19.03.04 – By Frank Lotierzo – GlovedFist@Juno.com – This past December it was reported that three time Champ Felix Trinidad was going to come out of retirement and fight again. He was tentatively scheduled to fight former WBA-WBC Jr. Middleweight Champ Shane Mosley. The only thing that had to happen for the Mosley-Trinidad fight to be realized was Mosley had to beat IBF Jr. Middleweight Champ Winky Wright. As we now know the favored Mosley lost a one sided unanimous decision to Wright, thus killing the hypothetical Mosley-Trinidad match up in all likely hood.
Now with the prospect of a Trinidad fight with Mosley all but gone. Where does Trinidad turn and what obstacles and hurdles does he face in coming back to the ring? I know one thing for certain, Trinidad is not crazy about fighting at 154. I heard him and Wright kidding each other about a possible fight between them at the Hopkins-Joppy triple header card in Atlantic City. I specifically heard Trinidad say to Wright if they were to meet, it would have to be at 160. When Wright heard this, he nodded to Trinidad and then they shook hands and parted.
If I’m managing either Wright or Trinidad, I try and make this fight. It makes total sense for both fighters. First Trinidad. By the time Trinidad finally gets back into the ring, it will be over two years since he last fought. The last thing Trinidad needs is to fight someone who is a good boxer with good legs who uses the ring in his first fight. Who knows if he’ll have his legs when he returns? As much as some would love to see Trinidad-De La Hoya II, it’s a bad match for Tito the first time out. What Tito should look at is fighting a fighter who will for the most part be in front of him. So that also rules out Bernard Hopkins. We’ve already seen that a prime Trinidad had no answers for Hopkins. A rusty one would get taken apart more quickly and decisively in a rematch too soon into his comeback. That leaves two marquee name fighters who would be the perfect fight for Trinidad, Winky Wright and Ricardo Mayorga. However, I’m not sure that Tito and Mayorga can find a catch-weight to appease both of them. Although Mayorga is still a legitimate possibility.
Winky Wright is the fighter Tito should try and face in his comeback fight. That is assuming he can get back in shape close to where he was when he last fought. Wright is the ideal fight for Trinidad. Wright is tall and long and won’t be able to get away or run. He will basically be in front of Trinidad, which is the perfect style fighter for Trinidad to face the first time out. Wright may try and move, but he doesn’t have the mobility of De La Hoya, or Hopkins when he chooses to move laterally. I have no doubt that Tito will be able to cut the ring off against Winky and force him into some major exchanges. No way Wright can survive with Trinidad if he is forced to trade. Wright has a very good chin, but I can’t see him winning a fight where Trinidad is dictating the flow and tempo. On top of that, Winky is not a big puncher and will have life and death trying to keep Trinidad off of him. Something that will benefit Trinidad since he’ll be more apt to getting hit this time around, especially in his first couple of fights.
Another thing that Bodes well for Trinidad is, Wright is a unified Champion. Even if the sanctioning bodies strip him of one of his titles. He was the one who unified the title and has to be regarded as the best at 154. Winning a fight versus an undisputed Champion in his first fight back would bring Trinidad major props. Plus it would give him some negotiating power in a proposed rematch with either Hopkins or De La Hoya down the road. A fight with Wright makes all the sense in the world for Trinidad provided he can get down to 154 without being weak.
As far as Wright, the fight makes all the sense in the World for him as well. First off, Winky is coming off of fighting the most complete and dominant fight he’s ever fought in his career. I doubt his confidence has ever been higher. On top of that, Wright has never been hotter or more respected in his career. Usually it was he was too risky to fight, and the reward wasn’t that great if you did happen to beat him. That is no longer the case. Wright is now in a position where he will never be a bigger commodity in his career. He will definitely get paid if he fights Trinidad in his next fight. No doubt more money than he’s ever made for a single fight.
Wright also has some other things going for him versus Trinidad. Like catching Trinidad at a time when he hasn’t fought or been in shape for over two years. No doubt Tito will be more hittable, less accurate, and have a suspect gas tank in his first fight. It’s also doubtful that Trinidad will have the same balance and timing that he had when he last fought. And lastly, Trinidad is not happy about getting down to 154. It’s very possible that he may be dead at that weight and vulnerable against a fit and confident Wright.
Two years is a long time to be off, especially for fighters below Heavyweight who depend on timing and conditioning more so than Heavyweights. For all anyone knows, Trinidad just might not have it anymore. If Wright ever had a chance to catch Trinidad at the right time and beat him, it’s now. This fight can almost turn out to be a win-win for both, as long as the loser doesn’t get devastated. If Wright loses a decision and doesn’t get KO’d early, he can definitely comeback. If Trinidad lost a close decision, he wouldn’t be dismissed either. This fight makes all the sense in the World for both Winky Wright and Felix Trinidad, they should try and make it happen.