Best Fights Are Found in Scaled-Down Matches

Lennox Lewis’ trainer, Emmanuel Steward, said last week there are only four legitimate heavyweights.

One of them was Andrew Golota.

That tells you all you need to know about how pathetic a division it is that now presumably has only three true fighters, Evander Holyfield, Michael Moorer and Lewis.

Unfortunately, I learned that after ordering the pay-per-view telecast from Atlantic City on Saturday night. But my $39.95 wasn’t entirely wasted.

The junior-lightweight fight between Arturo Gatti and Gabriel Ruelas was the best I’ve seen this year.

Gatti was almost out on his feet in the fourth round. I’m not sure, but it seemed as if Ruelas took something off his punches at that point, perhaps recalling Jimmy Garcia’s death at his hands in 1995.

Ruelas, who soon found himself on the other end of the pummeling against the relentless Gatti, didn’t protest when the referee stopped the fight late in the next round.

“I could have gone on maybe,” the quiet man from Sylmar said, “but I could have gotten really hurt.”

As much as I would miss seeing him fight, and as much as boxing would miss his dignity, Ruelas, who at 27 became a father for the second time last week, should seriously consider whether he wants to continue in the sport.

It’s not a profession for athletes who are concerned about hurting their opponents while in the process of hurting them. Or about getting hurt.

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The five teams still in contention for pennants are all from the Eastern time zone. . . .

If the sport were football or basketball, experts would say it’s because Eastern teams are more aggressive. . . .

In baseball, it’s because their owners are more aggressive. The Yankees, Orioles, Indians, Marlins and Braves, are, in that order, the five highest-paid teams. . . .

Maybe Rupert Murdoch will be more like them. . . .

I thought Disney would be. Was I ever fooled . . .

So were hockey fans, who believed the Mighty Ducks would never do anything to threaten their relationship with Paul Kariya. . . .

Welcome home, Ducks. In case you missed it, Ron Wilson’s Washington Capitals are 3-0. . . .

Jimmy Johnson can’t lose. If the Dolphins rally behind Dan Marino, Johnson can say it’s because he inspired the quarterback by threatening to bench him. . . .

If they don’t, he can say it’s Marino’s fault. . . .

Johnson is no genius when it comes to quarterbacks. He once wanted to bench Troy Aikman in favor of Steve Walsh. . . .

Cade McNown took heat after the 66-3 victory over Texas when he said the Bruins were capable of rolling over someone else like that. But he was right. . . .

Another example that time of possession can be football’s most overrated stat: Houston 33:10, UCLA 26:50. . . .

The Cougars could have used alum Antowain Smith, the rookie running back who has pushed aside Thurman Thomas in Buffalo. . . .

Is USC the team that came within a dropped interception of possibly upsetting Florida State? . . .

Or is USC the team that came within a dropped pass in the end zone of being in big trouble against Nevada Las Vegas? . . .

Either the Trojans have gone backward since the season opener, or they’re a team that plays up or down to the level of the competition. . . .

In either case, it’s not a compliment to the coaching staff. . . .

No list of Heisman candidates is legitimate without Ohio State linebacker Andy Katzenmoyer. . . .

It was hard to tell in 95 seconds whether Golota learned much from Lou Duva, but the veteran trainer has done wonders for Oxnard welterweight Fernando Vargas. . . .

Duva has taught him so much about boxing that Vargas now realizes how little he knew when he was boasting he could beat Oscar De La Hoya. . . .

Another indication that De La Hoya is winning over fans in his hometown: The last time he appeared among the crowd at the Forum for a fight, he received considerably more cheers than jeers. . . .

Dave Marr, who died Sunday, was one of the nicest guys in sports. . . .

When he captained the U.S. Ryder Cup team in 1981, the Europeans were clobbered, 18 1/2-9 1/2. . . .

It might not have been entirely because of his leadership. The team included Jack Nicklaus, Lee Trevino and Tom Watson.

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While wondering why Davis Love III couldn’t have played that well last week, I was thinking: It takes a special team to beat Randy Johnson four times in one season, I knew the Cowboys were in trouble when Dave Brown was injured, UCLA can’t seem to break that 66-point barrier.