Boxing

 

WINKY WRIGHT, INTERNATIONAL MAN OF MISERY! TWO-TIME WORLD CHAMPION HAS DEFEATED 43 MEN IN EIGHT DIFFERENT COUNTRIES

26.08 - A winning percentage in excess of 93% and a victory by knockout ratio of over 58%! Not to mention two world junior middleweight championship reigns. How many world champions can boast that kind of record, especially when you consider that 41% of these fights took place on foreign soil?!!

The IBF jr. middleweight champion can.

His name?

WRIGHT. WINKY WRIGHT, International Man of Misery (to his opponents!)

"YEAH BABY! YEAH!"

Wright, 43-3 (25 KOs), defends his title against No. 1 contender and mandatory challenger, Bronco McKart, 45-3 (29 KOs), September 7, on HBO (10 PM ET / 7 PM PT). The fight is the opening bout of an HBO "World Championship Boxing" doubleheader which will also feature the Roy Jones, Jr. - Clinton Woods world light-heavyweight championship. The broadcast will emanate from the Rose Garden in Portland, Ore.

When Wright leaves for a fight, it's not unusual for him to pack his passport along with his Federal ID, since he has fought professionally in eight different countries on four different continents. Luxembourg, Monaco, Germany, England, France, South Africa, Argentina and the U.S.

"I've got the strongest Mojo in boxing baby!" said Wright from his hometown training camp in St. Petersburg, FL. "I have to laugh when I hear another fighter complain about traveling to a fight or fighting in an opponent's backyard. I'll go anywhere for a good fight. That's why ‘Danger' is my middle name," continued Wright, tongue planted firmly in cheek.

Wright captured his first world title back in 1996, when he traveled to Monroe, MI to challenge hometown hero McKart for his WBO jr. middleweight title.

"By that point, I had been a pro fighter for six years with 35 bouts under by belt," said Wright. "I had fought hometown favorites in France, Monaco, Argentina and throughout the U.S. Going to Michigan to fight McKart was nothing more than a school field trip in terms of the impact the site had on me. But I knew I had to be perfect to leave town with Bronco's title. And I was."

Wright defeated McKart, dethroning the WBO titleist via a 12-round split decision.

Wright then traveled to England where he successfully defended his title in successive bouts against fellow Brits, Ensley Bingham, in 1996, and Steve Foster and Adrian Dodson in 1997.

"I knew why the fights were staged in England, and who everyone wanted to win," reflected Wright. "So I did what I had to do. I pitched a shutout against Bingham and stopped the other two cold. It works every time!"

Wright won a unanimous decision over Bingham, with the judges scoring it 120-109, 119-109 and 119-109. Foster and Dodson were both stopped in the sixth round.

Wright lost his title via a disputed majority decision to South African Harry Simon in 1998. The fight, which took place in South Africa, was at first announced a draw, but after an "error" was found in the addition of one of the scorecards, the decision was changed to Simon's favor.

Wright returned to the U.S., and after a tune-up, stepped into the ring against reigning or former world champions in three successive fights.

First was then-undefeated IBF jr. middleweight champion Fernando Vargas, at the end of 1999. A clear winner in the eyes of the media and spectators alike, Wright lost a controversial majority decision, despite the fact he had Vargas backing up the entire fight. Wright followed that effort with 12-round unanimous decisions over former world champions McKart and Keith Mullings in 2000.

Wright captured the IBF title last year, a title Felix Trinidad vacated rather than face Wright, by winning a unanimous decision over Robert Frazier. Wright successfully defended the title in February, knocking out Jason Papillion in the fifth round.

So will Wright travel anywhere to fight the winner of next month's Oscar De La Hoya - Fernando Vargas WBC-WBA super welterweight championship, giving the unified champion his first-ever undisputed title?

"Isn't that what being an International Man of Misery is all about?" replied Wright.

YEAH BABY! YEAH!!!


Exclusive Interview With Ronald "Winky" Wright

By Ed Ludwig

13.08 - Today I had the pleasure of speaking with IBF Jr. Middleweight Champion, Winky Wright. On September 7th Wright (43-3 25 KO's) will defend his championship against Bronco McKart (45-3 29 KO's) in what will be their third meeting. There is a lot on the line for both boxers as Wright could be on the verge of a mega showdown with either Oscar De La Hoya or Fernando Vargas. For McKart he can capture the IBF title and avenge two previous defeats to Wright. This bout will be held at the Rose Garden in Portland, Oregon. It will be broadcast on HBO. I would like to thank the champion for taking the time from his busy schedule to speak with East Side Boxing.

Ed Ludwig: How is training camp going as you prepare for your third bout with Bronco McKart?

Winky Wright: It's going very well. I'm doing a lot of sparring, working on different things and I am good to go.

EL: Are you training any differently this time around then you did for the first two meetings?

WR: Not really. I can't do much different. I am not sure what Bronco is going to do but I am prepared to box or slug.

EL: Would you have rather faced Alex Bunema instead of Bronco McKart?

WR: No, I wanted the winner and Bronco won the fight. He won and he deserves the opportunity. From a business standpoint they should have put him behind De La Hoya or Vargas as I have already fought him twice.

EL: With the constant delays in putting this card together has it been frustrating for you?

WR: Yeah, it's been very frustrating. You work hard to prepare for a fight then it gets called off.

EL: Should you defeat Bronco McKart what will be next for you?

WR: Well I hope to get Oscar De La Hoya or Fernando Vargas. Both have said they want to fight me. I want to unify the division and I want everyone to know the name, Winky Wright.

EL: I felt that you were robbed against Fernando Vargas. I had you winning by three points. Working as hard as you did for that fight and losing a controversial decision what went through your mind afterwards?

WR: It was like no matter what you do it was a no win situation. You need the right connections. To be a true champion you have to overcome this. I had no big promoter or television network giving me that push. I don't know what fight the judges were watching. I blocked most of Vargas' punches. He said he beat me on his worst night. I have earned the respect and I can't get that Super Fight because nobody wants to fight me. Vargas knows I won that fight. Lets do it again. I only watched the tape once. I'm ready now.

EL: Vargas has been calling you out in recent months, why was there no offer of an immediate rematch?

WR: He wanted Felix Trinidad and after he got knocked out he wanted a rematch with him. Vargas knows the time is getting close and he wants no part of me.

EL: If you were not the IBF champion do you believe Vargas would want to square off with you for a second time?

WR: No, I know Vargas wouldn't want to square off with me, period! I do give him credit though. I really hope to get the winner. They have 2/3 of the title and I have the other 1/3. Lets unify.

EL: Who was your toughest opponent?

WR: I can't really say. All of them were good fighters at the certain points of my career. I could not pick one that stands out.

EL: Do you worry about being over confident as the McKart fight is drawing closer?

WR: Definitely not. It's boxing, one punch and anything can happen. I can't take anything away from Bronco as he has worked hard to get to where he is. I admit though that it is hard to get up for the same fight again. I will be ready.

EL: What are your thoughts on the constant bickering between Roy Jones Jr. and Bernard Hopkins?

WR: Since Roy offered Bernard six million plus, they should fight. You don't turn that kind of money down. Bernard won't make that kind of money against anyone else. If I got offered that I would fight De La Hoya and Vargas in the same night.

EL: Do you think a rematch between the two will ever happen?

WR: I hope so. The fans want to see it and so do I. Bernard needs Roy. Roy does not need Bernard. Roy has a contract and Bernard doesn't. With Felix Trinidad out of the picture this fight would make sense.

EL: In the current issue of Ring Magazine they have you ranked # 19 out of the top 100 boxers in the world. What does that kind of recognition mean to you?

WR: It's great, very cool with me. To be amongst the 100 best, it is an honour for me. I want to be known for fighting and beating the best. I went all over the world and fought everyone they put in front of me and ducked nobody.

EL: Of the young up and coming Jr. Middleweights is there anyone who catches your eye who could make a big impact in the division down the road?

WR: To tell you the truth I don't watch much boxing unless it's a super fight. I am around it everyday so I don't follow it too closely.

EL: You are a world champion, what would you like to achieve that would make people remember the name Winky Wright for years to come?

WR: I would love to fight the best fighters in my division even if I have to move up. I want my kids to tell their friends "daddy beat that guy and that guy". I want the chance to prove that I can be the best. In basketball a team can lose twenty games in a season and win the championship. In boxing you lose one fight and it could be a career killer. In the old days when Hagler, Hearns, Leonard and Duran all fought each other nothing was made of their losses. Today they are legends. When you win everyone forgets about the losses. The media makes so much out of it when a boxer loses. I want to finish off my career on top.

EL: On the East Side Boxing message board there was a comment left by a reader and his comment was "Winky Wright is like Vernon Forrest, in the fact that he just wins and doesn't worry about the KO." Is that how you approach each fight?

WR: That is exactly how I approach each fight. Boxing is about winning. Lot of people are looking for the big knock out and that is the style here. In Europe they like a good distance fight as much as a quick knock out. I get paid the least amount of money to put on a great show. I can't do this forever.

EL: The same reader also said "Bronco McKart is not out of Winky Wright's league". Do you agree with him?

WR: I wouldn't say that either. We are both good fighters and good thinkers in the ring but I feel I am better than him.

EL: Is it more difficult for two southpaws to fight each other than two orthodox fighters going against each other?

WR: I would say it's more awkward for two southpaws because we fight orthodox fighters all the time and we are used to it.

EL: Is there anything that you would like to say to your fans that are reading this?

WR: Yes, I want to say thank you to all the fans for the support and I hope they keep supporting me. Fans make boxing and I am grateful to them. I love the cheers, I will fight hard and I will make it happen for them. The fans must make it known what they want. They have a voice. Thank you all.

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