponent--an excellent puncher with decent defensive skills, but if De La Hoya remembers who he is and how he got to be champ in the first place (and it wasn't by sticking and moving), he'll win an exciting bout.

What's the HBO schedule for these fights, are they going to be carried on HBO?

Don't know, but I will ask the resident boxing wizard. I am pretty sure he will know

Wednesday - 19:24 12/15/99, EST Sweden to Review 30-Year-Old Boxing Ban STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - The Swedish government is to review a 30-year-old law that bans professional boxing, a senior government official told Reuters on Wednesday. The government has decided to reconsider the ban because it feels it has become illogical given the increasing popularity of other fighting sports that are not prohibited, said Ursula Berge, a political adviser to the minister for sport. Borderline sports such as Ultimate Fighting Championships and No Holds Barred, which have minimal rules and are less regulated than boxing, are not banned in Sweden. ``The law as it stands today only prohibits professional boxing and that is not logical. We have to decide what is legal and what is illegal in our society regardless of what sport it is in,'' Berge said. Sweden banned professional but not amateur boxing in 1969, saying the sport was medically unsafe, prone to unsound economic practices and ethically flawed. ``It is not right that someone can gain an economic advantage by fighting someone else,'' Berge said. The sports ministry recently asked Sweden's sports umbrella body to look into fighting sports in relation to the boxing legislation. ``The umbrella body was of the opinion that, in the light of the evolution of other martial arts, the boxing law should be reviewed,'' Berge said, adding the ban could be widened to include other sports or completely repealed. ``We are going to have a hearing in February where all the different parts of sporting society doctors, boxers and organizations can discuss the issues,'' she said. ``We have no view as to what the outcome of these discussions should be,'' Berge added. Condemnation of the law by Swedish boxers who are forced to compete abroad and a number of high-profile fights involving Swedish boxers had brought the boxing ban to the government's attention. Last month Sweden's Armand Krajnc became the World Boxing Organization middleweight champion while Paolo Roberto, another Swedish boxer and chat show host, failed in a bid to win the World Boxing Council super-welterweight title in September.

Austin Keeps IBF Bantamweight Crown With Knockout TUNICA, Miss. (Reuters) - Tim Austin needed less than two minutes to retain his International Boxing Federation bantamweight title Saturday as the American knocked out Bernardo Mendoza of Chile in the first round. Austin, 28, successfully defended his title for the fourth time by stopping the IBF's number one contender just 1:49 into the fight at the Grand Casino. Austin, known as ``The Cincinnati Kid,'' dropped Mendoza to the canvas midway through the opening round. He then caught the Chilean with a solid right hand that ended the bout moments after the challenger had gotten to his feet. The champion, who had not fought since March 27 when he stopped Mexican Sergio Aguila in Miami, improved to 20-0-1 with 19 fights ending inside the distance. A pair of American heavyweights looking to resurrect their careers also won easily on the undercard. Oliver McCall, who defeated world heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis for the World Boxing Council title in 1994, stopped Wil Hinton in just 77 seconds. McCall (34-7) posted his sixth consecutive victory since suffering an emotional breakdown in the ring during his 1997 rematch with Lewis. He knocked Hinton down with a stiff jab before referee Elmo Adolph ruled that Hinton could not continue. Former World Boxing Organization champion Ray Mercer (26-4-1) needed just 43 seconds to knock out Jim Haynes.

Boxer Andrew Golota Cited in Fatal Iowa Car Crash DAVENPORT, Iowa (Reuters) - Polish-born boxer Andrew Golota was slightly injured while his trainer was killed on Monday when the car Golota was driving crossed a highway and was struck head-on by a truck, police said. The early morning accident, which may have been caused by icy road conditions, killed Tadeusz Godlewki, 49, while leaving Golota, 31, relatively unscathed, a Davenport police spokesman said. Golota (34-4) was ticketed for failing to control the vehicle, a Mercedes-Benz, but the police spokesman said there was no sign that he had fallen asleep. Golota achieved a measure of boxing infamy when twice in 1996 he was disqualified for low blows in fights against former heavyweight champion Riddick Bowe. Yet Golota, who was born in Warsaw but moved to Chicago and now lives in Jersey City, New Jersey, was still considered a box office draw, in part because he is white. In his last fight, Golota went up against highly-touted Michael Grant in November. But once again Golota imploded. Golota had knocked Grant down twice in the first round and was thoroughly thrashing him for most of the bout. But after getting knocked down briefly in the 10th round Golota quit.

Hawaii team leaving for Olympic boxing qualification bouts Star-Bulletin staff The 2000 Hawaii Boxing Team, headed by undefeated Samson Guillermo from Waianae, will leave next Friday for the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. The 11-member team will compete from Jan. 10-15 with the top two medalists in each division receiving automatic berths into the February's Olympic Trials. The team members include Guillermo, a two-time national and world junior Olympic champion at 112 pounds. The Waianae Boxing Club representative will put his 34-0 record on the line as he steps up to the open (17-34 year-old) age group. Other members are: Tony Rodrigues, 119, Wailuku B.C.; Lyndon Patricio, 125, Waianae B.C.; Shirrod Victoria, 132, Kalakaua B.C.,; and Kili Madrid, 139, Wailuku B.C. Also, Jason Tomlin, 147, Valentinos B.C.; Clay Lewis, 156, Kakaako B.C.; Tyson Lee, 165, Kalakaua B.C.; Tommy Pestana, 178, Waianae B.C.; Jose Ortiz, 201, Wahiawa B.C.; and Tuese AhKiong, 201-plus, Hawaii Warriors, B.C. The team manager is Bruce Kawano. The assistant coaches are Jeff McKee and Todd Bristowe.

Lewis/Grant Eyed for Madison Square Garden in April NEW YORK (Reuters) - Undisputed heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis likely will defend his title for the first time against Michael Grant in Madison Square Garden in April, a spokesman for Lewis's U.S. promoter said Tuesday. ``They're talking as we speak and hopefully they can wrap the deal up as soon as possible,'' said Main Events spokesman Donald Tremblay. ``Both sides are eager for the fight to be made.'' Tremblay said Main Events and Lewis's British-based promoter Panix Promotions are negotiating with HBO's pay-per-view arm TVKO for the April 29 fight. One source close to the talks said the American would receive $3-4 million and Lewis would get $10 million for his first fight since becoming undisputed champion by beating Evander Holyfield on a unanimous decision last November. Based on his last fight Grant would likely be a substantial underdog against the Briton. Grant was taking a beating from Andrew Golota for most of their Nov. 20 fight, getting knocked down twice. In round 10, Grant knocked down Golota, who bounced up at the count of two apparently not at all seriously hurt. But when the referee routinely asked him if he wanted to continue, the Polish-born Golota quit. Lewis (35-1-1) would return to Madison Square Garden after his controversial draw there with Holyfield March 13, a bout clearly dominated by the only British fighter to hold the undisputed heavyweight title in the 20th century. At 6-6 Lewis will be shorter than the 6-7 Grant, who is 31-0.

Promoter Says Tyson Flying to Britain on Sunday LONDON (Reuters) - Boxer Mike Tyson will fly to Britain for this month's big fight against British heavyweight champion Julius Francis despite warnings he might be denied entry, promoter Frank Warren said Wednesday. He said the American would only cancel his travel plans if British authorities say once and for all that Tyson's criminal record stood in the way of entry.

UK Hopes to Rule on Mike Tyson Before He Flies LONDON (Reuters) - The British government denied on Thursday that one immigration officer will have to square up to fearsome boxer Mike Tyson Sunday and possibly boot him out of the country. ``There is no question of whoever happens to be on the desk Sunday night...having to decide on this,'' Prime Minister Tony Blair's official spokesman told reporters. Britain's immigration service union reacted angrily to reports one of its officers at London's Heathrow Airport would be left alone to decide whether the former world heavyweight boxing champion can enter the country for a fight. The volatile American has confirmed he will arrive at Heathrow Sunday despite warnings from the British government that his previous convictions would normally bar a foreign citizen from entering Britain. He is due to fight British heavyweight champion Julius Francis on January 29 in Manchester after training in London. ``Everybody would think it is sensible to get this sorted before Tyson flies,'' Blair's spokesman said. He said boxing promoter Frank Warren had handed in a 67-page submission which officials were considering. But he insisted that it remained a matter for the Immigration Service and one that government ministers would not interfere in. HOME OFFICE GOES MISSING, IMMIGRATION OFFICIAL SAYS John Tincey, of the Immigration Service Union, said it was crazy that an official in the glare of the world's media -- may have no choice but to refuse the 34-year-old boxer entry. ``It reflects the way the Home Office has generally collapsed into a state of leaderlessness at the moment,'' he told BBC radio. ``We're faced with a no-win situation. If you send him back you make boxing fans unhappy. Let him in the country and you'll make people who follow anti-rape groups and some aspiring politicians very unhappy. ``That's possibly why people in the senior offices of the Home Office are seeking not to be in their offices at the moment.'' Tyson was convicted of rape in the United States in 1992 and sentenced to six years in jail. He then served another term for an attack on two middle-aged motorists and was freed eight months ago. British rules state that anyone convicted of a crime which carries a sentence of 12 months or more in Britain should not be allowed into the country unless they could demonstrate ``strong compassionate reasons'' to do so. Tyson told reporters the prospect of him being barred from Britain were ``preposterous and it just couldn't happen. I'm hated worldwide, not by the common people but by the authoritarians.'' Although the fight was scheduled weeks ago, it was only on Tuesday that the Home Office stunned boxing fans by saying it was still weighing up his desire to enter Britain. Warren's argument is believed to center on the thousands of tickets sold for the fight and money invested in the bout.

From John Burnett regarding the above post So much for the fabled British organizational skills and stiff upper lip. Sadly, I think they should let him in. This fight has been scheduled and hyped for months, tickets sold, and they are trying to bar the door at this late date. I never thought I would be siding with Mike. I'm not opposed, however, to have him under 24-hour-a-day "house arrest" or "armed guard" designed to protect not Mike, but the local citizenry. Unfortunately, Bobbies don't carry guns. This sounds like a job for Bond--James Bond.

From the BBC US heavyweight Mike Tyson will be allowed to enter the UK despite his rape conviction, the Home Office has said. Home Secretary Jack Straw made the decision because of the "exceptional circumstances" of the case and the huge sums at stake. The move comes after fears of a high-profile stand-off with the duty immigration officer at Heathrow airport when Tyson arrives in London on Sunday for a fight. The government stepped in after criticism by immigration officials that it had failed to take a leading role and use its discretion to end the confusion. Mr Straw said: "It would be invidious for an individual immigration officer to weigh the competing considerations involved. "I have looked very carefully at the representations that have been submitted today to the Immigration Service by Mr Frank Warren and I consider that there are exceptional circumstances that justify my decision." Mr Warren, the fight's promoter, had handed over a 67-page dossier arguing for Tyson to be allowed to enter the UK. Mr Straw said the cancellation of Tyson's bout with Julius Francis in Manchester on 29 January could have a potentially devastating effect on businesses providing services for the fight. 'Disappointment' He added: "I have also taken account of the effect on business in the Manchester area and of the inconvenience and disappointment of the many thousand members of the public who have purchased tickets for the fight." Mr Straw said he was not satisfied that the rules on people with criminal convictions entering the UK had been applied consistently in the past, and they would now be reviewed. At present under British law, anyone who has committed a crime abroad that would carry a 12-month sentence in the UK cannot enter the country unless there are "compassionate reasons". Tyson was convicted of rape in the United States in 1992 and sentenced to six years in jail. The decision ends days of confusion over who could make the decision on Tyson's entry. 'Hated worldwide' On Tuesday, Downing Street said the decision was solely for the immigration service - a position reinforced by Mr Straw on Thursday. But hours later, UK Prime Minister Tony Blair's spokesman said a decision would after all be made at the Home Office before the boxer's arrival. Tyson had described the prospect of him being barred from the UK as "preposterous", adding: "I'm hated worldwide, not by the common people but by the authoritarians." The news was welcomed by Mr Warren, who said the saga had been "unnecessary and embarrassing". Julius Francis' manager, Frank Maloney, said the confusion could have been avoided "if politicians had not tried to score brownie points". Tyson will be allowed to stay in the UK until 30 January.

Norris Files Complaint Against Tyson Over Rematch NEW YORK (Reuters) - Attorneys for heavyweight boxer Orlin Norris have filed a complaint against former champion Mike Tyson, accusing him of reneging on a promise for a rematch worth $2 million to Norris. Tyson's October bout with Tyson was stopped and ruled a no-contest after the first round when Tyson knocked down his opponent well after the bell and Norris, with a swollen knee, refused to come out for the second round. The referee said the punch was unintentional. In papers filed in Manhattan Supreme Court, Norris's attorney Judd Burstein said that Tyson's manager, Shelly Finkel, had agreed that Tyson's next match would be against Norris if Norris publicly exonerated Tyson for the incident. ``Finkel informed me that he was very concerned that Mr. Tyson would be suspended or barred by the (Nevada State Athletic Commission) if Mr. Norris expressed a public view that the foul had been intentional,'' the complaint quotes Norris's manager Scott Woodworth as saying in a sworn affidavit. ``And that if Mr. Norris made the requested public statement, Mr. Norris would be granted an immediate rematch ... in December of 1999 or January of 2000,'' Woodworth said. Tyson is scheduled to fight journeyman Julius Francis on Saturday in Manchester, Britain. The complaint seeks a restraining order requiring Showtime, America Presents and Finkel to withhold payment of $2 million of Tyson's purse from Saturday's bout pending the hearing of the motion. A spokesman for Tyson in New York, Peter Seligman, said Tuesday ``there is absolutely no merit to this lawsuit,'' and pointed out that Tyson's lawyers filed a complaint in Las Vegas Friday seeking a ruling that he had no such oral agreement. The contract for Norris's Oct. 23 bout with Tyson provided Norris with a purse of $800,000, and a clause that he would receive a purse of $2 million in the event of a rematch, Norris's representatives said. They said that on the morning after the aborted bout, Finkel again requested a public statement by Norris exonerating Tyson. ``Finkel also stated unequivocally that he had secured the approval for a Tyson-Norris rematch from Mr. Tyson, America Presents Inc., Mr. Tyson's exclusive promoter, and Showtime Networks Inc.'' which has the television rights to Tyson bouts. Norris spoke to the press Oct. 24, saying he believed the foul ``to have been unintentional,'' according to the complaint. ``The defendants broke their word and contracted Tyson to another boxer,'' it said. ``Plainly Tyson is afraid to fight Norris,'' Bernstein said. ``He prefers to fight only those fights he feels sure he can win. At the rate he is going, his next opponent will be (teen pop singer) Brittany Spears.'' The NSAC ultimately ruled that Tyson could keep his $8.8 million purse from the one-round Norris bout, but one member said the controversial fighter ``should pack his bags and not fight in Las Vegas in the future.'' The commission also warned that Tyson's action would come under further scrutiny upon his bid to renew his Nevada boxing license.

Tyson in Mood to 'Kill' Francis LONDON (Reuters) - Mike Tyson is in the mood to ``kill'' Briton Julius Francis when they clash in a non-title heavyweight bout in Manchester Saturday. ``I think I'm going to kill Julius Francis. I'm ready for this fight and I want it bad,'' the former undisputed world champion said Tuesday. Tyson made his prediction on Sky Sports television, whose interviewer suggested the American meant he intended to knock his opponent out rather than kill him. ``Well, I hope he gets up if he gets knocked out,'' Tyson responded. ``But that's just the motivation I have. I just want to fight and do well.'' The controversial Tyson there were attempts to stop him coming to Britain because he had a rape conviction in the United States tried to explain that the boxer and the man were two different people. ``To my wife and children I'm Mike and daddy, but I'm Tyson here, just a freak who generates a ton of money. ``Collectively, the only thing people care about is the Tyson who is going to put on this freakshow in Manchester. No one cares about Michael personally. Where I come from I'm the piece of gum on the bottom of your shoe.'' The American has a poor recent record but pronounced himself to be ``in great shape, doing better than ever.'' Tyson agreed with the interviewer's suggestion he seemed more relaxed in England than at home. ``Your guys treat me with kid gloves compared to what they do over in the United States,'' the boxer said. ACCUSTOMED ``There's almost been a witch-hunt against me back home but I've become so accustomed to it that it doesn't affect me any more,'' Tyson said. ``I've lost all my sensitivity about being embarrassed, about being shy. When you have something in life that you want to accomplish greatly you have to be willing to give up your happiness. ``I've made a lot of mistakes in my life and hopefully I won't make as many as drastically as I did in my youth. I don't know if I'm any different now but I'm more aware and I wasn't aware as a kid of 19 with a ton of money in my pocket.'' Asked about a likely meeting with Britain's undisputed world champion Lennox Lewis, Tyson said: ``When I do meet Lewis I will knock him out. I'm better, I'm at the top of my game.'' Tyson felt such a meeting might not be too far ahead. ''Maybe at the end of the year, three or four more fights.'' The American was less certain about how long his career in the ring would continue. ``Sometimes I wake up and I want to stop tomorrow and sometimes I wake up and I want to go on for 20 more years. It depends on what kind of frame of mind I'm in,'' he said. Of his place in boxing history, Tyson said: ``The only thing that matters to me is that my peers know where I belong. ``I don't care what the trainers say about me because they never took a punch in their life.''

Promoter Discussing More Tyson Fights in Europe LONDON (Reuters) - Promoter Frank Warren is negotiating to bring former world heavyweight champion Mike Tyson back to Europe for more fights. A spokesman for Warren said the Briton was in New York on Tuesday discussing arrangements with the boxer's manager, Shelly Finkel, and Jay Larkin, the head of the Showtime cable television network. British newspapers have suggested Warren is trying to line up an April 8 fight in the Italian city of Milan as well as what would be a controversial return to Britain in the summer at Cardiff's Millennium stadium. Tyson demolished British champion Julius Francis in a Warren-promoted fight in Manchester last month after the failure of attempts to keep the U.S. boxer out of the country because of his 1992 conviction for rape. Denmark and France have also been mentioned as possible venues for future Tyson fights. The boxer has a big fan base in Europe and his Manchester fight was sold out in two days. Tyson is scheduled to fight American Lou Savarese next in New Jersey on March 25 but the Guardian newspaper said on Tuesday that fight was likely to be shelved.

Oh yeah, Tyson won the last fight...sorry (for those who did not hear...)

Viloria wins U.S. Olympic Team Trials Star-Bulletin staff Waipahu's Brian Viloria won the light flyweight/106-pound division title in the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Tampa, Fla., on Saturday, with an 8-6 decision over Nonito Donaire of San Leandro, Calif. The 19-year-old Viloria, who captured the world amateur title last summer in Houston with a victory over 1996 gold medalist Maikro Romero of Cuba, is the favorite for the gold medal this summer in Sydney. Hawaii has not had a boxer in the Olympics since flyweight Ray Perez and bantamweight Choken Maekawa qualified for Melbourne 43 years ago. Viloria, who stands 5-foot-4, waged a close battle with Donaire throughout the Olympic Team Trials bout. He never got more than a two-point lead on his opponent. Viloria opened the fight peppering Donaire, trying to nail him with his left hook at the end of combinations. Donaire countered and waited for Viloria to make a mistake. Viloria trains on the campus of Northern Michigan at the USA Boxing Olympic Education Center in Marquette, Mich. His record is 26-2 since the beginning of 1999. Besides the world amateur title, Viloria last year won American titles at the National Golden Gloves, the National Amateur Boxing Championships and the U.S. Challenge, and he defeated China's national champion at the Multi-Nation Festival of Amateur Boxing (Liverpool, England).

HBO's KO targets new boxing fans NEW YORK (Variety) - HBO is trying to woo younger viewers ringside with ``KO Nation,'' a new Saturday afternoon boxing series hosted by former MTV personality Ed Lover. Oscar De La Hoya will serve as an expert analyst for the program, which will debut May 6. Created expressly to attract a new generation to boxing, ``KO Nation'' will feature cutting-edge music and dancers. The show, which will match up prizefighters from virtually every weight division, will tape at various venues, including college campuses. ``Today's boxing audience is predominantly made up of men 50-plus. 'KO Nation' will be formatted with an innovative and contemporary production style, developed to appeal to younger viewers,'' said Time Warner Sports president and CEO Seth Abraham. In addition to hosting ``KO,'' Lover best known as the former co-host of MTV's ``Yo! MTV Raps'' will also serve as the ring announcer. Fran Charles, sports anchor at New York's WNBC, will call the blow-by-blow action and Julie Lederman, daughter of HBO's ``World Championship Boxing'' judge Harold Lederman, will serve as the unofficial ringside scorer.

Former Boxing Champion Bowe Faces Sentencing CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Reuters) - Brain damage inflicted on world former heavyweight boxing champion Riddick Bowe from years in the ring was a factor in his decision to kidnap his estranged wife and children as he sought to reconcile his marriage, his psychiatrist said in court on Monday. Bowe, 32, who pleaded guilty to the February 1998 kidnapping, suffers from injuries to the frontal lobe of his brain that leave him impulsive and unable to think things out clearly, psychiatrist Neil Blumberg testified at the boxer's sentencing hearing in a Charlotte federal court. ``I think that it directly led to the behavior in question,'' Blumberg said. ``I think that these conditions directly contributed to his involvement in these offenses.'' According to prosecutors, Bowe kidnapped his estranged wife Judy Bowe and their children from their home in Cornelius, North Carolina, north of Charlotte, to take them to his home in Maryland in hopes of reconciling with his wife. He was arrested in Virginia after his wife, using Bowe's cell phone, called for help at a McDonald's restaurant. Bowe had brought along a knife, hand cuffs, pepper spray and duct tape, but witnesses said he never intended to harm his family. Instead, Blumberg said, he would have used them to subdue any men he might have found at his wife's home. Although Bowe has signed a plea agreement calling for an 18-month to 24-month prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Graham Mullen agreed to hear testimony on Bowe's mental state from the boxer's former manager and psychiatrists before handing down a sentence. Judy Bowe, who is divorcing the boxer, did not appear at the hearing. Blumberg testified she had told him she did not want Bowe sentenced to jail, but instead believed he needs counseling. Bowe defeated Evander Holyfield in November 1992 to win the undisputed world heavyweight title, but lost to Holyfield a year later. He retired after a brutal fight in December 1996 with Andrew Golota, who was ahead on points but was disqualified for punching below the belt. ``He took a severe pounding,'' longtime manager Eugene ''Rock'' Newman said, adding that he grew increasingly concerned about Bowe's inability to think rationally over the years. In 1997, Bowe lived out a lifelong dream by joining the Marine Corps, but left basic training after 10 days, saying he could not take the loss of control over his life. Blumberg said that as recently as last week, Bowe remained preoccupied with joining the Marines, and for the past two months he had been in training to resume his boxing career. ``He has this tendency, when he latches on to something, to just stick with it,'' Blumberg said. Mullen was expected to hand down a sentence on Tuesday.

Reid, Trinidad Put Undefeated Ring Records on Line LAS VEGAS (Reuters) - Undefeated David Reid of the United States defends his World Boxing Association super welterweight championship against unbeaten former World Boxing Council and International Boxing Federation welterweight champ Felix Trinidad of Puerto Rico on Friday. A non-sellout crowd of about 10,000 is expected to attend the 154-pound title bout scheduled for 12 rounds in a temporary outdoor arena at Caesars Palace. The reason for the anticipated turnout could have something to do with the unseasonably damp, cool and blustery weather forecast. Or it could be that the fight does not have the allure of Trinidad's recent outing against Oscar De La Hoya at least not to people who are not true boxing aficionados. But the unheralded Reid has a relatively good chance to upset Trinidad, who is considered by many, pound-for-pound, one of the top three fighters in the world today. Las Vegas oddsmakers make Trinidad only a 2 3/4-to-1 favorite, although that is up from the 2 1/4-to-1 pick he was earlier this week. ``I have all the tools to win,'' said the 26-year-old Reid, who has a record of 14-0 with seven bouts ending early and is making his third defense of the crown he won last March. ``I'm too fast, I hit too hard and I'm stronger than Trinidad. But I really think my hand speed will decide the fight. That's why I'm confident.'' Reid has vacillated between predicting a win by knockout and victory by decision. ``If I do my job there won't be a decision. I will knock him out,'' he has said. But on another occasion he said, apparently with equal conviction, ``If I were a betting man, I'd bet me to win by decision.'' ``We have to come to fight,'' said Reid's long-time manager-trainer, Al Mitchell. ``We have to get in there and fight Trinidad. If David stays disciplined and focused it's an easy win. If he doesn't, then it's going to be a long night.'' Reid may be the quicker of the two, but to answer the question of who is the stronger, harder hitter. Trinidad need only point out that 30 of his 36 fights have ended early. ``I don't know how David Reid plans to fight me,'' the 27-year-old Puerto Rican said, ``but I'll be more than happy to slug with him. Bring it to me.'' Trinidad has experience, superb boxing skills and the best right hand in the division. He had made 11 defenses of his IBF welterweight championship before Reid, a gold medal winner at 156 pounds at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, turned pro during 1997. Trinidad is taking a considerable risk by fighting Reid. If Trinidad loses the fight, he also loses his opportunity to meet De La Hoya here June 10 in a rematch that guarantees the Puerto Rican an eight-figure payday. ``If I overlooked David Reid, I wouldn't be doing my job,'' says Trinidad, who is believed to be receiving $3.5 million for this fight compared to $1.625 for the champion. ``This is a very important fight and I'm taking it very seriously.'' ``Forget about De La Hoya,'' said Trinidad's trainer and father, Don Felix. ``He has to worry about David Reid, because this is an important fight with a big risk.'' While Trinidad defeated and dethroned De La Hoya, then the WBC welterweight champion, last September, it was not his typical, stellar performance. Trinidad displayed neither his usual craftsmanship nor aggression. He had difficulty cutting off the ring and seemed more tentative than he had in years while taking a close and controversial decision. ``Felix is a good fighter,'' said Reid, who himself was knocked down by three of his past four foes. ``But Oscar exposed him. Oscar proved that he has trouble with speed. Felix comes straight in to wear you down. ``So I have to make him go backwards, and there's only one way to do that. You hit him when he comes in. I won't run from him like Oscar did. I'm going to make him respect my quickness.'' Said Trinidad: ``I'm ready for someone who I think is going to be very good and very difficult to beat. But he has something I want. That title will be mine, that's for sure.''