VENTILATOR PRECEDES 'GRIM REAPER' MOST OF THE TIME

by Pedro Fernandez

Spencer Oliver lay in a London hospital in a coma after having undergone emergency brain surgery to remove a brain clot after a weekend bout with Segei Devakov.

Spencer, the European 122 lb. champ had been decked and was hurt in the fight that was stopped in the 10th round. According to the reports coming from the hospital, Spencer aka "The Omen" was under the knife for better than three hours to remove a clot on the left side of his brain.

The printed comment from hospital officials is that Oliver, 22 years old, is in critical condition and needs a ventilator to breathe.

That 10 letter word "Ventilator" usually means death is in the air. For the only fighter I can recall who came off the "V" machine and has been able to live a normal life is former WBA bantamweight champ Richie Sandoval who nearly died after collapsing in a fight with Gaby Canizales in 1986, at Caesars Palace.

We at fighters.com offer our prayers to the Oliver family. Here's to hoping "The Omen" is the exception to the ventilator rule and makes a full recovery.

TATE NEXT UP FOR "PAPER" CHAMP

Thomas Tate is is supposedly going to challenge IBF 168 lb. titleholder Charles Brewer in July. The site will be the famed Blue Horizon in Philadelphia, and the USA Tuesday Night Fights will air the Brewer-Tate match.

Tate is on a roll. Last October he starched then #1 ranked IBF 168 lb. guy Joseph Kiwanuka. And just seven days ago, Thomas iced undefeated Anwar Oshana in the USA Tuesday Night Fight card main event.

The knockout of the Ugandan Kiwanuka., was preceded by a Tate win by decision. Before getting drilled underneath the Tate-Oshana bout, by the now 17-10. Demitrius Davis, Joseph's only setbacks as a pro were to Thomas "Ice-T" Tate.

The Brewer-Tate clash will be in July. Terms and purse figures have not yet been made available.

VARGAS: "De La Hoya-Chavez (2) A Joke"

Unbeaten Fernando Vargas wasn't holding nothing back when he appeared on Ring Talk Saturday night. "(Felix) Trinidad is the best welterweight out there. Oscar's a good fighter. But he hasn't fought the guys we know can give him a fight. Jose Lopez, Ike Quartey, or Trinidad."

Vargas on Chavez-Oscar, the rematch: "Oscar fighting Chavez the way he is now (old) is a joke." More with Fernando Vargas this Thursday at www.fighters.com

Vargas will be co-headlining the TELEMUNDO card from Sacramento, CA this Saturday night when he engages one Eddie Hall in 10 round junior middleweight scrap.

The Oxnard, CA native is 11-0, with 11 whackers! Jose Luis Lopez will face Robert West, a good welter who hasn't lost in three years. I saw both Fernando and Lopez Monday at a Sacramento press conference.

While the 1996 Olympian Vargas looked as if he were in fantastic physical shape, Lopez (known to be a lazy sort in the gym) looked a little pudgy considering he was five days away from a fight. Lopez better be ready as West, although a non-puncher, has the talent and skill to put on a clinic for 10 rounds if he gets in a groove.

MOSLEY WANTS GREATNESS

Shane Mosley appeared on Ring Talk this past Saturday also. He will meet former two time champ John-John Molina this Saturday on HBO's Boxing After Dark (BAD) card emanating from Atlantic City.

Mosley, 26-0, 24 KO's, is an incredible story of dedication. An illustration of that desire was quite clear early in his career. After Shane had sparred eight rounds with junior lightweight champ Genaro Hernandez one afternoon, Shane and his father/trainer Jack Mosley drove 50 miles so he could go another eight heats with Rudy Zavala.

And unlike some other well known champ who is scared to share the same zip code with one Felix Trinidad, Shane wants to be the undisputed champion. "I want to be a great fighter, like a Sugar Ray Robinson. I want to beat the best and prove to the people that I am the best. I want Orzubek Nazarov and Steve Johnston (WBA & WBC titleholders)."

More with Shane Mosley this Friday at www.fighters.com

BAM TICKIN' FOR A MAY 15, EXPLOSION IN VEGAS

Las Vegas' busiest promoter Rick Burton Sr. brings his BAM Promotional crew back to the ORLEANS Hotel May 15, for a seven bout card.

On top, 1996 Danish Olympian Hassan Al, 11-0, 5 KO's in a 10 round junior middleweight scrap against an opponent TBA. This will Hassan's third fight under the BAM umbrella.

The six supporting bouts will include two female events. The first, a lightweight encounter (135) will match Mona Dreiling of Hollywood, CA vs Angelica Villian of Albuquerque. The other women's bout, also a four rounder, has Sandy Meister-Meredeth facing Kristina Orlich at 123 lbs. Both ladies are from San Diego.

Nigerian amateur heavyweight champion Friday Ahunaya will look to improve his perfect 3-0, (2 KO's) slate when he encounters Willie Chapman of Ogden, Utah. The "jewel" of the Nigerian team, Friday is a natural puncher who is slowly catching on to the vastly different American training techniques.

Another ex-amateur champ Arnold Soriano, who held the USABF amateur title before turning pro late last year, will fight fellow Las Vegan Dennis Franklin in a six rounder at 165 lbs.

Undefeated Sin City resident Miguel Jiminez, 11-0, with 4 KO's, will battle fellow light heavyweight Zaire Patterson of Palmdale, CA in a duet set for six rounds.

One more 10 rounder featuring light heavyweights Tyrone Castell of Denver, and David Boone of St. George, Utah, will grace the Mardi Gra room at the ORLEANS Hotel. First bout 7:30 PM.

Pedro Fernandez

If you missed Ring Talk on Saturday night, you didn't get a chance to talk to world lightweight champ Shane Mosley who fights John-John Molina next Saturday night on HBO's Boxing After Dark series. And you didn't have the chance to hang out with undefeated "rage" Fernando Vargas. Dan Goossen , COO of the Denver based promotional group AMERICA PRESENTS also appeared on Saturday's show.

On Sunday's one hour show on TALK 2, Larry Merchant of HBO fame discussed the Mosely-Molina matchup coming up this Saturday on Home Box Office.

In other words, if you're a real boxing fan and you're not part of the Ring Talk family of listeners, shame on you! Ring Talk is carried by the TALK AMERICA Radio Networks with the Saturday show on "Talk 1" for two hours on Saturday night beginning at 11 PM ET. Ring talk Sunday is an hour (11 PM ET) in duration and is heard on the "TALK 2" network. Both TALK 1 & TALK 2 have live Internet audio at www.talkamerica.com

This Saturday Ring Talk will air live from the ARCO Arena in Sacramento, CA. where undefeated Fernando Vargas and ex-champ Jose Luis Lopez appear in seperate dimes. The card will be televised by TELEMUNDO.

In closing, we are interested in your comments regarding the news section at www.fighters.com Your view can be sent to flash@inow.com

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