TICKETS TIGHT

Ringside seats for Saturday night's scrap between Evander Holyfield and Lennox Lewis are going for as high as $4,000 a pop from scalpers.

HOW COME? MATCH NOT EXACTLY ALI-FRAZIER

This fight is a hard one to figure. You see, in the past neither man could be called a big-ticket seller per say. But the nearly 20,000 Madison Square Garden seats were sold out over a month ago.

PPV CLIENTS NOT CLAMORING

The guys I talked to this week were wondering when HBO was going to play the re-broadcast as they didn't want to throw down $50 bucks to see Holyfield-Lewis.

PPV CONSUMERS SAY THAT A LOT

And yet, always end up buying the fight.

HOLY HAS NAME, LL HAS?

Evander Holyfield is one of the most recognizable athletes in the world. Lennox Lewis on the other hand, couldn't draw a crowd outside of the UK if he was giving away free money.

ARROGANCE

That's why the U.S. media disses Lewis for the most part. To a good number, Lennox is an overhyped lad whom they feel has only talked a good game, and not yet fought one.

McCALL FIGHTS CLAIM TO FAME?

Both his knockout loss to Oliver McCall, and his win in the "Tear Bowl" rematch are the two fights that define Lewis. Some might say that his KO of Razor Ruddock should attest to his prowess. But one punch, in one fight, does not make for a career.

HOLY 30 LBS. LIGHTER THAN LEWIS

At the official weigh in yesterday afternoon at Madison Square Garden, Lennox scaled 346 lbs., while Holyfield came in at 215. I'm sorry, that's 246 lbs. for the Canadian/Jamaican/Brit!

DOES BUTCH SING?

That's what a TV exec told me earlier in the week when I asked about the ongoing Grand Jury in Newark, NJ investigating the IBF.

He said that promoter Butch Lewis, who finagled two IBF title shots for the undeserving Vaughn Pork'N Bean, sounds like a member of the boxing glee club, minus the Kazoo!

ME THINKS

In order to bring down the IBF, you would think that the Government would need to have an employee to alert them as to who best to squeeze under oath. And in order to roll a seven, at least one of the participants would need to be "turned" by the "G." Hmmm.

KUSHNER DOES PRE-DAMAGE CONTROL?

Cedric Kushner's arrogant manner has always poo-poo'd the need for a Public Relations man in the CKP empire. But recently, the rotund promoter of South African descent hired a PR firm in order to create an image.

PR GUYS STRIKE GOLD

Kushner was featured a fortnight ago in a story that appeared in the business section of the New York Times, as well as a piece last week in the NY Daily News.

POSSIBLE TARGET NOT JURY FRIENDLY?

Cedric is no Don King when it comes to being "people" friendly. He's not one of those guys that's big and jolly per say. So, with that demeanor coupled with his hard ball business tactics, a jury might find it to throw away the key.

TERRIBLE WAY TO END STORY

If Kushner were to go down, it would make for a sad final chapter in a book on him. When Cedric came here in the late 1960's, his cleaning up zoo animal cages on a transport ship from South Africa to New York City paid for the trip.

FROM RHINO SPIT TO SEVEN FIGURE MAN

Kushner built a nest egg in promoting musical acts in the 70's, before putting his money and time in boxing. His first fighter was middleweight Teddy Mann, with his first champion being IBF big man Tony Tucker.

CUBAN READY FOR SATURDAY REMATCH

Hamburg, Germany will be the site for a WBC 190 lb. (cruiserweight) matchup between Cuban exile and current titilist Juan Carlos Gomez, and the guy he took the belt from in Argentine Marcelo Dominquez.

REF GOING SECOND TIME

California based referee Marty Denkin had just gotten off a plane February 19, when he learned that Gomez, 26-0, (22 KO's), had a high fever and couldn't fight the next night.

TITLE WINNING EFFORT SOLE DISTANCE GO

The only person who has gone the route with Gomez over the past few years is Dominquez, who is 26-2-1, (14 KO's). He is not a big enough puncher to enable him to have a chance at winning. I say the Cuban dogs the Argentine with brutal stoppage as Gomez looking to make statement.

ANOTHER FRENCH FOIL SOON TO LOSE BELT

WBC middleweight titleholder Hassine Cherifi will hook things up with a better prepared Keith Holmes on April 24, in Washington D.C. Hassine, 26-2-1, (17 KOs) is a hobo who Holmes thought he could walk through last year.

SURPRISE!

But the well-conditioned Cherifi outworked Holmes (31-2, 20 KO's) from the beginning to the end. History doesn't repeat itself here, except for the fact that SHOWTIME will again televise.

DE LA HOYA-CARR ANNOUCMENT

Oscar De La Hoya and Oba Carr will meet the media on March 24, in Los Angeles to announce their May 22, throwdown at the soon to be opened Mandalay Bay Casino. No site yet, but the House of Blues is the likely City of Angels setting.

ERIK INKS DEAL WITH ARUM

Erik Morales, a guest on Ring Talk last week, signed a three-year promotional deal Wednesday with Top Rank that can put $10 million in the pockets of the unbeaten WBC 122 lb. champion.

ERIK AND WAYNE KICK OFF "LA CONQUESTA" BLITZ

On March 16, Morales and former 118 lb. champ Wayne McCullough kick off a press tour to hype their May 8, Pay Per View clash dubbed, La Conquesta.

The following day the pair hit Los Angeles and Las Vegas. A scaled down version of the Thomas & Mack Arena will most likely be the venue.

RICH UNDERCARD

The supporting cast looks promising as WBA 122 lb. guy Nester Garza engages one of the WBA "interim" champions in Carlos Barreto. If Garza prevails, the word is he'll meet unbeaten Willie Jorrin of Sacramento, CA, and then Morales in a unifier.

"FLUSHING FLASH" IN ACTION

In a battle of former featherweight titleholders, Kevin Kelley of Flushing, NY will dance for a dime or less with Puerto Rican Wilfredo Vasquez. Jorge "Maramero" Paez, and Mia St. John, (a fine chick who can't fight much) will also appear on the PPV card.

SCIONTI CANNED BY BUSH

Mike Scionti must have known his days were numbered as head of the Florida Commission when it became public that Don King had pumped $100 G's into a boxing program that Scionti was affiliated with.

PROMOTIONAL DEALS NOT RECOGNIZED

Florida has taken a negative stance on promotional agreements that hold a fighter to one promoter for an extended period of time. Soon after the Don threw down the $100 grand, Scionti went public with an opinion that was contrary to Florida law. In essence, that promotional deals should be recognized in the state.

THAT OTHER BUSH GOVERNOR

Jeb Bush, the Governor of Florida ripped Scionti to ribbons with the following executive order. "Scionti committed improper and or unethical acts constituting malfeasance, misfeasance, neglect of duty and insubordination."

DIFFERENT STYLE

The fact that he comped a couple of working girls tickets to the fights tells me Scionti can't be all that bad.

BRADSHAW A FIVE LETTER WORD?

Shelley Bradshaw has been temporarily given Scionti's position of Executive Director. She is despised by a lot of people in the boxing biz, but has great standing in Bush's office.

POMPOUS BROAD

That's the way my Florida guys talk about Ms. Bradshaw, except they aren't quite that kind.

KATZ AND TOP RANK SPLIT

Ron Katz, the longtime East Coast matchmaker for Arum's Top Rank is no longer with the Las Vegas based firm.

"They just were not having the number of shows that they had in the past. But, I am ever so grateful to Bob for what he has done for me and my family. Do I wish I could have stayed? Sure, but only if I had shows to work on."

GOOD LADY BACKS RAPPIN' RONNIE

The other Katz, Barbara is a wonderful lady who had been prodding Ron to get off his ass and do something besides lounging around the house with a telephone in his hand.

WEIGHING OPTIONS

"I'm feeling good Pedro. It was time for things to change. Everybody is afraid of change initially, but I'm seeing this as a positive aspect in my life. As was working for Bob (Arum)."

TONEY ON RING TALK

As he descends towards 175 lbs., James "Lights Out" Toney will be one of my guests on Ring Talk this Saturday night at 11:06 PM ET on the Talk America "1" Radio Network with LIVE Internet audio at www.talkamerica.com

LIVE CALLS & E MAIL DURING SHOW

While the show is in progress, so should be the Holyfield-Lewis fight. I will be taking your electronic mail at flash@inow.com and on the toll free (US, Canada, & Puerto Rico) Ring Talk  studio lines.

SUNDAY SIT DOWN WITHG MERCHANT

My Sunday night sit down with HBO's Larry Merchant will be one of the features on the Sunday night show which is heard on another network, the Talk America "2" Network, aka "The Deuce."

AN HOUR

While Saturday's show is two hours in duration, Sunday Ring Talk airs for an hour on Talk "2" with LIVE Internet audio at www.talkamerica.com

NO RING TALK AT 11:06 PM ET?

You are on the wrong Talk America Network and need to change over.

RING TALK "DOWN UNDER"

There are some boxing fans in Australia that listen to Ring Talk in both Sydney, and Brisbane at 2:00 PM on Sunday afternoon via the Net at www.talkamerica.com

IN 13TH YEAR

Ring Talk, in it's 13th year, truly is the "insider's look into the world
of boxing."


Pedro Fernandez

Note: The writer has his own site at www.fighters.com and can be reached at flash@inow.com with your comments.

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