European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 11, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Friday january 1.1, 1991 the stars and stripes Pago 25commentarymercer s Ray of Hope who title Ray Mercer never Laid Down his arms after All. Of sure Mercer quit firing his machine gun when he left the army in january 1989. Yet Here it is two years later and merciless Ray is still on scarch and destroy missions Flis muscular arms have pounded the civilian world to the tune of-11 knockouts. He s 16-0 As a pro boxing heavyweight. Now All he has to do is stay unbeaten against a Guy. Named Francesco Damiani tonight. If Mercer docs that he takes the italians world boxing organization championship. Quot of so reporters and ight fans like to Call the who world body odor. You do have to wonder about a governing body that ignores Evarther Giloly Field at the top. Still its a title. And Mercer wants it to add to his House full of crowns army Champion of Europe from 1985 to �?T87, olympic Gold medallist in 1988, if intercontinental Champion North american boxing federation Champion. Mercer wants the who Belt badly. Why a this one is going to make me a  Mercer said that from his Taj mahal room before training tuesday. That a the huge hotel Casino in Atlantic City n.j., where the Mercer Damiani match is scheduled for 10 . Est. Its the main event on a card including two other heavyweight bouts Tommy Morrison is James Tillis and Bruce Seldon is. Jose Ribalta the fights Are on  to View television and arts says its not picking up the Mercer bout. Mercer has his Wallet opening this Way a after this who championship i wont step into a Rin for less than a  not that Mercer is a pauper. He says a Victory to. Night would guarantee $150,000. He already drives a $45,000 Bow. The former infantry specialist does no to exactly need the commissary these  but forget the army you done to catapult into boxing a while stationed in Baum older Germany and forget. That s one hard Core army Community. Mercer remembers. He says he wants to put on  for troops in Germany. For tonight a clash. Mercer did the bulk of his training at fort Hua Chuca Ariz. Where he sweated for All army and olympic glory. He worked off 20 pounds in the desert to  weight of about 220. A a that a what got us Here a Mercer said of the army facility. A a in a dedicating this fight to All the soldiers in saudi. Ray Mercer its for All of them a their wives and kids too. This fights for them.�?�. Mercer admits to jitters lie survived a bloody Battle with Bert Cooper in August and Hasni to fought since winning that unanimous decision. Hell be 30 in april its amazing How this native of Jacksonville fla., has risen to title Contention after starting to Box at the late age of 22. Amazing or not he must keep winning. Time Isnit on his Side. A loss could cripple his career. He does no to talk about losing. A a in la Knock his ass out. Inside of five. In a not Gonna respect his Power at All a he said. Damiani sounded just As cocky upon Landing in the United states last month lies 27-0with 23 Kos including a fifth Rounder Over Tyroll Biggs in 1987. He said americans better quit underestimating him. Answered Mercer a a in a getting underrated too. He can to say he a Gonna do a number on me. He Hasni to seen me. To inc. He does t punch hard so i be walking through that shit like in the old Days Quot he has studied reels of Damiani film As provided by Marc . Mcreery manager in Newark. Mercer also has had arts intelligence in the form of David Bey another sex Usa eur fighter. Hey boxed for Neu Ulm in the late 1970s. I in landed a title shot against Larry Holmes in 1985. Lie went on to spar Damiani and now hit with Mercer. Bev informed Mercer about Damianis hand Speed which compensates for the italians Lack of Power. Problem a i think i m faster than he is a said Mercer. Hank Johnson agrees. He should. Johnson is Mercer s Trainer and he s planning on a Quick night in the Corner oui Eker than live rounds. Johnson said of Damiani a the Hasni to been in there with no fighters if Mercer hits hint hell test his heart and  this is More army intelligence. Johnson is a retired sergeant first class l ies an old combat medic who sees everything. Like How Damiani wears his trunks a High up around his heart so every time you hit him its a Low  Johnson complained to boxing officials who might Force the italian to pull his pants Down a a a a a a a a a. A. Quot then Johnson promised Quot we re Gonna go to his  fast. Exactly How Johnson Hopes his old service moves against the iraqis. A do like us in the ring a said Johnson. A hit Mem hard fast and get out of  from comrades to comrades. In arms. A 1 a a the Star and strip a a a a a. A a. Dent bears aim to sack new York Lake Forest 111. A Richard Dent is waiting for a big game in the playoffs like the one he had in the 1986 super bowl. A we can smell the roses a the defensive end . A now All we have to do is pick  the next step in the nil playoffs is defeating the new York giants sunday in the Meadowlands. A both teams play pretty Good defense a said Dent who was voted the most valuable player in the 1986 super bowl when the bears Defeated the new England patriots 46-10. A to win super bowls and championships you have to get the turnovers. We re both 1-2. The team that plans the Best defense will win the  the giants were plus-20 to Lead the pfc in takeaways and giveaways. The bears were a step behind at plus-19. Does it matter that Quot Jeff Hostetler will be the giants quarterback instead of injured Phil Simms a. A it does no to make any difference a said Dent. A these Are the playoffs  he said the big thing the bears have to do defensively is shut Down running backs Attis Anderson and Rodney Hampton on burst Downs. A the key is to keep them from getting he six and seven Yards on first Down plays. Dent said. A they like to Pound the Ball at you. Also if we slow Down their special teams i like our  Dent Isnit discounting new Yorkus passing game although Hostetler will be making Only his sixth career Start and first m the  he s a backup quarterback and if you a a t to him right away and let him know it s Usa eur madmen head for All army Chicago defensive end Richard Dent a. A no Way to turn around not going to be an easy game it is not going to be a Dent Saida i feel Good about our situation. We re one of eight teams still playing. Next week we could be one of four. In a looking Forward to  although the bears were 11-5 in the regular season they did not defeat a team with a winning record. They lost to the los Angeles raiders Washington and Kansas City. Now they face a team that stands 13-3.a people say those things a Dent said. A what counts is the bears show up. This is a do or die situation. My philosophy is there s no Way to turn  in 1988, Dent was off to. His Best season but he fractured his left leg in the third Quarter of the 13th game against Green Bay and was out for the. Season. He missed the Pla Volf Victory Over i Hila Delphia and the loss to san Francisco. He set a Bear record with 17.5 sacks in 1985 and led the team again this year with 12 sacks for losses of 101 Yards. Wrestling seven Usa eur wrestlers have been selected for the Allamy tryout Camp at fort Benning ga., which starts sunday and continues through March 16. Four of the Usa eur selectee wrestle out of Baum older. They include Bart Mease at 105.5 pounds Fred Cannan 136.5 Zachary Harris 163 and Brian Papenfuss 198, Harris is assigned to Pitburg a but competes at Baum older. Also selected were John Shelley of Mainz 136.5 James Connor of Fulda 153 and Patrick Amos of Mannheim 180. Those selected from the All army Camp will compete in the armed forces championships March 17-23 at fort Benning and those that qualify from that meet Advance to the National championships at University Park pa., april 1214. A. A Quot basketball Pir Masens will hold its Martin Luther King invitational tournament Jan. 18-21, featuring Baum older and seven other Community level teams from the area. Besides the double elimination tourney there will be slam Dunk and 3-Point shooting contests with $5 entry fees. For More information Call 495-6166/6281. A  invitational is scheduled for feb. 12-17, with a 12-team Fiel local Roundup planned for the double elimination tournament. Deadline for registration is feb. 6, with a $95 team entry fee. Entries can be mailed to pm wry Usma Worms Apo 09058-3879. Call Worms sports director Morise Conerly at 383-7482 for More information. Skiing aft re Garmisch a race schedule for 1991 opens next weekend with the first two races in the arc cup series. A giant slalom is scheduled for Jan. 19, followed by a slalom Jan. 20. The Garmisch schedule continues with four More cup series races feb 9-10, feb 23 and March 16. Nastar races Are slated for feb. 18 and March 17. The Safe races a Alpine and nordic a will be held at Garmisch on feb. 24-26. Baseball a the German american league is going ahead with plans for u 1991 season but with a realignment forced by the loss of at least two teams a Nurnberg and bad Tolz. Anyone interested in playing or coaching in the a a league can Call Bill Diek Man at 0611-406240. The next meeting of the league will be feb. 10 at 1 . In the Rhein Neckar Gast Stiitt on Theodore cuss anlage in Mannheim. I Berlin breezes in units Sembach a Germany the Berlin bears crushed Neu Brucic 107-47 thursday in the Continental sports conference Small units basketball tournament. Rodney Ramseur led Berlin with 22 Points. Horst Wetjen scored 13 for Neu  s schedule was gutted by three forfeits. Volkl beat  2-0 because of an ineligible player. Hes Swisch Oki Cdoil beat Kline Brogel 2-0 because the loser never showed. Rhein Grafenstein Defeated accent 2-0 alter Ai Gen t used Fout ineligible players