TSZYU, TONEY INJURIES KO TWO FIGHTS.

Byline: ROBERT MORALES Boxing

A big date on the calendar for boxing fans - myself included - was Feb. 7.

Two terrific fights were scheduled to be televised, one from Moscow and the other from Las Vegas.

Two injuries later, it's all gone. Kostya Tszyu, who was to defend his world junior welterweight championship against Sharmba Mitchell in Moscow, injured his left shoulder while sparring Jan. 12. An MRI revealed a torn muscle, and he had surgery Jan. 17.

Then last Wednesday, James Toney suffered a torn left Achilles tendon while sparring in Hollywood. He was to fight Jameel McCline in an IBF heavyweight title elimination bout at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.

Toney had surgery Friday.

Tszyu was despondent when talking about his bad luck during a conference call Friday.

He was looking forward to fighting in his native Russia. And it would have been a rematch with someone who has done nothing but run his mouth ever since Tszyu beat him in February 2001. Mitchell had to quit after seven rounds because of an injured left knee.

``To suffer this injury at this time was very disappointing because I had not been active for some time and I was looking forward to the fight with Sharmba Mitchell,'' Tszyu said.

``This was most disappointing when you are in great shape like I was. And now I have to start from scratch again. But I am very strong mentally and physically and I am sure I am going to be better than ever.''

Tszyu, 34, said his timetable for fighting again is six to nine months. Which means it will be anywhere from 18 months to 21 months between fights. He last fought Jan. 19, 2003.

But Tszyu said he wouldn't need a tuneup bout.

``I think we will go ahead and start with Sharmba,'' he said. ``I will be ready to fight anybody.''

Tszyu said he is hopeful that fight still can take place in Moscow.

``I felt great, great support in Russia,'' said Tszyu, who now lives in Australia. ``I know they are still waiting for me up there. I believe I am still going to be facing Sharmba there when I'm ready.''

After their first fight, Mitchell said Tszyu knew he had a bad knee going in, thus employing wrestling tactics that saw both fighters go to the canvas several times.

It seemed as though it was Mitchell who was initiating the roughhouse tactics.

Mitchell also claimed he was winning the fight when he quit. The cards said otherwise. Two scores were 68-64 and 68-65 for Tszyu; the other was 66-66.

As for Toney, he could be back by summer. His publicist, Debbie Caplan, said Sunday the operation went well and that doctors said the tear was clean.

Caplan also said it was positive Toney, 35, had never before suffered a serious injury. The worst was when he had a gruesome cut in a fight against Tim Littles in March 1994, a fight won by Toney on a vicious fourth-round knockout.

``He will be fighting by summer,'' Caplan said. ``Knowing James, you can't keep him still. He will begin working out on his upper body next week.''

--What's happening? It would be nice if Felix ``Tito'' Trinidad Jr. would just call a news conference and announce he is or isn't coming back to the ring.

After another week of speculation, we don't know for certain. Don King, who claims he still is Trinidad's promoter, says Trinidad is coming out of retirement and wants to fight Oscar De La Hoya in a rematch of their September 1999 bout won by Trinidad.

``Please don't ask me anymore about Felix Trinidad,'' said Richard Schaefer, CEO of De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions. ``Oscar has asked me not to make any more comments.''

But Schaefer couldn't help himself.

``King is talking, Tito's father (Felix Sr.) is talking, Tito's attorney is talking,'' he said. ``But the one who would be doing the fighting is not talking.

``On the other hand, Oscar has come out and said he would like to fight Trinidad. Oscar has advised me not to negotiate with anyone or make any more comments until Tito comes out and says he is unretired.''

Trinidad retired after being stopped in the 12th round by Bernard Hopkins on Sept. 29, 2001, in a fight for the world middleweight championship.

--Yes or no? Emanuel Steward was asked Saturday by HBO's Jim Lampley about Lennox Lewis, the WBC heavyweight champion. Will he continue his career and fight a rematch with Vitali Klitschko, or will he retire?

Steward trains Lewis. He was in his corner last June 21 when Klitschko was stopped by Lewis on cuts after six grueling rounds at Staples Center. Klitschko was ahead by two points on all three scorecards, and many considered Lewis lucky to emerge with a victory.

Lewis, 38, has since been pondering his next move. Steward didn't offer much Saturday, other than to say if Lewis does continue his career, it only would be to fight Klitschko again.

``It's the only fight he wants to clean up the situation,'' said Steward, who was a color commentator Saturday for the Arturo Gatti-Gianluca Branco WBC super lightweight title bout won by Gatti.

--Oscar night: The boxing card held Jan. 16 in Hidalgo, Texas, was dubbed ``Oscar Night in Texas.'' That's because the promoter was De La Hoya and his Golden Boy Promotions.

To show you his appeal, a sellout crowd of 6,500 paid to see former two-time world champion Fernando Montiel and bantamweight prospect Daniel Ponce De Leon compete in separate fights (they both won).

That is a great turnout for that card. Plus, it was televised by Telefutura and received a 5.3 rating. De La Hoya was on hand, and he signed autographs at the weigh-in.

De La Hoya will be the next powerful promoter. He's nearly breathing down the necks of King and Bob Arum, as it is.

--Castillo earns another shot: Martin Castillo of Los Angeles via Mexico earned another world-title shot with his dominating 12-round victory over Roger Galicia in a WBA super flyweight title elimination bout Friday.

Castillo is the new No. 1 contender and is in line for a fight with champion Alexander Munoz.

Castillo fought Felix Machado for the IBF junior bantamweight belt March 30, 2002. The bout was stopped after six rounds because of a cut suffered by Castillo from an accidental head butt.

The scorecards were summoned and Machado retained his belt as all three judges had him ahead 58-56.