[PilotMan]

Third week of August, 2007

Fight Night -

The big week is finally here. I have 3 fighters who are going and we need all of them to come away with wins. I expect it. With only five losses ever, and over 35 wins, I have to be feeling somewhat confident. Each night is still like the first one for me. Nerves and all.

First it will be Andreas Ruelas. Ruelas is fighting for the second time since I signed him to the stable. He is fighting a very experienced and aging fighter in Fred Apostoli. I want Ruelas to be the aggressor and to make the first move. He should have the better punch, and his defense should be good enough to make Apostoli pay when he misses. This is the highest that either fighter has been ranked, but I expect much more from Ruelas. He has to win if he has any desire to really make a name for himself in the in the middleweight division. Apostoli is the favorite as the odds on him are 4/5 and the odds on Ruelas are 11/10. That is almost even.

The second fight is Lee Drydon in his biggest test yet. His opponent is a quality fighter who has lost his last 3 fights, but was ranked as high as #50. Tae-Shik Kim has good power, and could make this a slugfest, but his chin is in question. Kim will be the aggressor, so Drydon will need to be careful, and make him pay when he misses. Lee has won six fights in a row, and has made me very rich. He has come a long way, and a win here could put him into a new level of quality. He may never contend for the title, but he has done a lot in two years. Kim is the favorite as the odds on him are 4/5, while Drydon is 11/10. Close.

The last fight is Melvin Horne against Al Hardway. Hardway is a very accurate puncher, and is in very good shape. I have a feeling that he is going to get stonger as the fight progresses into the later rounds. I hope that Horne has enough power to subdue him a little earlier, but it is a gamble. Horne has to be in charge in the ring, and that means not wasting any energy while he is doing that. A win for him is a sign that he is back, and it will firmly entrench him in the top of the lightweight division. A loss and it is back to the drawing board and back to regaining some of the confidence that I have worked so hard to get back. Hardway is the favorite at 8/13, while the odds on Horne are 11/8.



All of them have their work cut out for them. There is going to be a big financial shift one way or the other for me.