Cyber Boxing Zone -- News

EARLY WEEKEND EDITION: PEDRO FERNANDEZ

TRINIDAD KO'D BY FORMER ADVISOR

One of the most powerful men in Puerto Rican boxing is the Lebanese born Yamil Charde. With better than 35 years in the business, Yamil's first world champion was the Cuban great Kid Gavilan. In the 70's, he was the smarts behind Wilfredo Gomez, the Hall of Fame 122 lber. who didn't lose (38-0, 38 KO's) under Yamil's watch.

SAYS TITO BETTER THAN GOMEZ

In 1991, at the second Mike Tyson-Razor Rudduck fight, Yamil told me that he had a 147 lber. that is "better than Gomez. This kid will be the biggest name to ever come out of Puerto Rico." Obviously, the teenager he was then talking up was today's unbeaten IBF welterweight titleholder Felix Trinidad.

YAMIL HAD NORRIS FIGHT IN '96

Charde wanted to match Felix with WBC 154 lb. champ Terry Norris in 1996. But the elder Trinidad, Felix Sr. didn't want the fight. Not only that, he wanted to jettison Charde who was the manager of record with a valid contract.

JUDGMENT COMES DOWN

A fortnight ago, Yamil was awarded $2.4 million judgment in his suit against the Trinidad's. The majority of this money was being held in escrow pending the outcome of the case as Charde's 30% cut was put aside by the court.

TRINIDAD'S HAVE NEVER WON IN COURT

Although he is unbeaten in the squared circle, Tito Trinidad has never prevailed in the legal ring. Time and time again, the father has made the wrong moves. And now, even though Tito is only 26, Trinidad may have peaked and be coming down the other side of the mountain as a pug.

LEGS NOT STEADY

Maybe it was just me, but I thought that Trinidad's legs looked done as he had his upper body out in front of his feet many times in the Pernell Whitaker match last week. Now, this can be attributed to three possible things. 1. He was fighting Whitaker. 2. Tito was rusty. 3. He's dead at the weight and his legs aren't there.CARDONA SCARED "SPITLESS" OF SHANE

Pito Cardona has a pretty good look about him. Ranked #1 by the IBF at lightweight, Israel, which is Pito's real name, one would think is anxious to fight for the world title. But he isn't. And the reason being that the champion is Shane Mosley.

MANDATORY PASSES THRICE

Cardona has now wiggled out of three possible fights with Mosley. The excuses are many, with the bottom line being Shane would ruin the Puerto Rican forever. That's why when Cardona talks about fighting for a belt, it's the one strapped on WBA guy Jean Baptiste Mendy that comes up.

BEATS PEREZ ON DEUCE LAST NIGHT

Pito, a Puerto Rican now living in Connecticut, was awarded a TKO after seven heats in an ESPN 2 fight when the 24-3-2, Joel Perez couldn't answer the bell for the eighth round to move his record to 31-2. Everybody within the boxing business knows that Cardona, handled by Atlantic City promoter Frank Gelb, is waiting for Mosley to leave the 135 lb. weight class which is in my mind, an astute career move.

FLORIDA UPDATE

My story on the Florida Boxing Commission really lacks teeth, so I've decided to shelve it for the time being. But I can tell you that embattled Commission head Ron Scionti was a political appointee who like most men of that position, had no boxing background.

BROAD RUNS SHOW

And the power in the Florida Boxing Commission lies with the Asst. Executive Director Shelley Bradshaw. She calls the shots and sets the agenda. Scionti is so wrapped up in keeping his $75 K as year gig that he has little choice but to let the dame have the reins.

SELECTIVE PERSECUTION

Ms. Bradshaw was the mind behind the Florida memo that was addressed to all of the referees, judges, and other boxing personel that stated quite clearly. "If you go to work for the newly created Miscokee Boxing, that it would be considered a letter of resignation from Florida boxing," so said the Bradshaw authored statement.

Thus far, that "rule" has not been universally applied. While some of those who worked at Miscokee for the January 30, card have been given assignments since, some have NOT!

TONIGHT HBO'S LOOKING B.A.D.

The highly acclaimed HBO Boxing After Dark series continues tonight with IBF 175 lb. champ Reggie Johnson looking to secure a fight with Roy Jones with a win over once beaten Will Taylor of Philadelphia. Johnson comes in 38-5-1, with 23 stops, while Taylor is 15-1 (11 KO's).

JOHNSON GETS SWEETER

Reggie Johnson calls Houston hime. He is a southpaw and a former US amateur champ who had previously held the WBA middleweight title. So when he decided to take a two weight class jump and challenge then IBF champ William Guthrie, people thought he was in dire straights and just in it for the purse.

NOT SO

Johnson, who came in as a 4-1 underdog, smoked the amateurish Guthrie with an incredible one punch knockout that retired Guthrie.

ROY NEXT?

They (HBO) tell me that Jones will lace them up with Johnson if he gets by the inexperienced Taylor this evening as expected.

TAYLOR EX-CON

Will Taylor shared a cell with none other than current IBF middleweight champ Bernard Hopkins back at the turn of the decade. I hope he has a better attitude than Hopkins who has alienated everyone in boxing, except my brother Bernard Fernandez of the Philadelphia Daily News.

BAZAN VS. STEVIE II

In case you missed the first fight between WBC 135 lb. guy Cesar Bazan and Stevie Johnston, they will continue where they left off in 1997, when Bazan took an easily forgettable 12 round decision and Johnston's WBC title.

EVERY ROUND THE SAME

That was the case then, and there is no reason why anything will be any different this evening. Denver's Stevie is 25-1, (14 KO's), while Bazan, who fights out of Tijuana posts a 34-2-1, (23 KO's).

TODAY ACROSS THE POND

In Berlin, the IBF 168 lb. belt that was heisted from Charles Brewer a few months back will be on the line as novice Sven Ottke (13-0, 1 stop!) goes with Italian sausage Giovanni Nardielo (16-2-1, 5 ko's) in a battle of punchers.

RING TALK TONIGHT

At 11:06 PM ET, Ring Talk will take over the Talk America "1" Radio Network for two hours with LIVE Internet audio at www.talkamerica.com

REID FRONT AND CENTER

David Reid, the US's lone Gold Medalist in 1996, is one week away from his challenge of WBA 154 lb. guy Laurent Bouduani. Tonight he will take your phone calls and e mail. There will be other guest, but more importantly, will you be there?

PELTZ TOO!

J. Russell Peltz will make a cameo and talk up the ESPN 2 Friday Night series of which he is making the matches.

13 YEARS SAYS IT ALL

Ring Talk, in it's 13th year is the "insider's look into the world of boxing." And in that time, there have been many imitations, BUT no duplications. Tune in and find out why I reign as the "Undisputed heavyweight champion of the radio airwaves!"

SUNDAY SHOW

Carried by the Talk America "2" Radio Network, Ring Talk Sunday is an hour in duration. AMERICA PRESENTS COO Dan "Big Bird" Goossen will appear as will WBA welterweight champ James Page is on tap.

FIRST TIME NET LISTENER

Than you will probably need to go to the Talk America site at www.talkamerica.com and spend three minutes downloading the free audio software!

THAT'S IT!

From that point forward, listening to Ring Talk will be as easy as coming to www.fighters.com!

DIFFERENT NIGHTS, DIFFERENT NETWORKS!

BUT both Talk America "1" and Talk America "2" have separate LIVE Internet audio channels at www.talkamerica.com

Pedro Fernandez

The writer can be reached with your comments at ringtalk@yahoo.com