In Boxing News: Joe Mesi, Leon Spinks, Tszyu, The Kronk Gym & More

Interesting developments this week with heavyweight Joe Mesi. Today in the Buffalo News TheSweetScience.com’s own Tim Graham reports Mesi has been cleared by a Nevada judge to resume his career – on what has been termed elsewhere a legal “technicality”. This means Mesi is free to apply to state athletic commissions to resume his career, but by no means is assured of being approved as many concerns still exist about Mesi’s health within the game. Mesi still has one fight remaining on his deal with HBO, but concerns of a fighter possibly dying in the ring on live television could discourage HBO from moving forward with Mesi in its stable, says Graham.

Kostya Tszyu says he will consider an offer to fight former adversary Zab Judah, but is awaiting a formal approach from the management of the undisputed welterweight champion.

Stan Grossfeld in the Boston Globe has a bittersweet column on former heavyweight champion Leon Spinks: years after gaining world fame and fortune, it’s been a hard fall from glory for Leon Spinks, reports Grossfeld. Leon Spinks now cleans the local YMCA for $5.15 an hour on weekends, sometimes unloads trucks at McDonald’s, and volunteers to help the homeless. ‘Well I’m still breathing, still making money,” says Spinks. There is something admirable in the way he still holds his heads high. But say all you want about cliches, this sport still has too many hard-luck stories.

Great column in the Detroit News about the fight to save the Kronk Gym in Detroit. Emanuel Steward is trying to wield his influence to stop the closure of Kronk. I hope he is successful, as my life will not be complete until I get one of those yellow Kronk t-shirts. Emanuel also seems to be aware of the value of the Kronk brand: Steward said he’s looking into marketing the familiar red-and-yellow Kronk logo and merchandise.

Interesting interview with (former) heavyweight Corrie Sanders by our own Deon Potgieter. I always thought Sanders was an underachiever and he seems to agree: “When I fought [Vitali] Klitschko, [Lennox] Lewis chatted a lot with me and he admitted that they avoided me and were concerned about fighting me. I appreciated that he was prepared to admit it to me personally. It meant that I must have meant something.”

Finally, the UK cruiserweight showdown between Enzo Maccarinelli and Johnny Nelson is on.

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