Boxing is not a sport -it is life- and life is brutal and 
life is sweet. It is the reason some people are appalled by the 
fisticuffs and why some, like myself, cannot get enough. I've 
been a boxing fan for 24 years of my 30 years of life, but it 
was not until my early twenties that I became a hard-core fan.  
You, reading this, you are a hard-core fan, or you wouldn't
be out here is cyberwaste. 

     My point is that we all share the joy of watching or 
participating in "the exhibition of masculinity" as Joyce Carol
defines boxing. But enough is enough I cannot sit back anymore 
and listen and read morons who consider themselves experts on 
the "sport". I hope you appreciate my writings here and if you 
disagree, feel free to throw some hooks at me via email. I am 
now a professional boxing judge for the State of Washington.
I write for Boxing Wise because I love this site and love boxing.

     How can a boxing fan find order in the Heavyweight division? It's 
simply impossible. There are so many promoters trying to get in on the 
$$$$ action, fattening up fighters with weak skills against inferior 
opponents just to cash in on a division that provides the most fame and 
fortune in all of boxing. We also have what I like to call the "Hanger-on 
Heavies" who by some mystery stay ranked in the top ten by losing, by 
getting D.Q'd, or by sheer inactivity!  

MT. Whitiker, Lance Whitaker, whomever you call him, is not what you 
call a true heavyweight. Sure he weighs something like 260, sure he's 
like 7 feet tall, sure he puts on a pair of boxing trunks, but can he 
fight is not even the question because if you've seen him on a Fox 
America Presents card. You'd have seen a very large, well physiqued man
wearing boxing trunks, looking clumsy and tentative; he seems just plain
afraid of the whole game. He has yet to fight top ten, twenty, or even
thirty opponent as far as I can see and he remains the perfect example
of a fighter given the diet of Tennessee circuit lamps. He will get eaten
alive when he meets a top ten Heavyweight wolf.  This wolf just might be 
Lou Savarese a top 20 fighter, look for the MT. to have the book closed 
on him.  End of this fairytale.

"Big" Ed Mahone: Hmmm BIG as in clean out the Cornish game hen
section at your nearest grocery store, for that's been his steady diet.  
When he's fought a top twenty or thirty Heavyweight they've given him a 
big run for his favorite frozen food aisle. Sure you've heard boasts of 
his work ethic to the body, sure he's well backed in the promotion 
department of Forum Boxing, sure he owns some kind of Chunky Soup 
Championship Belt. But even those praises and claims are hard to swallow
for its easy to digest that as soon as he sets his place at the real 
Heavyweight dining room table, he will have to be excused for his lack 
of etiquette in Emily Post's Book of Heavyweights.

Wolfgramm: This guy I believe weighs in around 300lbs. This guy is a 
complete joke and he is also another America Presents Heavyweight fraud.  
I would even put my fast food dollar on Butterbean if these two ever met.   
Don't let these promoters pull the wool over your eyes no wolf in sheep's 
clothing, but a large pathetic man who can't fight in heavyweight apparel

John Ruiz:  What is amazing about this heavyweight is that he can stay
consistently ranked very high in the top 5 of all major sanctioning bodies 
and never really fight any other boxers of significant value or skill,
which just goes to show you, if you rub the right people you get the 
right ranking. He's not active either. If this boxer ever fights a 
legitimate contender he gets knocked out!  Quote me!

Oliver McCall: This is another amazement. How does this guy get D.Q'd,
and worst yet, not fight since 2/98 and stay ranked in the top ten? How?   
I would win the Nobel Boxing Prize if I could answer this question.

Duncan Dokiwari: Muscle bound America Presents fighter. No prospect 
here just physically looks like a boxer. I propose that Mt. Whitaker, Ed 
Mahone, Wolfgramm, and good ol' Duncan square off and decide who is the 
best loser of the group. Now that would be a CSKN PPV I would pay for!  
Recently, Dokiwari fought Fres Oquendo and lost. Oquendo is a young, free 
for all type of boxer with an OK chin, but shows some amateurish skill 
that will improve over time unless he gets caught. The loss to Oquendo 
by Dokiwari should show you that I am right on target by telling you he'll 
never make it to the top.

Ray Mercer: Well, not that I want to be hard on Mercer, because I do 
like his work ethic and fine resume it's just that his last win was over  
a no name Leo Loiacono almost a year ago to this day. The 3 bouts he 
fought prior to Loiacono ended in a draw and two losses. Mercer is ranked 
#3 in the WBA and the WBC with this 3 year history! Go figure this one? 
But again, look who is in the top ten these days so I suppose it might 
make sense.

Lawrence Clay-Bey: Well, he's only 9-0 at this point in his 2 year 
professional career he does have KO wins over club circuit kings Louis 
Monaco and Tony LaRosa, but at age 32 I cannot see this Olympic fighter 
doing much besides beating club-fighters, he's not that active and age 
is totally against him. If we enter him in the best of the losers CSKN 
tourney he may come out on top.

Dannel Nicholson: This boxer, based out of Chicago, IL., has a decent 
jab and certainly could hold his own with a top twenty down to ten 
heavyweight. He was once touted as being a force until Andrew Golota 
broke him down with headbutts and intimidation. The loss to Golota set 
him back tremendously, and since he has been given a steady diet of 
nobodies. Nicholson seems a regular on CSKN PPV cards, and has shown, 
though he has won, that he does not have the heart, will, and skill to 
ever be a heavyweight champion. He is intimidated easily, and just seems 
to be a payday for the CSKN Network.

Larry Donald: While having an excellent jab and having quickness, all 
the flash in the world will not win you a heavyweight championship. Larry 
simply does not have the championship chin for the BIG BOYS. He may get 
a minor title, but he'll never get a major title.  Plus, he's boring and 
tentative!  Bring on the chamomile tea!

     First of all, I want to say I learned something over the summer and 
fall of 1998, "Always bet on the faster hands!"  I lost McDonald Gift
Certificate bets on Roberto Duran and Genaro Hernandez!  Like "A Piece 
of Steak", youth 99.9% of the time prevails over experience. My heart is
no longer soft for the veterans. I am Boxing Wise!

     As the year of 1998 began, Boxing Junkies like myself were starved 
for decent matchups and quality TV bouts. But as 1998 closes, it seems 
professional boxing is on the upward spiral and fans are slowly able to 
call more of the shots because we have come together and demanded quality 
fisticuffs! The boxers I will mention below are in no particuliar order, 
but just a list of boxers I'm feel are on their way up and could make an 
impact in 1999 and 2000. 

Edgar Ruiz : Welterweight from Mexico, based in L.A, 
                    California, USA.

     This tough customer has shown he can demolish another boxer almost
at will by stepping up the tempo of the fight. He takes a decent shot
and can cut the ring of exceptionally well. Ruiz's strengths are a killer 
body attack, an accurate, hard left hook, and a beautiful loopy overhand 
right. I really like how he puts his hips (center of gravity) into his 
punches and that he shows the ability to fight through adverse conditions 
like getting cut or losing a round or two. What amazes me is that he is 
excelling tremedously fight after fight and gaining experience in every 
bout. He is now 14-1-1 with 10 KO's. Key Victorys are K.O wins over Larry 
Dixon and Giorbis Barthelmey. He also won a unanimous decision over the 
once promising prospect, Ricky Hesia. What Edgar Ruiz seems to lack in 
hand speed, he makes up for with power, will, and a champion's heart. 


Israel Vasquez : Jr. Featherweight from Mexico, Based in LA, 
                        California, USA.

     Young, tough, fast, relentless, with excellent boxing ability are 
strong words to give a fighter, but they fit this kid perfectly. Vasquez 
can fight in dire straits and has much power for his size. I suppose his
best quality would be youthful exhuberance with the killer instinct via 
Mexico style. He fights for Forum Boxing and is a definite future world 
champ if he keeps his chin tucked!  Watch out for this kid!


 Emil Baku :  Jr. Middleweight from Azerbajan (former Soviet 
                     Republic), now based in Maryland, USA.

     Still fighting strong. Needs a few more bouts and then a step up in 
class on National TV to see where his boxing skills are at. He takes his 
last name, Baku, from the city of his native country of Azerbajan. This 
is a tough city and is 10% Russian and 90% Azerbajanian. Azerbajan is 
predominatly Muslim, so he probably had lots of street fights growing up 
in Baku. Emil exhibits amatuerish tendencies in regards to throwing semi-
wild punches; Basically, he wants to slug it out and he forgets about 
defense. He takes a good punch and he is learning English well by going 
to the local tech school, which shows that he wants to suceed. He has a 
younger brother by the name of Rufat, but Emil is a much stronger fighter.


 Acelino "Popo" Freitas :  Lightweight from Bahia, Brazil.

     Dubed the "Brazilian Windmill" by the God of Boxing Wise. This young 
buck boast a record of 18 wins, no losses, all 18 by KO! He is fast,
relentless, vicious, and exhibits uncomprimising boxing agility!  He is 
by far the most exciting fighter I have seen in years. A few years back, 
he cleaned house in the ESPN's Boxino Tourney. He is a definite world 
champion in 1999 if he gets a shot. Mayweather and Manfredy better look 
out! He is only 22 years old, but needs a real test. I have yet to see 
him get clocked with a good punch. His nickname by trade is the "Brazilian 
Bomber" and he has been touted as the next Eder Jofre! I really like what 
I've seen so far and with a name like Acelino, you have to be good!


 Santiago Samaniego : Welterweight, Panama City, Panama.

     Don't count this guy out, yet. He was totally robbed in Germany for 
the WBO Championship against Michael Lowe. German judges must have a thing 
against solid left hooks. A real fishy decision: Lowe has the WBO belt 
being wrapped around his waist before the decision is announced; The 
referee is baffled, telling the WBO representitive that that's not how 
things work, but that's how the work in Germany these days! Samaniego 
doesn't have tremedous hand speed, but a concrete work ethic. He lost a 
fluke bout by KO in his hometown last year, but has recently stepped it 
up in Miami, Florida with an impressive KO over Tim Shocks. He is still 
a top ten contender with a considerable effective agression style. Strong 
left hook and straight left are his strenths also a 2nd cousin of Roberto 
Duran. Don't count him out!


 Mads Larsen : Super Middleweight, Denmark.

     I have yet to see Mads Larsen fight, and I never comment on fighters
I have not seen, but since talking to a fellow who is all knowledgeable
on the European Boxing scene, I have followed his bouts on the paper 
trail and have been intrigued!  He recently won a 7th Rd. K.O victory
over Peter Venacio, who is no slouch. Venacio holds decision victories
over Lonnie Beasley and Verno Phillips. Also Venacio went the 12 round
distance William Joppy. Mads Larsen is ranked by all the major and petty
organizations while holding the IBO crown. From what I've heard, he's one
to watch.


 Klitscho Brothers : Heavyweights, Kiev Ukraine.

     These two brothers have yet to be tested, but sport sparkling 
undefeated records. It wouldn't be to hard to get these two mixed up:  
One is named Vitalij and the other is Vladimir. Vitalij is 27 years of 
age and Vladimir is 22. I've seen both fight and they looked impressive 
over mediocre opposition. Both are now moving up in class and doing well.  
The both have speed, power, not mention a strong will. Vitalij is the 
current EBU Heavyweight Champion and seems the stronger of the two. I 
also believe he won the Gold in Atlanta Olympic Games in '96. Vitalij is 
ranked #1 by the WBO and should get a shot at Herbie Hides title in 1999. 
Vladimir has had the easier opposition, but is ranked better: 7th by the 
WBC, 12th by the WBA, and 6th by the WBO. What would be interesting is 
if one of these brothers one a Major World Championship and the other 
moves into the #1 spot? Would they duke it out or would it be "Brotherly 
Love"?


 Diego Chico Corrales : Lightweight, from Columbia SC.

     I way Diego's 9th pro bout live: He withstood headbutts to K.O his 
opponent and was a definite crowd pleaser. After the fight, he was in the 
audience, smiling and laughing like he was ready for the big Jr. high 
school dance on Friday night. He's a nice kid, has quick hands, has great 
feints, and is fighting regularly on Univision. He has yet to be beaten 
and has a beautiful future. I predict he will get a shot for a title in 
1999.

Well that's all for now.  Before the year closes, I will submit my next 
article on the worst prospects and overhyped of 1998.  Thanks for reading.