Yuri Foreman Works Out & Knee Looks Ready for March 12 Fight

Yuri Foreman, the first orthodox Jew to win a championship fight in nearly 70 years, worked out today in a Manhattan gym before getting ready to take off for his Super Welterweight match up against Pawel Wolak March 12 in Las Vegas.  It is Foreman's first fight since losing the title last June.

At Kingsway Gym, Foreman (28-1, 8 KO's) looked sharp and showed no lingering signs of his surgically-reconstructed right knee which he hobbled around on in that infamous fight last June 5 at Yankee Stadium against Miguel Cotto.

Once again Foreman will be in the same arena as Cotto, but in different fights.  Last June, Foreman--the Brooklyn rabbinical student--fought courageously in a WBA Junior Middleweight Championship fight against the challenger Cotto.  It was the first boxing match at the new Yankee Stadium and produced one of the most surreal scenes in boxing history.  And that's saying a lot.

The fight was marred after Foreman slipped in the seventh round and re-injured an already bandaged right knee.  Foreman, the 2001 Golden Gloves champion, continued fighting while hopping around on his left leg while his wife, Leyla Leidecker,  screamed at trainer, Joe Grier, to throw in the towel.

After Cotto began punishing the valiant Foreman, the towel was tossed.  Then it got weird.

Cotto raised his arms in victory as the ring filled with reporters, trainers, officials and photographers.  In a bizzare scene, the referee Arthur Mercante Jr., threw the towel back and let the fight continue.

Foreman's game but desperate comeback was stopped in the ninth after it became clear he couldn't defend himself anymore.

That gutsy performance is remembered by many and is a testament to Foreman's resolve and heart.

Foreman will be fighting on the "Relentless" undercard against Wolak, while Cotto (35-2, 28 KO's) will face Ricardo Mayorga (29-7-1, 23 KO's) for twelve rounds in the World Super Welterweight Championship at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Foreman, the 30 year-old former Super Welterweight champ, worked out in front of the New York press and looked fit, strong and ready to go. He moved around the ring for ten rounds and there were no tell-tale signs of damage to that once-crippling right knee.

He'll be facing Wolak (28-1, 18 KO's) who is the #7 ranked Super Welterweight riding a seven-bout winning streak over two years.  Four of those were knockouts by the 29 year-old Jersey guy.

The right-handed Foreman is know for his speed and movement.  He has been called "pure and natural counter puncher" by most experts.  He'll have to be wary of Wolak's hard body punches.

In his last fight, Foreman's knee gave out before his heart.  He went to the canvas twice and most fans felt the fight was over when he couldn't move and it wasn't until two rounds later when Cotto caught Foreman with a hard left hook to the body that Mercante called it off.

It was one of the most entertaining fights of last year and made Foreman a hero.  But if  Foreman had his way, it would have ended differently.  After that fight he said, "We're world champion.  I fight. I didn't want it to stop. I wanted it to continue."

March 12 could be the first step to Cotto-Foreman II.

Yankee Stadium Wins By KO

By Tony Mangia

COTTO DEFEATS FOREMAN TWICE ON SATURDAY

Saturday night's first fight at the new Yankee Stadium will be remembered for one of the strangest episodes in modern boxing. The WBA junior middleweight championship fight, between Yuri Foreman and challenger Miguel Cotto, was marred by Foreman's corner throwing in the towel only to have referee, Arthur Mercante Jr., throw the towel back and continue the fight.

The shenanigans began in the seventh round after Foreman (28-1, 8 KOs), the Brooklyn rabbinical student, slipped and re-injured an already bandaged right knee. Foreman continued to box, courageously on one leg--earning the respect of the fans. Foreman valiantly came out in the eighth with as much mobility as a peg-legged stork. Foreman's wife, Leyla Leidecker, began to scream at the fighter's trainer, Joe Grier, and his corner to stop the fight while Cotto began to punish the slow-moving Foreman. The single-legged fighter didn't have much of a chance when Grier threw the white surrender towel.

Cotto (35-2, 28 KOs) raised his hands in victory and his corner people, photographers and promoters crammed into the ring. In a bizzare scene, Mercante pushed everyone from the canvas and asked Foreman if he wanted to continue. He even told the lame fighter, "You're fighting hard and I don't want to see you lose like that." This is where things get sticky. What fighter, worth his weight, is going to back out? A trainer is there to make sound decisions that a boxer's heart won't. The fight resumed and Mercante defended himself later by saying it was a good fight and " I did the right thing to let it continue."

Mercante was hired for the inaugural fight in tribute to his late father, who refereed the last fight (Ali-Norton) at the old stadium 34 years ago. Junior, is no stranger to controversy. In 2001, he was the referee at the Khalid Jones-Beethavean Scottland fight on the USS Intrepid when Scottland collapsed in the ring, then lapsed into a coma. He died a week later. Mercante later blamed the fighter's death on "being banged around in a elevator" as they took Scottland to an ambulance.

Rules (no matter how stupid) Are Rules

New York State Athletic Commission rules state: only the referee can stop a fight. Throwing in the towel is illegal in New York and only an athletic commission inspector can enter the ring and plead with the referee to end a bout. In this case, Mercante ignored the inspector and let Foreman continue to fight. Mercante put Foreman's health and life in jeopardy after he saw the inspector and tossed him from the ring. The NYSAC supports Mercante and claims he followed rules and didn't cross any lines.

Mercifully, Mercante stopped the match at :42 seconds in the ninth after Cotto landed a vicious shot to the right side of Foreman's body. The Jewish fighter crumbled. At this point, Cotto was picking up steam and it would only be a matter of time before the courageous Foreman would be beaten like a boiled potato. Foreman lost his title by TKO, but said he knew the fight was over.

There was more blame--thankfully--than blood to spread around. First, of course, is the referee. He can't override the trainer's decision to halt a fight---even if towel throwing is illegal in the New York ring. He knows what a white towel means. Second, is the inspector who didn't get the attention of Mercante. He saw Grier toss the towel and made too little an effort to stop the fight. Thirdly, some of the blame goes to Foreman's trainer, Grier, who---first of all---know that the white towel is illegal and should have made sure the inspector saved his fighter. Even Foreman's wife knew better and almost got into the mix. She threatened to punch out Mercante.

Cotto's Redemption?

Two things were apparent on Saturday night---Miguel Cotto still has it and Yankee Stadium never lost it. After his last two fights, where Cotto was unrecognizably pulverized by Antonio Margarito and Manny Pacquiao---who was in attendance---the Puerto Rican fighter, and local favorite, looked strong. He has the option of staying at 154 pounds or go down to 147 for his next fight. Yuri Foreman was valiant, in a losing cause, but his guts and heart will never be questioned by people who saw this fight.

The stadium never looked better and is sure to host more fights. Only 20,000 people attended---way under the 30K anticipated---but Cotto and Foreman aren't exactly the biggest names out there. In order to lure big-time fights, Yankee Stadium would have to contend with expansive Cowboys Stadium and Las Vegas, which draw either the big crowds or high rollers. There is even talk with WBA promoter Bob Arum for a return boxing event at the stadium. How about October, Manny and Floyd?

SHORT JABS

436, If You Include the Mets Players

At Citifield, 427 Mets fans set a Guiness World Record for most people crocheting simultaneously. I guess Oliver Perez was on the mound.

The Spelling Bee is I-N-I-Q-U-I-T-O-U-S

On Saturday afternoon, I had a choice of watching Nascar on Fox, Rugby on ABC or The Scripps Spelling Bee on ESPN. I'm one of those guys who doesn't consider chess, cup-stacking or putting letters together a sport but I can't understand the Nascar announcers' grits and biscuits lingo and I'll be damned if I can figure out anything about rugby. I think most of these kids are good spellers because they had to learn to spell their own names. Some kids have every letter of the alphabet in their first name alone and one didn't even have a single vowel in his whole surname. I don't think it's fair when one kid has to spell nephrocytary or genethliac while another kid gets jehu.

Boston Celtics fan, Mayor Bloomberg, Woos LeBron to New York

New York's trans-fat-free mayor continues to campaign for LeBron James as a Knick. Bloomberg contends that by bringing James to our city, he would generate $57.8 million for the city. In a website video, the mayor said: " Willis on one leg, Clyde with the steal, Dr. J soaring from the line---Come on, Le Bron, write the next chapter in New York City basketball history." Hey Bloomie, Dr. J never played for a NYC team. He was a Net and 76er.

Triple Crowns and Title Belts

By Tony Mangia

12 HORSES & 12 ROUNDS

Saturday promises to be a big sports day in New York. Here it is, the first week of June and the Belmont Stakes kicks off the afternoon with a field of twelve ponies and night falls at Yankee Stadium with a twelve-round junior welterweight title fight. There is no Triple Crown on the line this year and Miguel Cotto vs. Yuri Foreman doesn't conjure up visions of Ali-Norton, but I'm still breaking my piggy-bank and heading over to the OTB.

Now, I'm not a railbird or even a casual frequenter of the once ubiquitous OTB parlors--there seemed to be one on every New York City corner--and I don't know a furlong from a filly, but this could be the last summer of OTB betting if New York State decides to close shop because of declining revenue. Private corporations have expressed interest in taking over the legal bookie joints and gambling on getting it off life support.

I just show up for the Triple Crown races--The Kentucky Derby, The Preakness and, finally, The Belmont. Like the frat boys, yuppies and other fair-weather wagerers who walk over the race stub-littered floor, I'm one of those annoyances, the OTB regulars scowl at. We are like migrating birds who arrive every May and June; take up space at the betting windows and ask questions like, "How much is a dollar box on the superfecta for the...which one is the Belmont race?" We're as welcome as a BP representative at a Green Party rally. After Belmont, we've flown out the doors until next years race at Churchill Downs.

I shuffle shyly at a window while TV jockeys, guys with names like Hector the Selector and Chick, stand behind me, turning away from the race monitors long enough to huff and shake their heads. Time is money and money is two minutes and another long shot at Arlington or General Maximus to show at Monticello. I sense their urgency--their tapping feet and stares as they roll their racing forms into clubs. The only thing more important than their next bet is satisfying that nicotine craving outside . It always amazes me how un-rich all the bettors look at the, ironically named, Winners Circle lounge. Polo shirts and white shoes seem to be acceptable fashions. Not too many winners in that loop.

In the past few years, I've dreamed of the big hit---the superfecta that pays 300 grand. Clutching a fistful of cash and a head full racing results, I use a system---which is so void of logic---to make my picks and then plan my early retirement. I mix and match the favorites, box my exactas and trifectas, then throw in a 30-1 nag to fatten the payoff. I still work, but my picks haven't.

People have all kinds of stratagems---the jockeys, names of the horses...the names of the jockeys. I've picked horses because I heard someone on the subway say, " There's a sale at Macys." I'm looking at the race field and there's a horse running called MomMarriedaSailor. Sale...sailor? It's an omen and you have to take it.

This year's field is up for grabs. The Kentucky Derby winner, Super Saver (I wish I knew you were a mudder) and the Preakness winner, Lookin' at Lucky (my dream breaker) won't be running and Ice Box is the only Grade 1 horse in the field. I have absolutely no idea what that means, but it sounds important, so I'm picking him. Anyway, I've devised a new fail-safe scheme to win.

The new system consists of my favorite horse's names, jockeys, trainers and, how could I forget, the oddmakers. Take the top three in each category:

• NAMES OF HORSES: Uptowncharlybrown, First Dude, Game on Dude. Take anything with Dude in it.
  

• JOCKEYS: Mike Smith (Drosselmeyer), Jamie Theriot (Stay Put), Calvin Borel (Dave in Dixie) Never bet against Calvin "Bo-rail"
  
• TRAINERS: Nick Zito (Ice Box, Fly Down), Rick Dutrow (Spangled Star), Bob Baffert (Game on Dude)

• ODDS: Ice Box 3-1, Fly Down 9-2, First Dude 7-2
  

Now take the four horses whose name pops up most. Ta da! My $2 superfecta picks---boxed--- Ice Box, First Dude, Fly Down and, the retirement maker, Game on Dude. Next, bet the first three and add Dave in Dixie as another $2 superfecta-boxed. And what about Make Music For Me, whose Alexis Barba, could be the first woman trainer to win at Belmont. Don't want to miss that action. Throw that horse into another $1 superfecta-boxed. My uncle's name is Victor and in post number 9 is Stately Victor....it never ends, so don't bet the rent. I'll see you on a tropical beach somewhere...dude.

A BRONX TALE

Yankee Stadium gets its first title fight since Muhammad Ali squared off against Ken Norton in 1976. The new stadium is hosting a 12-round WBA super welterweight title match between Yuri Foreman, a rabbinical student and the first Orthodox Jewish boxing world champion in 75 years, and local favorite, Puerto Rican fighter, Miguel Cotto.

Yankee Stadium has a long history of championship fights including Joe Louis vs. Max Schmeling in 1938 and Sugar Ray Robinson famously calling it quits in the 13th round in 1952.

The last few times we saw Cotto was in beat-downs by Antonio Margarito and Manny Pacquiao. It is also the first time he is fighting since the death of his father/trainer in January and with his new trainer, Emanuel Steward. Foreman's story of going from Russia to Israel and settling in Brooklyn to fight professionally is amazing, but the real suspense will be on the FDR on fight night when Foreman, in observance of his religion's Sabbath, will remain at his mid-town hotel until 9:15 p.m., then get a police escort to the stadium for the 10:15 start time.

It's hard to pick a victor in this fight. Cotto (34-2, 27 KOs) has seen better days. He has experience and can punch hard, but it's hard not to remember his battered face after Pacman had his way with him. That's the kind of beating that makes an older fighter think twice about getting into a mix. The champion, Foreman (28-0, 8 KOs), on the other hand, can box, but is short on power. He really hasn't fought anyone in Cotto's class. I'll put my money on Cotto. I think he's got one more good fight in him.

This real star of this fight is the new stadium itself. A crowd of 40 thousand is expected and, hopefully, this is the beginning of more historic bouts to come.

SHORT JABS

Maybe That Sound Was Ben Roethlisberger's Reputation?

The other day, engineers in Pittsburgh used college students to simultaneously flush 250 toilets at the new Consol Energy Center arena to test the plumbing pressure. It wasn't as big a flush as the one where all Pirate fan's playoff hopes and dreams went down the drain two decades ago.

Is That What The Kids Call It Now?

Tiger Woods returned to golf this week at the Memorial Tournament after his "inflamed neck joint" healed.

He Was Safe!

I wonder what would have been more valuable on ebay---a ticket from Detroit Tigers' Armando Galarraga's "mis-called perfect game/one-hitter" or one from the game, if he got the call, and it went into the books as a perfect game?