THE MOUTHPIECE BOXING REPORT:  (Episode 11) By Stephen Jones

 

BOWE REPLACEMENT FOUND... Former Undisputed Heavyweight champion of the world Riddick 'Big Daddy' Bowe had set a location, date and opponent for his long awaited comeback from a seven year hiatus from boxing a fortnight ago, but in the week or so that passed since the revelation, scheduled opponent Jeff Lally pulled out of the heavyweight match-up due to an alleged broken foot.  Now after some careful selecting the Riddick Bowe camp have made their selection.  Drum roll please... On the 25th September in Oklahoma Riddick Bowe will face 33 year old journeyman Frank Edmundson of North Carolina. Frank has mixed in quite solid circles having lasted the distance against Jean Mormeck, (now WBA Cruiserweight Champ), in Paris in 2001, although he weighed only 191 lbs. as a Cruiserweight for that fight. He has since appeared against heavyweights Courage Tshabalala and Owen Beck, losing nonetheless to both. Frank's tally is  12- 25-1, ( 5 K0's)  yet may be just what Riddick needs to ease him back into activity.  Bowe has been absent for almost eight years and has some issues to tackle within himself before he really is able to contend with any seriously dangerous opposition. I have to hand it to Riddick though;, if a man has the true desire to return, he must have the heart of a lion and I reserve my true judgments until I see Riddick in living colour once again. Riddick Bowe may be in action again in November if all goes well in Oklahoma.  The man on standby for Bowe's second comeback blast may be the very dangerous Denver puncher Louis 'Machine Gun' Monaco.  (Louis would not be my choice by any stretch of the Imagination). I remember a similar comeback several years ago by a former Undisputed heavyweight champion James Douglas.. Monaco was the selected sacrificial lamb and he tore the script up at the end of the opener by knocking Buster out right on the bell. James couldn't continue and the shot was judged to have been thrown after the bell. James got out of jail free, and Monaco was handed a raw DQ ....but still the danger is always imminent. Monaco is always a danger. Lou has also done similar Mike Weaver type demolition jobs on prospects in the past, namely Irish Kevin McBride who was unbeaten at the time he was exposed in Las Vegas on the Lewis v McCall 2 card .  Monaco is a man Riddick doesn't really need in bout #2 of his trip back into the heavyweight jungle.  Update..  It has been announced that a new opponent has been brought into the frame for Riddick. He is St. Joseph heavyweight  Marcus Rhode, the man who on November 3rd, 1996 took part in the most dangerous bout ever to be sanctioned in Tokyo Japan, against Tommy Morrison (HIV  risk et al). Rhode lost via 1st round K0,  something he is generally used to doing. Marcus is currently 29-25-1, (25 early).   IS LAMON BREWSTER A TRUE CHAMPION? I am not going to dwell on this issue too long but I do feel that reigning WBO Heavyweight champion Lamon Brewster is a very heavy handed, strong, dedicated heavyweight contender at most. Champion??  No, he is not a champion in the way Dempsey, Tunney, Marciano, etc., were held in such high esteem.  True Championship lineage has been cheapened by the belt and governing body system that has made mediocre boxers into rich, hunger-less Champions of their own neighborhood so to speak.  It isn't Lamon Brewster's fault. I have the utmost respect for Brewster, he is always in condition and tries hard at what he does best , but to make Lamon aspire to become a great fighter, he really needs to be publicly patronized by the governing bodies who have given him a belt and a title, along with the trappings that will do little more than pacify his thirst for heavyweight greatness. His lackluster 12 round gift over limited, yet spirited Australian import  Kali Meehan is testament to what contentment can do for a warrior's spirit. Belt + Money + Adulation = easily pleased mentality and loss of ambition... Brewster used to fight with relentless pressure and power as a rising prospect, yet as a so called Champion he boxed with a newly found self preservation attitude that just about carried him through another payday to bolster his rising bank balance. The only good thing to come from the fight was the emergence of confidence from a very bold challenger in Kali Meehan who showed that even in 'DEFEAT' he is just as good a performer on the big stage as Lamon, and if we call men like Lamon champions we surely have to start calling men like Kali Meehan champions too.   Meehan and Brewster once again, two good, game and dedicated boxers, but Champions?  A very decisive NO. SPORTS BOOKS HAVE BOOKER AS A VERY PROMISING OUTSIDER September 23rd, unbeaten 22-0 heavyweight Rydell Booker is due to face another heavyweight coming back off a year layoff from his finest and most poignant win in James "Lights Out" Toney and like the unheralded British import before him Rydell has been posted by one British oddsmaker at 6-1 outsider to beat the smooth talking  heavyweight mouthpiece. Danny's win over Mike Tyson slashed a gash in some well renowned bookies on this side of the Pond and by the way many Brits are betting on this coming fight. They are putting pretty much the same faith in Rydell to pull of  a similar upset over Toney. The fight is set for the Pechanga Resort and Casino in Temecula, California and at stake is the IBA heavyweight title and the WBC Continental belt. DENNY MANCINI PASSES AWAY AT AGE  70 Britain has many familiar boxing faces that we see each and every time we attend promotions, no matter how big or small. One such face is that of Denny Mancini, a cutman/agent/promoter/manager who was much loved by everyone who had the good fortune to become associated with the knowledgeable boxing favorite. Sadly this week Denny passed away after several bouts of illness, due to a heart attack, aged 70 years. Denny will be more fondly remembered for the great work he did with British Middleweight Ritchie Woodhall , German world champions Sven Ottke and Henry Maske, and more recently Scott Harrison amongst many, many more local talents over the many decades he has been involved in our great sport. I have not known boxing without Denny and will definitely miss him as fixture on the British boxing scene. My condolences go out to Denny's family and to everyone else who will miss him deeply.  Denny, we all truly loved what you were, a fine gentleman and a lovely human being.  God bless Denny... (1934-2004) R I P AUDLEY OUT OF ACTION UNTIL 2005 Britain's WBF Heavyweight Champion and world championship hopeful A-Force Audley Harrison has had to sideline his career for a short time until a recent Injury diagnosis is corrected. Unbeaten 2000 Olympic Super heavyweight champion Audley visited a London doctor recently, who diagnosed the torn ligament in his index finger,  and he will more than likely not lace on the mitts until 2005. He is due to travel to a New York specialist  to have the unfortunate injury corrected. This is just one more hindrance in Harrison's climb toward top honors. Audley has been plagued by misfortune... firstly  the pectoral tear in 2001, more recently controversy over being dropped by long term backers BBC and now this.  Audley,  what doesn't kill you makes you stronger . Audley did state that 2005 will be his defining year , I believe he will prove many jealous nay sayers wrong and show everyone that he has what it takes when he is fully equipped..   Good luck, Big Man. Many true boxing people have faith in what you can achieve. Audley Harrison will be based exclusively in the United States once he is back on track.   WHO IS THIS MAN? No, not the amazing former heavyweight boss Lennox Lewis, but the man who put up a brave showing on this occasion. He sadly had to retire following this fight due to a mistery illness.     Last week's "Who Is This Man?" was... Lamon Brewster A QUICK CONGRATULATIONS TO MIGUEL COTTO On Saturday evening at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico, unbeaten 140 lbs. starlet Miguel Cotto picked up his first world championship in the form of the WBO's 140 lbs. belt by dismantling brave Kelson Pinto via 6th round stoppage, dropping the competent Pinto on several occasions in doing so.   Many great things were predicted for Cotto's future and it seems like he is dead on course to achieve what his loyal, optimistic followers had scheduled for him. Cotto is currently 21-0, 17 KO's. ~~~~~~~~~~~ Thank you once again for tuning in to the Mouthpiece. I am ever grateful for the messages you send, be it questions or feedback from the episodes contents, or just a quick guess at the "Who Is This Man?" photo. You make the writing worthwhile... My  address once again is  themouthpiece1@aol.com Until the next Episode... Good luck , Good health and God Bless. Stephen Jones  AKA The mouthpiece. Photo Credit: Stephen Jones 9-17-2004   Brought to you by Saratogamist copyright 2001-2004