By Rusty Rubin

Shane Mosley stopping Fernando Vargas in round six came as no great shock. Both fighters have seen better days, and Vargas has really slowed due to a back injury that slowed his usually aggressive style of fighting. Shane wants Mayweather next, but I wouldn’t hold my breath on that fight coming to pass.

The bigger upset took place in Germany when Javier Castillejo TKO’d Felix Sturm in round ten. Javier, nearing the end of his fine career, and not known as a big puncher, landed solid to the German’s chin late in the fight, a perfect punch and perhaps a perfect finale to his career.

This week, there is but one fight to predict, and it should be a great one, featuring veteran Arturo Gatti and stronger and younger Carlos Baldomir. We never write Gatti out of any fight, except the mis-match with Mayweather Jr., but this is not a mis-match.

Gatti goes in a solid favorite, but the odds shouldn’t play a major factor here. It’s going to be a war, and one I’m looking forward to.

I’ll take the younger Baldomir by late stoppage, but the fight is in Gatti country, and if it goes to the judges, Gatti will pull out the win.

Agree or disagree, we’d like to hear from you. (Rngsportsr@aol.com).

Glove2Glove:

Please say prayers for long time promoter and friend, Moe Smith, who has been having some ongoing heart related problems.

Patti Brandenburg continues to have health problems and continues to need your help via prayers.

Prayer for the return to health to the father of Eva Futch, a great friend, and the widow of legendary trainer Eddie, who passed away in 2001. Eva’s father’s cancer has returned and recent surgeries have proved successful, but he still has a long way to go. And please pray that Eva has the strength to cope with this difficult challenge she faces at so close to her having lost her esteemed husband.

Prayers for Mae Sebastian, who is fighting a serious illness. Mae is the wife of Gene Sebastian, who gave Tom Donelson and myself the info needed to write the book “Billy Soose, The Champion Time Forgot”.

Prayers needed for Elise Brown, grand daughter of Ringside Products head honcho and good boxing guy John Brown. Young Elise has heart problems.

Prayers have also helped but continue to be needed for Dennis Wilcox, brother of boxing scribe David Wilcox, who is in an Oregon hospital suffering from Leukemia. The family and everyone at Glove2Glove ask for your prayers for his total recovery.

Prayers for the return to health of Audrey Talmo, wife of Ed, a long-time boxing fan who cares about our sport.

Please say prayers for the return to health of Helen Wambolt, wife of our East Coast World Boxing Hall of Fame writer Danny Wambolt. Cards will also be most welcome.***

Please say prayers for the recovery of good friend and great boxing guy Norm Cote, Past President of the World Boxing Hall of Fame, who is undergoing dialysis three times a week. Norm’s a fighter and we have to be there in his corner.

Prayers also for former World Boxing Hall of Fame Presidents Dub Harris and Charlie Casas who are having some severe health problems as well.

Prayers for the soul of Mike Quarry former boxer and brother of Jerry Quarry, heavyweight contender, who passed away a few years back. Mike set up a foundation to help those afflicted with Alzheimer’s which Jerry suffered from.

Prayers for the return to health of Don Donelson, father of writer Tom, and Gene Sebastian, brother of former middleweight champ Billy Soose. Both are suffering from congestive heart disease.

Please say prayers for Phill Grazide of Santa Rosa, CA. a big supporter of amateur boxing, who is suffering the crippling effects of rheumatoid arthritis.***

Needless to say we need prayers for the return to health of both former champs Greg Page and Gerald McClellan, both confined to wheelchairs.***

Glove2Glove is a non-denominational group set up to aide those boxing folks and their relatives in need of prayers and cards. We accept no money and only contact our members when someone is in need. It’s absolutely free to join. Simply send us your e-mail address. And even if you’re not a member, feel free to contact us if you are aware of some boxing person in need.***

Touching on politics briefly: It seems like everyone is picking on the somewhat limited resources of America at the same time. President Bush has his hands full and is being tested to the limit.

So while we’re bogged down in Iraq, which is in danger of an all-out civil war, and Iran and North Korea with nukes that can put additional pressure on America, the Israeli’s invaded Lebanon, with the intent of self-defense and to retrieve two kidnapped soldiers.

President Bush was correct in his statement that all countries have the right to defend themselves. However, Hezbollah and Hamas are not countries but terrorist organizations based in various Middle Eastern countries, and controlled by and large by Iran.

Our hearts go out to all the innocent civilians killed in these places torn by war. This world is an even more dangerous place then it was a few weeks ago.

But on the plus side, the moderate Arab countries stood up for the Israeli position, probably because they don’t want to be controlled by these dangerous extremist sects.***

With all due respect to the religious right in America, our government should do more to improve stem cell research which can save lives. Throwing unwanted embryos down the toilet serves no purpose, but using those embryos to create stem cell lines and then hopefully find a cure for many various ailments, makes all the sense in the world. If they’re going to be ‘tossed out’ anyhow, why not use them to save lives?

That is a question best put to the President who has threatened to use his first veto if the bill arrives on his desk. I urge you to write to him and ask him to reconsider his position on this issue. All human lives are precious, but if the ‘baby is going to be tossed out with the bathwater’ anyhow, why not use the stem cells that would otherwise go to waste.

Agree, disagree or just want to help? I’d love to hear from you. (Rusty@ringsports.com).