Robert Cassidy Jr. ... at The Sweet Science

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Features by Robert Cassidy Jr.

	[Feb 12, 2007] Early Rounds: Acceleration Three fights. Three wins. One knockout. All in span of 21 days. That makes Rainone 5-0 and itching for another fight.

	[Feb 10, 2007] A different sort of homecoming The home field is quite an advantage in a sport like football. In boxing, not always so much.

	[Jan 14, 2007] Faith, hope and Dmitriy Salita The complexities of life and death and the pursuit of happiness are not lost on Dmitriy Salita.

	[Jan 8, 2007] Rocky Balboa and the fight crowd There are few comebacks in boxing as glorious as that of Rocky Balboa.

	[Dec 24, 2006] Santa is checking ESPN's list twice This is the season for lists, right? We make a list of things that we will resolve to do, or not to do, in the coming year.

	[Dec 14, 2006] A Fighter's Early Rounds: 2-0 Two things became obvious in the second round. That Tommy Rainone was going to win this fight, and that he'd do it with one hand.

	[Dec 10, 2006] Wilmer Vasquez makes a statement Wilmer Vasquez said it was just another fight. Perhaps. And perhaps he will be just another heavyweight.

	[Dec 8, 2006] Hall of Fame Inductions: Glass Half Full They announced the latest additions to the Hall of Fame and with one very notable exception, there should be no complaints from the purists.

	[Dec 4, 2006] King Cotto and the Boardwalk shuffle There are few fighters in the game right now who can apply the pressure in the same manner of Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito.

	[Dec 1, 2006] Beware the boxing doubleheader All anyone will be able to talk about is when Bob Arum is going to put Cotto and Margarito in the same ring, at the same time.

	[Nov 28, 2006] The artistry of Willie Pep Pep would make three more defenses after the Saddler rematch but would then lose two subsequent fights to Sandy and never challenged for the title...

	[Nov 14, 2006] A Garden stroll They came to Mecca to find boxing's savior. Wladimir Klitschko, who just may be a doctor and a savior, did the best he could. Klitschko gave them a...

[Nov 8, 2006]
Heavyweight history at the Garden
It still remains to be seen where Wladimir Klitschko ends up in the pantheon of great heavyweight champions.  More ...

[Nov 3, 2006]
For Angulo and Briggs, it's all about survival
According to a press release, and the fighter's own admission on a national media conference call, Angulo left his home at the age of seven.  More ...

[Nov 2, 2006]
Laila Ali, the greatest too?
Laila Ali is no longer a curiosity. She can no longer get by on her name and the resemblance in and out of the ring to her dad.  More ...

[Oct 31, 2006]
A Fighter's Early Rounds, Part 2: Disappointment
The journey that becomes the life of a professional boxer is one with ample peaks and valleys.  More ...

[Oct 29, 2006]
For Trevor Berbick, peace at last
The news broke that former heavyweight champion Trevor Berbick was dead. Like most things that involved Berbick, there was a twist to the rest of the story.  More ...

[Sep 28, 2006]
Irish Boxing Exhibit Celebrates Celtic Warriors
The birthplace of the modern prize ring may have been England, but fighting is a birthright of the Irish and part of their patrimony.  More ...

[Sep 27, 2006]
This is the real deal, Evander
I hope that this will always be my enduring image of Evander Holyfield. It is June of 1997 and Mike Tyson has twice bitten Holyfield's ears.  More ...

[Sep 21, 2006]
A Fighter's Early Rounds
When it was finally over, Tommy Rainone, the kid from the suburbs, was smiling and talking, talking almost as fast as he was throwing punches. It was done. He survived and conquered.  More ...

[Aug 24, 2006]
Fighting at the crossroads
For most, fighting in the Theater is a step up. And two weeks ago, Codrington was ready to take another step up.  More ...

[Aug 19, 2006]
Still rooting for Ali
When I was young, my father fought several times in Miami Beach and he would train at the world famous 5th Street Gym, home to Muhammad Ali.  More ...

[Aug 5, 2006]
MSG's basement treasures
Whether you know it as The Felt Forum, The Paramount or, now, simply, The Theater, you know what we're talking about.  More ...

[Jul 25, 2006]
The boxing buffet
Heavyweight David Tua (44-3-1) makes his third start since a two-year hiatus from the ring. He meets 40-year-old Edward Gutierrez (15-2) in a 10-rounder.  More ...

[Jul 3, 2006]
Remembering Big George: A Boxing Giant
George Washington is one of the most important figures in American history. He was a general, a war hero and our first president.  More ...

[Jun 26, 2006]
The next generation ...
James McGirt Jr., Jorge Paez Jr., Stephan Pryor, Ronald Hearns and Chazz Witherspoon will all be in action on a Lou DiBella-produced card at the Little River Casino in Michigan.  More ...

[Jun 15, 2006]
Meandering through Canastota, '06
At its best, boxing is a celebration of skill, courage and athleticism. It is drama played out on the world's grandest stages.  More ...

[May 31, 2006]
Hooking off the jab
The World Cup is set to begin on June 9. The month-long soccer tournament is the most widely viewed athletic event in the world. So you are asking what's my point?  More ...

[May 16, 2006]
At Ring 8, They Remember
Stillman's Gym, Sunnyside Garden, St. Nicholas Arena, Beecher's Gym...have long disappeared from New York City's boxing landscape.  More ...

[Apr 21, 2006]
Hooking off the jab
I am quite certain that the matchmakers, the promoters and the TV executives would all rather see another heavyweight in possession of the IBF championship belt.  More ...

[Apr 13, 2006]
A Fine Perspective
Boxing is a passionate game, for the participants and often for those with a stake in the participants, whether the stake is financial or simply just emotional.  More ...

[Apr 8, 2006]
On balance, Floyd's the man
Floyd Mayweather Jr. can be hard to stomach at times. His trash talk and self-absorbed rants are painful to the ears.  More ...

[Mar 24, 2006]
Hooking off the jab
One word comes to mind when I think about James Toney. Actually, it's two words, but they are pronounced the same. Waste and waist. The latter is obvious once you look at his midsection.  More ...

[Mar 2, 2006]
Casamayor puts lightweight division on notice
At the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino on February 24, Joel Casamayor was introduced to the fight crowd as hailing from Guantanamo, Cuba.  More ...

[Feb 24, 2006]
Hooking off the jab
Hatred can be an awful thing to carry into the ring. A fighter must stay relaxed and focused. Rage is generally not part of the equation. We'll see how it works for Fernando Vargas.  More ...

[Feb 7, 2006]
Hooking off the jab
I came out of surgery and found myself in an era where baseball, boxing and horse racing were this country's three major sports. That's when I realized I was trapped in Bert Sugar's fantasy.  More ...

[Jan 19, 2006]
Boxing from the bottom up
It's not Madison Square Garden, or Wembley Stadium or Caesars Palace. This is boxing at the Monticello Raceway.  More ...

[Jan 14, 2006]
William Joppy: Legends, loaded gloves and the long road back
William Joppy was standing near ringside at The Theater at Madison Square Garden when he was recognized by a fan.  More ...

[Jan 12, 2006]
Boxing Hall of Fame: Big day for little men
Michael Carbajal and Humberto "Chiquita" Gonzalez will lead the Class of 2006 into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota.  More ...

[Jan 11, 2006]
The Aftershock
There are those still ducking from the fallout at the Theater at Madison Square Garden last Saturday. When three of Don King's champions lose, the aftershock goes a long way.  More ...

[Jan 6, 2006]
Cruising for some highlights
The cruiserweight division has long been boxing's redheaded stepchild. It's afforded no respect and very little attention.  More ...

[Dec 28, 2005]
So long Stoney
First came the footage from Germany of Norman "Stoney" Stone clutching the WBA belt that his fighter, John Ruiz, just lost on a disputed decision to Nicolay Valuev .  More ...

[Dec 21, 2005]
Driving Joe Miceli
I picked up Joe Miceli the man who engaged in 110 bouts between 1948 and 1961 the man who fought 12 world champions at his Long Island home shortly after rush hour.  More ...

[Dec 9, 2005]
A classic card in the making?
It could be the type of card that people once saw on the Madison Square Garden marquee. Three 10-round bouts, each with a world-class fighter.  More ...

[Nov 25, 2005]
Ode to Sunnyside Garden
The date was March 19, 1963. The place was Sunnyside Garden and the fight card was filled with a bunch of New York prospects.  More ...

[Nov 15, 2005]
Cedric Kushner, still rocking and rolling
Cedric Kushner was standing in the center of the ring, thanking everyone, which seemed kind of unusual.  More ...

[Oct 31, 2005]
25 years later, the fighters of Mariel
The Mariel Boatlift began April 20, 1980 when Cuban president Fidel Castro declared the port of Mariel open to those wishing to leave the island.  More ...

[Oct 21, 2005]
Tua back in action
The choice was simple for David Tua. Either get hit with punches or a frying pan. He preferred to take his chances against the heavyweight division.  More ...

[Oct 19, 2005]
Manning Galloway, a boxing odyssey
When the three-plus rounds came to an end, Manning Galloway, a man who has logged over 600 professional rounds, looked relieved.  More ...

[Oct 11, 2005]
Boxing in Monticello, Bet on It
Gone are the days when boxing and horse racing ranked with baseball as the three major sports in the United States.  More ...

[Oct 7, 2005]
A second chance to make a first impression
Corrales has been given a second chance at fame and fortune. A second chance to do what he loves.  More ...

[Oct 4, 2005]
Thrilla in Manila: 30th Anniversary
It was simply a brutal fight. To call it a boxing match does not capture the essence of the contest or its combatants.  More ...

[Sep 26, 2005]
Heavy thoughts in A.C.
Just past the toll pavilion on the Atlantic City Expressway, a huge billboard announces the Wladimir Klitschko-Samuel Peter and Miguel Cotto-Ricardo Torres fights.  More ...

[Sep 19, 2005]
DaVarryl Williamson Belongs Here
On October 1, DaVarryl Williamson will challenge IBF champion Chris Byrd in Reno, Nevada, in a bout to be televised on Showtime.  More ...

[Sep 15, 2005]
Destination: Camp Klitschko
On Wednesday, September 14, we departed Manhattan in a black SUV for Wladimir Klitschko's training camp at Caesars Resort in the Poconos.  More ...

[Sep 12, 2005]
Hurricane can't wash away New Orleans' boxing history
There is a statue that commemorates the early days of New Orleans boxing. Like much of everything else, it is underwater.  More ...

[Aug 26, 2005]
Ray Mercer: Boxing, like war, is a business
Ray Mercer steps back into the ring this Friday night. But there is another battle weighing heavily on his mind.  More ...

[Aug 9, 2005]
Lou DiBella, Jermain Taylor and Broadway Boxing
Thursday's Broadway Boxing was less a fight card and more a homecoming for Lou DiBella and his middleweight champion Jermain Taylor.  More ...

[Jul 30, 2005]
The Rematch: Boxing's gift to its fans
The rematch is boxing's gift to its fans. Thus, we are looking forward to return fights between Corrales and Castillo and Hopkins and Taylor.  More ...

[Jul 26, 2005]
He Danced with the Cinderella Man
Charley Gellman had no boxing shoes. He had no money and would have climbed into the ring wearing just a loincloth if the purse was right.  More ...

[Jul 15, 2005]
Hopkins-Taylor: When Young and Old Collide
One way or another, the end is near for Bernard Hopkins. He will either retire on top or, like the warrior that he is, go out on his shield.  More ...

[Jul 11, 2005]
Thomas Hearns Should Not Fight
At 46 years old and five years removed from his last bout, I believe Hearns is jeopardizing his future by fighting.  More ...

[Jun 30, 2005]
Video Interview: John H. Stracey at The Hall of Fame
In 1975, John Stracey defeated Jose Napoles in Mexico City to capture the world welterweight title.  More ...

[Jun 25, 2005]
Arturo Gatti: Tough, Courageous, Popular But Not Great
Buddy McGirt has made Gatti a better fighter. A more complete fighter. A fighter capable of greatness.  More ...

[Jun 19, 2005]
Shadowboxing with Dad
My opponent stood before me, but what I couldn't escape, what was really suffocating me, was my father's presence. His reputation loomed over the ring like a 10-foot pugilistic altar.  More ...

[Jun 17, 2005]
Video Report: The International Boxing Hall of Fame
It's boxing's feel-good answer to option contracts, rigged ratings and mismatches. Every year the boxing fraternity descends upon Canastota.  More ...

[Jun 15, 2005]
Meandering through Canastota
For a sport that too often shoots itself in the foot, induction weekend allows you to remember why you first fell in love with boxing.  More ...

[Jun 7, 2005]
Boxing and Hollywood
Hollywood has long benefited from the unscripted drama, courage and inspiration that is commonplace in the sport of boxing. The release of "Cinderella Man" may give the sport a boost.  More ...

[Jun 2, 2005]
Hail Cesar!
It did not matter what Julio Cesar Chavez did with Ivan Robinson in Los Angeles on Saturday night. The man's legend had been completed a long time ago.  More ...

[May 31, 2005]
Video Report: Gleason's Gym
The fabled New York City boxing gym - Gleason's - is not just a gym, but an institution. It opened in the Bronx in 1937.  More ...

[May 24, 2005]
Video Report: New Headstone for Kid Gavilan
When the great Kid Gavilan died two years, he was buried in an unmarked grave at Our Lady of Mercy Cemetery in West Miami.  More ...

[May 20, 2005]
Boxing Politics and Andrew Golota
In boxing, when does a fighter win by losing? In the case of Andrew Golota, the answer is: When your promoter is Don King.  More ...

[May 12, 2005]
I Want To Believe James Toney ...
It is my opinion that, as a nation, we are a trusting public. We believe people until they give us a reason not to.  More ...

[May 1, 2005]
Garden's Hidden Treasures
The atmosphere at the Garden was less than electric on Saturday night for James Toney's unanimous decision over John Ruiz.  More ...

[Apr 26, 2005]
Something Different: Kind Words for John Ruiz
John Ruiz takes more shots out of the ring than inside it. He is probably the most criticized heavyweight champ since James J. Braddock.  More ...

[Apr 22, 2005]
Castro's Cuba and the Spirit of Kid Gavilan
The fight crowd gathered here earlier this month to remember a pair of boxers who should never be forgotten.  More ...

[Apr 2, 2005]
Boxing, France and Jean-Marc Mormeck
When Georges Carpentier landed on these shores from Paris, first in 1920 and again in 1924, his arrival was met with tremendous anticipation.  More ...

[Apr 1, 2005]
Boxing Video: Buddy McGirt's Elite Boxing Gym
Buddy McGirt, with his Elite Boxing Gym, has turned Vero Beach into the fistic capital of the south.  More ...

[Mar 29, 2005]
Heavy Yesterdays and Heavy Todays
There was supposed to be a heavyweight title fight at Madison Square Garden in April between Vitali Klitschko and Hasim Rahman.  More ...

[Mar 20, 2005]
Boxing and Steroids
Baseball's dirty little secret has turned our National Pastime into a national embarrassment. Steroids have cast a shadow of doubt over some of baseball's most prestigious records.  More ...

[Mar 18, 2005]
Boxing Video: An Interview with WBO junior lightweight champ Mike Anchondo
Buddy McGirt says Mike Anchondo has all the tools to clean out the 130-pound division.  More ...

[Mar 11, 2005]
Boxing Brooklyn Style in Manhattan
There was a fight card in town last night, and while the ambiance was decidedly Manhattan, the boxing was straight out of Brooklyn.  More ...

[Mar 8, 2005]
Boxing Video: An Interview with Raul Frank
After losing to Vernon Forrest, Raul Frank has returned as a junior middleweight and won three straight.  More ...

[Feb 28, 2005]
Buddy McGirt Teaches Boxing the Old-Fashioned Way
The gym sits in an industrial complex where windows and siding are manufactured. Inside the gym, McGirt manufactures champions.  More ...

[Feb 25, 2005]
Boxing Video: An Interview with Oleg Maskaev
Heavyweight contender Oleg Maskaev talks to The Sweet Science about his plans to climb back up to the top of the heavyweight mountain.  More ...

[Feb 14, 2005]
Boxing Video: A Conversation with Hector Roca
Boxing trainer Hector Roca recently trained Hilary Swank for her role as boxer Maggie Fitzgerald in the film "Million Dollar Baby."  More ...

[Feb 7, 2005]
Ten-Count for Max Schmeling and Coley Wallace
Heavyweights Max Schmeling and Coley Wallace died within days of each other. At the times of their death, they were separated by an ocean.  More ...

[Feb 3, 2005]
Cory Spinks: If It Ain't Broke, Don't Fix It
Cory Spinks is approaching his rematch with Zab Judah by following this simple philosophy: If it ain't broke, don't fix it.  More ...

[Jan 30, 2005]
Arturo Gatti Stops Leija and the Legend Grows
The chants of "Gatti, Gatti, Gatti" began moments after the opening bell.  More ...

[Jan 28, 2005]
Boxing Video: Gatti, Leija Weigh-In Coverage
The weigh-in for the Arturo Gatti-Jesse James Leija WBC super lightweight title bout went off today without a hitch.  More ...

[Jan 27, 2005]
Leija Warning For Arturo Gatti
The last thing a fighter wants to do is take Jesse James Leija for granted.  More ...

[Jan 21, 2005]
Ouma vs Jantuah: An All Africa Gem
It is rare when two African fighters meet in a world title bout and when a fight on the undercard of an Arturo Gatti show gets this much attention.  More ...

[Jan 14, 2005]
Harold Johnson Preferred Style to Savagery
Philadelphia may be known for its warriors, but Johnson may be the best pure boxer to emerge from the City of Brotherly Love.  More ...

[Jan 11, 2005]
Boxing Video: Cruiserweight Ehinomen 'Hino' Ehikhamenor
Veteran trainer John Davenport, who's worked with the likes of Lennox Lewis, says Hino is his "last hurrah, my last champion."  More ...

[Jan 6, 2005]
Chacon, McGuigan, Norris lead Boxing Hall of Fame Class of '05
Bobby Chacon, Barry McGuigan and Terry Norris headline a class of 10 new inductees to the International Boxing Hall of Fame.  More ...

[Dec 21, 2004]
Postcards from Uncle Al: The Boxing Cutman - Part 2
In Part 2 of this 2 part series, Robert Cassidy charts Al Gavin's rise from his days carrying a spit bucket for the PAL boxing team.  More ...

[Dec 20, 2004]
Postcards from Uncle Al: The Boxing Cutman - Part 1
Robert Cassidy reflects on his time spent on the road with legendary boxing cutman, Al Gavin.  More ...

[Dec 2, 2004]
Joel Casamayor Only Wants to Fight the Best
It was not the scales that drove Joel Casamayor out of the junior lightweight division. And it was not the competition.  More ...

[Nov 20, 2004]
Goossen Resurrects the Shane Mosley of Old
Speaking to TheSweetScience.com, trainer Joe Goossen discusses how he has approached the reinvention of Sugar Shane Mosley in preparation for tonight's contest with Winky Wright.  More ...

[Nov 17, 2004]
Dmitriy Salita: Boxing and Religion
To some people, boxing is religion. To Dmitriy Salita, they are separate elements of his life, but he believes they feed one another.  More ...

[Nov 14, 2004]
Evander Holyfield - say it ain't so
If you were a fan of Evander Holyfield, you were rooting for Larry Donald on Saturday night.  More ...

Video by Robert Cassidy Jr.

	Robert Cassidy Jr. [Jan 28, 2007] Judah-Baldomir Post-Fight Presser  Don King, Zab Judah and Carlos Baldomir speak at the post-fight press conference after Baldomir's shock victory over Judah