He was also ringside for 39 of Larry Holmes’s bouts, including his epic battles against Ken Norton and Gerry Cooney, and the sensational round-robin involving Roberto Duran, Marvin Hagler, Thomas Hearns and Sugar Ray Leonard in the 1980s.

During this time he also covered horse racing, which he compares to boxing because of the endless array of characters that inhabit the sport.

Thirty-three times Schuyler covered the Kentucky Derby. He missed one of them, in 1976, because he was in Landover, Maryland, for a Muhammad Ali title defense.

While Schuyler has enjoyed a longtime love affair with both sports, he says that boxing has always been much easier to cover.

“To cover a big fight, you basically have just two people you have to write about. In horse racing you have about 20,” said Schuyler. “But the two sports have many similarities, the most obvious being all of the characters. They might not be good people, but they are all colorful. That’s what links the two sports more than anything else.”

The colorful characters were not always the fighters themselves. In many cases they were the promoters, managers or hangers-on such as the gaudy Mr. T., who shot to prominence in the late 1970s, first as the bodyguard to Leon Spinks and later as the ultimate Hollywood villain.

“Don’t cross Mr. T.,” quipped Schuyler at the time. “If you do, he’ll dot both of your I’s (eyes).”

Along with promoter Wilfried Sauerland, matchmaker Bruce Trampler, referee/commissioner Larry Hazzard, and manager Shelly Finkel, Schuyler will be inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in the Non-Participant category during the IBHOF’s 21st annual induction weekend in June.

“It’s a good feeling,” said the 75-year-old Schuyler from his home in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, where he covers high school and college football and writes about boxing’s old-timers for his own amusement. “It’s nice to see your career recognized. It pleases me very much.”

Schuyler began his journalistic career as a summer intern in Pittsburgh. He jokes that the internship “lasted 42 years.” Among the first bouts he covered was Rubin “Hurricane” Carter’s shocking first round knockout of Emile Griffith at the city’s Civic Arena in December 1963.

For a young man who had been a boxing fan since he was a kid, Schuyler couldn’t believe his good fortune.

“Griffith had just been named Fighter of the Year by The RING magazine, so that was a big deal at the time,” recalled Schuyler.

After a short stint in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Schuyler arrived in New York in 1965. At the time Jack Hand and Murray Rose covered boxing in eloquent fashion. When Hand took a job with the National Football League in 1970, Schuyler became the AP’s national boxing writer. That job eventually took him to 18 countries, as well as Puerto Rico. It also filled him with enough memories for several lifetimes.

He says the first Leonard-Hearns fight was the best fight he ever covered, and he admits to still getting excited when he thinks about it or sees clips of it on television. Most memorable was the Ali-Frazier trilogy. Schuyler has great respect for Frazier, but says that, “Ali was bigger than life and the most charismatic athlete ever, in any sport.”

For him and scores of other ringside scribes, the fight where Holmes dispensed a brutal beating to an aging and overmatched Ali was “a sad, sad night.”

Schuyler also found the Larry Holmes-Ken Norton and Holmes-Cooney fights to be extremely memorable. When asked if he ever found a better story in the loser’s dressing room, Schuyler said that was rarely the case, unless the loser was someone as charismatic and compelling as Ali or Roberto Duran.

That certainly was the case after Holmes destroyed Ali, as well as the post-fight setting in Duran’s quarters after the No Mas debacle.

“The hardest story to write is always the follow-up story, but in those cases it was easy,” said Schuyler.

Schuyler also vividly recalls entering the dressing room of George Chuvalo after the rugged Canadian had lost a decision to Oscar Bonavena. Chuvalo was laying on a table, in obvious discomfort.

“I asked George what was next and his manager, Irving Unger, jumped up and said, “We’re not retiring,’” said Schuyler. “His guy just got murdered, for God’s sake, and Unger was answering for him.”

Truth be told, Schuyler rarely wrote about boxing. Because he was usually on deadline, he most often dictated his words back to the AP offices and they compiled the actual story. After the Thrilla in Manila, the dramatic third fight between Ali and Frazier, Schuyler said he dictated a couple of hundred words a round, which was much more than usual.

“The fight was such a war, there was so much to say,” he said. “Nobody expected this type of effort from either man. The dramatic ending, with Eddie Futch stopping the fight and Ali saying he had been close to death, resulted in me dictating about 4,000 words.”

When Mike Tyson fought Lou Savarese in Scotland in 2000, a fierce rainstorm sent nearly all of the ringside reporters scurrying for cover. Photographer Teddy B. Blackburn remembers seeing Schuyler, completely alone and adorned in a hooded parka, dictating into the phone during the less than epic battle.

“It was a monsoon and all of the other writers were nowhere to be found,” said Blackburn. “Fast Eddie acted like it was just another day at the office. I always admired him, but he really got my respect that day.”

Actually, says Schuyler, Tim Smith of the New York Daily News and a few other hearty souls, returned to ringside for the main event. So did Ferdie Pacheco, who wound up tripping over and disconnecting Schuyler’s phone cord.

Events such as that, which might seem catastrophic at the moment, are all sources of amusement for Schuyler as he recounts them today. It is obvious that he loved boxing, and looks at every day of his career with nostalgia, reverence, and in some cases, sadness.

He laments the fact that junior middleweight Tony Ayala Jr., who he describes as “the nicest guy to interview,” was tortured by demons that came out when he drank and resulted in him beginning a long prison sentence for rape and kidnapping just as he was on the cusp of boxing superstardom.

“He was a really special fighter,” said Schuyler. “His whole life was ruined because he couldn’t handle a couple of drinks.”

He described Holmes as “hardest, most dedicated trainer” that he ever met. He has a special fondness for the longtime heavyweight champion because of his fierce work ethic and tremendous belief in himself.

“Larry had this great desire to learn,” said Schuyler. “He sparred with Ali, Norton and even Joe Frazier a little bit. But he never became a sparring partner, never developed that mentality. I admire him for that.”

While Schuyler concedes that racial and ethnic rivalries have always propelled boxing, he still found the Holmes-Cooney promotion to be “disturbing and unsettling, the most racist thing I ever covered.”

“The promoter (Don King) was black, and he didn’t shy away from it,” said Schuyler. “Lots of little things came up, like Cooney being on the cover of Sports Illustrated even though he was the challenger, and the rumor about President Reagan putting a phone in Cooney’s dressing room in case he won. I’ve never been able to prove if that is true or not.

“It wasn’t Larry or Gerry’s fault,” he added. “People really wanted Cooney to win. He could punch like crazy, and he was a really nice guy.”

Other less prominent “nice guys” that Schuyler had the pleasure of covering were heavyweights Chuck Wepner  and Randy Neumann. He still chuckles over the fact that, in 1974, they fought at MSG in New York for the New Jersey heavyweight title. Wepner was known as the Bayonne Bleeder for his propensity to bleed in nearly every fight he engaged in.

When referee Arthur Mercante stopped the fight in the sixth round, Wepner pleaded with him to let it go on. Mercante informed him that he was stopping the bout because of Neumann’s blood, not his.

“It was probably the only time in history a Wepner fight was stopped because of the other guy’s blood,” laughs Schuyler.

As much as Schuyler admires boxers, he purposely never got too close to them. “I never wanted to be an insider, I wanted to be a reporter,” he explained. “Someday I might be in a position to have to write something negative  about them.”

He garnered the first interview that Mike Tyson granted after his release from prison, and still feels for all of Tyson’s travails.

“Between 1986 and 1989, he was brilliant,” said Schuyler. “His hand speed and reflexes were something. He would have given Ali fits. If Joe Frazier gave Ali fits, so would Tyson. But I think he would have had trouble with Foreman, just like Frazier did. Tyson was a crowd pleaser, and that’s what the heavyweight division needs. But he had no friends when he needed them most.”

Unlike most observers, Schuyler considers Floyd Mayweather Jr. a crowd pleaser. “He is a very technical fighter, who uses his speed and defense very well,” he said. “I don’t have to see a bloodbath in every fight. Sometimes I want to see artistry, and he gives you artistry.”

While Schuyler would eagerly anticipate a bout between Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, he has problems with the fact that the general public considers the Pac Man a champion in seven weight divisions.

“He didn’t win titles in all of those divisions, he won pieces of the titles,” he explained. “You don’t need four weights between 105 and 112 pounds. If you can’t make 112, fight at 108 for God’s sake.”

Schuyler also has problems with the practice of not weighing in on the day of the fight. He cites the 1997 bout between Gabe Ruelas and the late Arturo Gatti that was supposed to be contested at 130 pounds. Both made weight the day before the fight, but entered the ring within two pounds of the welterweight limit.

“People weren’t paying to see two welterweights,” he opined. “Making weight is supposed to mean something.”

Having been honored by the Boxing Writers Association of America for “Excellence in Boxing Journalism” in 1970, Schuyler is arguably the dean of living boxing writers. Not the least bit curmudgeonly, he is polite, gracious and sharp, just as he was on the boxing beat when surrounded by young and brash writers, many of whom had no comprehension what the term “beat writer” meant.

He is grateful for having had the privilege of doing something he loved for so long, as well as for the lasting impact and enduring legacy he left.

“If you can’t write about boxing, you should be selling shoes,” he said. “It’s a writer’s sport. Because the material is so rich, the stories write themselves.”

This year’s IBHOF induction weekend will be held from June 10-13, 2009. For more information, log onto: www.ibhof.com or call 315-697-7095.

Emulating the bob and weave movement of a Mike Tyson it was Evans who was able to utilize a more defensive approach and combine it with multiple wrestling take downs against Silva (14-2) front of more than 12, 000 at the MGM Grand. It was the main event for Ultimate Fighting Championship 108.

It worked for two of three rounds but that was all he needed.

“It was a strategy I got away from for a long time,” said Evans (19-1-1).

The former collegiate wrestling champion showed early that he was not going to be a stationary target as he bobbed and weaved toward Silva then took down the Brazilian on three occasions in the first round. The second round was a carbon copy.

Knowing he needed a knockout or stoppage of some kind, in the third round, Silva connected with a wide left that slightly staggered Evans but the Brazilian did not follow up in the third round. Instead he attempted to goad the American into an exchange that never happened. Time ran out for the Brazilian.

“When I took a step back I felt it,” said Evans about getting hit with a big punch. “Where my legs at?”

All three judges scored it the same 29-28 for Evans. Silva shook his head at the decision read.

Evans said he would like a match with rival Quinton “Rampage” Jackson who has finished filming a motion picture where he depicts Mr. T. “Let’s get it on Rampage.”

Other bouts

England’s Paul “Semtex” Daley exploded several left hands on Kentucky’s Dustin Hazelett (14-5) to suddenly end a slow starting welterweight bout. The fight started with Hazelett attempting a Spiderman-like tumble move that was side-stepped by Daley. For the next two minutes both were very careful until an exchange that saw Daley land a powerful left hook. Down went Hazelett with Daley following him with three more resounding left hands. Referee Herb Dean stopped it at 2:24 of the first round.

“All fights start standing,” said Daley (25-5-1) about winning the fight with punches and not grappling. “Dustin has been in there with the best.”

Daley’s win puts him among the top welterweights that are led by champion Georges St. Pierre.

Lightweights Sam Stout (16-5-1) of Canada and America’s Joe Lauzon (17-5) put on an action-packed bout from start to finish. An elbow to the face of Stout opened up a bad cut over there left eye but he rallied with well-placed punches to win that round that sparked the fans. After three rounds the judges scored it 30-36, 30-27 twice for Stout who was able to land crisp combinations while keeping the fight standing up.

“I’m pumped,” said Stout. “Yeah, he was tough.”

New Jersey’s Jim Miller (16-2) caught Denver’s Duane Ludwig (27-10) with a right hook that floored the taller fighter. Once down Miller jumped on him and maneuvered into an arm bar hold that prompted Ludwig to tap out at 2:31 of the first round of the lightweight fight.

Brazil’s heavyweight sensation Junior Dos Santos (10-1) traded left hooks with Gilbert Yvel (36-14-1) and was the successor as one blasted the American fighter to the ground. Dos Santos followed up quickly with several hammer fists and the fight was stopped by referee Herb Dean at 2:07 of the first round for a technical knockout.

“I noticed he was trying to counter attack,” Dos Santos said.

Minnesota’s Martin Kampmann (16-3) used a counter right to drop Jacob Volkmann (9-2) twice and eventually softened him up to apply a guillotine choke and force a tap out at 4:03 of the first round of a welterweight clash.

“I think he caught me with way too many punches,” said Kampmann who expected more grappling than blows. “But I’m happy I got the win.”

Georgia’s Cole Miller (16-4) withstood a furious attack from Dan Lauzon (12-3) including a monster left hand to force a tap out from the Massachusetts fighter due to a reverse triangle and Kimura at 3:05 of the first round of a lightweight battle.

“I don’t promise to win every fight but I promise to make every fight exciting,” said Miller.

California’s Mark Munoz unleashed a barrage of punches that forced Ryan Jensen (15-5) to tap out at 2:30 of the first round in a middleweight bout. Munoz is a former college wrestling star.

“You make your weaknesses your strengths so that way you don’t have no weaknesses,” said Munoz (7-1) about improving his punching.

Nebraska’s Jake Ellenberger (22-5) cracked a right to the chin of Mike Pyle (18-7-1) for a technical knockout at 22 seconds of the second round of a welterweight fight.

Brazil’s Rafaello Oliveira (10-2) beat John Gunderson (22-7) by decision 30-27.

Other bouts that have been thrown out are Vazquez-Marquez IV, Chad Dawson vs. Bernard Hopkins at light heavyweight, Kelly Pavlik vs. Paul Williams at middleweight. Some heavyweight bouts that have been thrown out have matched Chris Arreola vs. David Tua and David Haye versus either Wladimir or Vitali Klitschko. All of the proposed match ups listed have the potential be intriguing stylistically or explosive and exciting from an action perspective.

However, the fight I'd be most fascinated to see in 2010 isn't among them.

With either Wladimir or Vitali Klitschko having had a strangle-hold on the heavyweight division since Lennox Lewis last fought in June of 2003 I'd like to see one of them in a real fire fight against an opponent who can really punch, who has a great chin and wouldn't be awed by the sight of either one of them standing across the ring.

Therefore the fight I'd like to see in 2010 would be David Tua 50-3-1 (43) with one more tune-up bout under his belt by March of this year - fighting either Wladimir or Vitali Klitschko for one of the alphabet titles in mid July or August. Tua has longed for a title shot since Lennox Lewis administered a boxing clinic at his expense almost ten years ago.

Tua has always been a frustrating fighter because he was born with such natural strength and punching power along with a cast-iron chin, gifts that can't be acquired or learned. At one time he used to exhibit good head and upper-body movement and put his punches together in succession. In fact he and the fighter who handed him his first career defeat, Ike Ibeabuchi, are the two best prospects to come along in the heavyweight division since the Tyson, Holyfield, Lewis and Bowe era.

Yes, Tua and Ibeabuchi were better prospects than either Wladimir or Vitali Klitschko. But everyone knows that potential can be a career killer as it was in the cases of Tua and Ibeabuchi. Tua lacked discipline and motivation and Ibeabuchi was a head case and borderline nut. So despite their better potential, neither will be viewed as better fighters or rank higher historically than either one of the Klitschko brothers.

That said, Tua still has dynamite in both hands and still has never really been shook or in trouble in any of his 54 bouts. Add to that Wladimir is never more than one big-punch away from fighting as the prey instead of the predator during any of his fights - and Vitali has slowed some and looked vulnerable even in his walk over against Kevin Johnson last month.

The Tuaman having tasted the wrath of Lewis and Ibeabuchi when they were at their best  shouldn't be overwhelmed by the size, strength, work-rate or boxing acumen of either Wladimir or Vitali. Granted, Tua lost miserably to Lewis, but neither K-brother are the fighter that Lewis was.

Tua is a fighter that who in spite of his physical attributes only goes as far as his mental outlook and focus take him. Once he was confronted with the reach and outside fighting capability of Lennox Lewis and realized that Lennox wasn't going to make it easy for him, Tua became discouraged and fought not be embarrassed instead of to win.

Tua's had almost a decade to stew about that and has said repeatedly how bad he wants another shot at the title. He hasn't taken any meaningful punishment since he fought Lewis and it's widely known that he sees both Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko as being very beatable and not in the class that Lewis was as a fighter.

That's another problem with Tua— he always says the right things but can't be counted on to fight to his fullest capacity on a given night. Tuaman has the style if he's hellbent on winning the fight to bother both brothers. He also has the power to keep Wladimir from pushing the fight and to keep Vitali on his heels. It's doubtful that either one of the K-brothers would do anything but pick their spots and fight a safety first fight against him, which in fairness is the best way to fight Tua. But in doing that Tua if he took advantage of it, would have his chances to get inside their reach and force it on the inside from close quarters. He'd only need to get in with a couple left-hooks to get the momentum in his favor.

Then again we're talking about David Tua who seems to spit the bit in a big spot. If he allows  himself to become passive due to Wladimir's technical competence or Vitali's awkwardness, he'll see round after losing round slip away. And in all likelihood that's probably the scenario that would unfold.

It's just that it would be intriguing to see either Wladimir or Vitali Klitschko in the ring with a true life-taking puncher who's never been hurt and has shared the ring with a fighter in Lennox Lewis who was a little more complete and dangerous than either K-brother. It's just what Tua shows up? And with the chance of a motivated Tua fighting for his career possibly showing up makes Tua vs. either Klitschko the heavyweight fight I'd most want to see in 2010.

Although I have doubts either Klitschko would consider fighting Tua unless they were forced to because he was a mandatory challenger.

Frank Lotierzo can be contacted at GlovedFist@Gmail.com

Readers, this is your article. Speak your peace! What do you want to see go down in the upcoming year? Fire away...and remember, keep it clean y'all!