European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 22, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Friday november 22, 1991 the stars and stripes b Page 25 Holyfield rebuts sham7 a up Bert Cooper left and evander Holyfield Square off against their critics wednesday. Atlanta apr evander Holyfield and Bert Cooper sought wednesday to legitimize their saturday fight in Wake of criticism a from sports writers fans and most recently Mike Tyson a that the match is a Sham. A i was going to fight him but he went and pulled out a Holyfield retorted when asked about Tyson a ridicule. Tyson and promoter Don King in Atlanta on tuesday to help a local feed the hungry program charged that the heavyweight Champion was pulling a fast one on the Public by facing an a ranked Boxer. A this kind of stuff is no Good for boxing a King said. A they got razor Ruddock Lennox Lewis George Foreman. You got All those other Guys ranked and he a not fighting  Tyson the former heavyweight Champion missed a Chance to reclaim his title from Holyfield because of injured ribs. Holyfield a next opponent italian Boxer Francesco Damiani withdrew sunday after twisting his ankle during practice last thursday. Cooper had previously asked to fight Holyfield in november so Holyfield scheduled him. The International boxing federation and world boxing association on tuesday sanctioned the fight. Holyfield will earn about $6 million and Cooper $750,000. A we did no task Damiani to pull out. We got the first person available Quot Holyfield said at a news conference wednesday. A Ebert Cooper was the Only Man that stepped up to take the Opportunity. In life if you re Ever going to be the Best you have to step up to the plate and take the Opportunity.�?�. Holyfield promoter Dan Duva said the fight is legitimate because Cooper is considered the worlds no. 11 Boxer. And Cooper will move up when new rankings come out because last month he knocked out no. 9 Joe Hipp Duva added. A regardless of his rank i Call Bert Cooper a desperate Man and a desperate Man is a dangerous Man a Duva said. A Wevander Holyfield has everything to lose and nothing to gain. Damiani might take 12 rounds but he a not going to Hurt you. Bert Cooper will take you out with one  Cooper promoter Rick Parker insisted the new rankings will rate his Boxer no. 9. A a in a a Little bit appalled that people say this is some kind of Sham or put on a Parker said. A King should relax because i am going to do everything to persuade Bert to fight Tyson after he gets done with evander  Cooper 26-7 Wasny tas verbose. A a in la do All my talking after the fight a was his Only comment during the news conference. But later he said news of the fight excited him so Januch a i started sweating. It was a  Parker predicted the fight will go five or six rounds until Holyfield so Lego causes him to stand in the Middle of the ring and punch Bert and Bert Cooper Willko evander  Holyfield said he would have taken a big risk by not fighting Cooper. A if 1 done to fight i done to get any better a he said. A i wont let one fighter dictate my  still in a fight that seems Little More than an exhibition before the Hometown fans Holyfield has Little to gain outside his $6 million payday. A if he knocks him out in four rounds they say he fought a bum a Duva said. A if this Guy makes evander look bad they ask what  so overwhelming a favorite is Holyfield that Only one Las vegas sports Book even bothered posting Odds on the fight with Holyfield a 22-1 pick. A i believe every heavyweight championship should have Odds on it no matter How marginal it is a said Jimmy Vaccaro manager of the sports Book at the  a a a Tyson trots in turkeys by the new York times Atlanta a evander Holyfield s Hometown was the first Stop wednesday of a Turkey Giveaway sponsored by Mike Tyson the former heavyweight Champion and his promoter Don King. Tyson and King handed out 2,500 turkeys at various locations Here As part of a Multi City Campaign during which they intend to donate 25,000 turkeys to families in need Between now and Christmas. King discounted suspicions that he had made Atlanta the starting Point of the Turkey tour in order to upstage the local hero who defends his title saturday night at the Omni against Bert Cooper. King said that he had come Here to resuscitate a suddenly under financed program to feed the poor on thanksgiving a program that is run by Hoscan Williams a Dekalb county politician. But in the midst of preaching self Reliance to Black audiences at a Day care Center a Grade school and at Williams a storefront operation King took the occasion to badmouth Holyfield a match against Cooper. A a it a a disgrace and dishonourable a said King of the fight. A a he a tainted and corrupted the title. He a bringing trash to his House. You re supposed to take trash out of your  at a news conference wednesday for the Holyfield Coo pc bout Duva took exception to Kings remarks. �?o1 believe its truly despicable for King and Tyson to come Here to Atlanta for the purpose of exploiting a truly worthwhile cause for their own Sleazy  Cooper is a replacement for Francesco Damiani who was in turn taking Tyson a place. Over the weekend Damiani pulled out of he match with Holyfield after sustaining an ankle  Force wings to military soccer Crown compiled by Walt Morrissette staff writer the air Force won its second straight armed forces soccer championship at Al Cajon calif., monday. Afterwards four Usa eur and one Safe player were chosen for the armed forces squad that will compete in the . Soccer federation select cup tournament at Tampa fla., nov. 28-dec. 1. Representing Safe is Ian Eccles of Ben Waters. The Usa eur reps Are Matthew Buehler of Darmstadt Kirk Foster and Jeffery Mcneal of Hanau and Milton Tucker of Kirch Gons. Air Force won the title with a 4-1-1 record the marines took second at 3-2-1, while Navy and army both finished 1-3-2. Navy took third because it beat army. Rugby a the 3rd army div team will compete against scottish and English teams in a 10-Day trip to Britain which begins saturday. Highlight of the tour will be the semiannual match against the Royal British staff officers school at Camberley England. The 3rd army Ruggers play in two leagues concurrently. They have a 5-1 record in the . Forces Europe Rugby Union and a 4-2 Mark in the German Hessen league. Racquetball a Wiesbaden air base hosts a thanksgiving double elimination tournament nov. 29-dec. 1. Its open to All . Card holders and the entry fee is $15. The first 100 players to enter will get local sports to shirts. Awards will be Given to first and second place in each division. Sign up deadline is noon monday. A Giessen a Miller Hall and Rivers gyms arc the Sites of a tournament dec. 14-15. Registration will Cost $20 and takes place 8-10 . On dec. 14. The tournament starts at 11 . First through fourth place awards will be Given in each division which includes menus open seniors masters and women a open. For information Call ets 343-6339. Basketball a a women a basketball tournament will be held nov. 29-dec. 1 at the Wiesbaden air base amp Camp Pieri physical fitness centers sign up deadline is noon monday. The event is open to All .-card holders and team entry is $90. Awards will be presented to the top three team finishers along with individual awards for top two teams. For More information Call ets 337-5943. Swimming a three european forces swim league racers earned spots on the . High school academic All american teams. The swimmers were Jeff Hill a 1991 graduate at Kaiserslautern Don Mertin a 1991 Grad at Ramstein and Amy pick Rill currently a Junior at Ramstein. Hill was the most valuable Wimmer at of sly a championship meet and was Captain of the Kaiserslautern Kingfish team which won the Fesl title last year. Mertin placed in the top six in the Fesl championships in the freestyle and Butterfly events in 1991. Pick Rill is a returning co Captain of the Kingfish who won 1991 medals in the individual Medley and the Butterfly. She also helped the Kingfish to a second place finish in the Medley and freestyle relays. To earn a spot on the All american team each swimmer had to have a Grade Point average of higher than 3.75. Mertin had a 4.09 spa pickerill had a 3.91 spa and Hill had 3.8. Football the 1991 Usa eur youth services football Competition has been completed with the Mainz Mustangs winning the final championship of the season. The Mustangs downed the hosting Karlsruhe bulldogs 12-0 last weekend to claim the Junior 13-15 years title. The two Mainz touchdowns came less than a minute apart Midway through the second half. Quarterback Nick Samora connected with George Queen on a 31-Yard scoring pass with 32 seconds left in the third Quarter. Tony Slater set up that to with an interception. With just 22 seconds elapsed in the final period Jason Gustafason recovered a bulldog Fumble and rambled 13 Yards to pay dirt for the other Mainz score