By Jake Donovan

It's already upon us. A mere 19 days into the boxing year, the most dedicated fans in the world are already being asked to hit their pockets, as faded legends Felix "Tito" Trinidad and Roy Jones throw down in the year's first PPV card (Saturday, 9PM ET, HBO PPV, live from Madison Square Garden).

By now, you've already been subjected to (if not completely overwhelmed with) the enormous amount of nostalgia and pre-fight hype that has surrounded this event. A dozen or so major cities in the United States and Puerto Rico were tapped to play host to the never-ending press tour. We've seen and heard the endless loops accentuating the lengthy list of achievements between two fighters guaranteed a spot in the International Hall of Fame in their first year of eligibility (of course, they'd actually have to retire, or at least remain inactive, for five years in order for that to happen, but that's for another day).

All of the elements that can normally be found in building up a successful pay-per-view have been on full display over the past few months; all except something worth a damn being at stake for the main event.

Boxing fans have always been asked to bend over and take it –it's one of the few enterprises where the only way one side can make money is if someone else loses money. But once upon a time, fans were at least privy to a jar of Vaseline prior to taking their voluntary rogering.

No need to take you way back. Just 10-15 years ago, where the standard to which all PPV events are, or should still, be held was initially set. It was the period when former undisputed heavyweight champion Mike Tyson was incarcerated, and boxing, especially Don King, scrambled to create a star or two to fill the void.

The solution: empty the vault, and load up pay-per-view shows with multiple title fights.

Think what you want of the alphabet bodies today, but once upon a time, shows came with the tagline "four world title bouts" and everyone bought into it. The most common formula had Julio Cesar Chavez at the top. This was when the legendary Mexican reigned as not just the world's greatest super lightweight, but also the sport's best pound-for-pound fighter. 100-0 was still a possibility. And anytime he headlined a PPV event, there were no fewer than two worthy title fights serving as chief supports.

It was on that very circuit where Trinidad (42-2, 35KO) first cut his teeth as a major welterweight player. His first alphabet title came in a co-feature slot for a Showtime card headlined by Terry Norris, with his first two defenses also serving as Showtime features. But it was his 12-round domination of Hector Camacho that caught the boxing world's attention. The bout served as a televised preliminary to what would be the first loss in Chavez' career – a shocking 12-round split decision to Frankie Randall in the headlining act of a January 1994 PPV card that also featured newly crowned super welterweight titlist Simon Brown and legendary Tommy Hearns in separate bouts.

Four months later, Chavez and Randall would have a return go, serving as the main event of what many regard as the greatest PPV event of all time, at least on paper. "Revenge: The Rematches" featured four title fights, all of which could've served as its own PPV – or at least Showtime – headliner.

It was on that show where we saw Terry Norris regain his claim atop the super welterweight division with a shutout over Simon Brown, who scored an upset knockout five months prior. We also saw Gerald McClellan score his third straight 1 st round knockout in as many middleweight title defenses, this against Julian Jackson, from whom McClellan won his crown in 2003's Knockout of the Year.

The opening act was Jesse James Leija's revenge win over the legendary Azumah Nelson, eight months after being held to a disputed draw on a night where an even more famous draw verdict would be registered, in the main event between Chavez and Pernell Whitaker, the duo considered the best two fighters in the world, pound-for-pound, heading into the fight.

Not one to rest on his laurels, Don King followed up "Revenge: the Rematches" with another blockbuster PPV show just four months later. "Unfinished Business" had Chavez squaring off against Meldrick Taylor in a rematch to their unforgettable March 1990 classic, when Chavez overcame a huge deficit on the cards to score a last second knockout to unify 2/3 of the super lightweight division, preserving his undefeated record in the process.

The rematch was at least four years too late, but King atoned for that oversight by loading up the undercard. Frankie Randall, the victim of a questionable decision in the Chavez rematch, was given a crack at a separate super lightweight title, repeatedly knocking down Juan Coggi en route to a wide unanimous decision. That a four knockdown bout be considered the weakest of the four televised bouts offered speaks volumes of the entertainment value one would get out of the card.

Two Fight of the Year contenders appeared in preliminary slots. Gabe Ruelas and Jesse James Leija traded knockdowns and fouls before Ruelas emerged via unanimous decision in the PPV's curtain-raiser. About 30 minutes later, Trinidad went from fighter on the rise to an instant star, climbing off of the canvas to nearly decapitate then-undefeated Yori Boy Campas inside of four rounds.

It wasn't just King loading up PPV shows. Once upon a time, Roy Jones (51-4, 38KO) and Oscar de la Hoya were able to co-exist in the Top Rank stable, often found in the supporting role of each other's shows, PPV or otherwise.

When de la Hoya wasn't available, Arum would find other ways to reinvent the wheel, like showcasing the Ruelas brothers, Gabe and Rafael, in separate title bouts, the first brother act to do so on the same card. On the same card, Kostya Tszyu would make a splash in sending Jake Rodriguez to the canvas early and often en route to a 6 th round stoppage and his first alphabet title.

But to steal a quote from The Wire, the thing about the old days… is they're the old days.

Taking a trip down memory lane is only applicable when discussing the lofty credentials 35-year old Trinidad and soon-to-be 39-year-old Jones bring into the ring. There's no longer a need to load up PPV's. Who cares about the undercard when two name fighters appear in the main-go? That's what most promoters seem to believe these days, and according to HBO's self-congratulatory press releases, fans are still willing to buy and in record numbers.

With that formula in mind, we are only to recall that Jones is (advertised as) an eight-time world champion in four separate weight classes, and only the second fighter in boxing history to win portions of the middleweight, light heavyweight and heavyweight crown, with he and Bobby Fitzsimmons also the only two former heavyweights to successfully drop back down and win (or in Jones' case, regain) the light heavyweight title.

It's of no relevance, or so the promotion suggests, that Jones doesn't boast a notable win in over four years, the very same night he recaptured his light heavyweight title with his gut-check majority decision over Antonio Tarver. Nor should we be concerned with the 32-month period Jones went without a win, a stretch that included back-to-back knockout losses to Tarver and Glen Johnson, or his just-happy-to-be-upright points loss to Tarver in their October 2005 rubber match.

All we need to know about Trinidad is that he is (advertised as) a five-time world champ in three separate weight classes, boasting an eye-popping record of 20-1 (16KO) in bouts billed as world title fights. At the height of his popularity came a stretch of notable wins over four former Olympians, including three Gold Medalists, in less than a two-year span.

The lopsided knockout loss to Bernard Hopkins is as irrelevant to the promotion as is his last fight, a virtual shutout at the hands of Winky Wright, who couldn't miss all night with his jab in a fight where Trinidad couldn't hit his opponent in the ass with a bag of sand. And who really cares that Trinidad's last win came more than three years ago.

No, all that really matters is that it's Trinidad and Madison Square Garden, reunited for the sixth time in just over ten years. No Garden party comes with more electricity than a Trinidad main event, where boricuas and Nuyoricans can be found packed to the rafters and beyond. The world's most famous arena was certainly rocking the first time Tito unretired, when he stopped Ricardo Mayorga in an eight round war that somehow turned the trick of being one-sided and competitive all at once.

It is this memory that Jones will be facing, not the 35-year old badly faded former great who hasn't fought in 32-months, hasn't won in more than three years, and is fighting at a catchweight of 170 lb, ten more than he's ever weighed for a prize fight. And it is the eight-time world champion "Superman" version of Jones we are asked to believe still exists if Trinidad is somehow able to pull off the upset.

What's at stake? You can barely argue bragging rights, at least if you're among either fighter's rabid fan base. Jones fans can certainly find value in Trinidad catching an ass-whipping, if only to atone for years of putting up with years of insults from the disillusioned legion of supporters for Puerto Rico's most famous, if not best, fighter of all-time. A Trinidad win would put the final nail in the coffin of Jones' career, giving Tito-ites one last ray of hope that any more blood could be squeezed out of his career.

No titles, despite the fight being scheduled for the championship length of twelve rounds or less. No guarantee that the winner gets a shot at a major player at 168 or 175. The loser doesn't run the risk of not gaining entry into the Hall of Fame, nor does the winner watch his historical ranking improve any.

No, January 19 is only about a 39-year old fighter on a modest two-fight winning streak after having lost three straight, challenging a 35-year old with two separate retirements serving as bookends for his one lone win in over five years.

And that, in 2008, is enough to demand your $50.

WHAT ELSE TO EXPECT FOR YOUR FITTY SPOT

Revenge: The Rematches, it is not. It's barely Revenge of the Nerds, as very little value is to be found on or off of the televised portion of the show.

The most significant bout of the evening comes in the PPV opener, when rising welterweight prospect Devon Alexander (13-0, 8KO) takes a step up in class as he challenges faded former super lightweight titlist DeMarcus "Chop Chop" Corley (31-7-1, 17KO) in a scheduled ten-round affair.

Aside from occasionally getting lost in King's vast stable, it's been a great start to a promising career for the 20-year old St. Louis native. Having turned pro in 2004, Alexander has been brought along well, facing a variety of styles in just 13 fights as a pro. A stablemate of two-division titlist Cory "Next Generation" Spinks and guided by one of the game's best trainers in Kevin Cunningham, Alexander has learned to sit down on his punches as his career progresses. After having gone the distance in five of his first eight bouts, Alexander "The Great" now rides a five-fight knockout streak, his most recent coming last October against previously unbeaten Cory Peterson.

It was after that fight when Team Alexander requested a fight against someone like Corley. Of course, that was before Corley would lose his second straight, an eight-round split decision loss against unheralded Dairo Esales. Still, the showcase should help serve as a springboard for bigger and better things to come for Alexander, who will also be this week's subject in the ongoing "BoxingScene New School Pick of the Week" prospect series.

Everyone knows how much King loves his heavyweights, as evident with the selection of the evening's co-feature. Oft-recycled former heavyweight contender Andrew Golota (40-6-1, 33KO) resurfaces for possibly one last go-round, as the Pole is matched against Mike Mollo (19-1, 17KO), a heavyweight slugger based outside of Chicago.

The two ended their 2007 campaign with knockout wins in back-to-back weekends, Golota stopping Kevin McBride in six rounds last October at Madison Square Garden, and Mollo blasting out Art Binkowski in two rounds one week later on the "Dia de los Diaz" undercard in Hoffman Estates, IL. It was the Binkowski bout that prompted one notable Internet scribe to suggest the pairing of Mollo-Golota as undercard filler for this show. Be careful what you wish for, though I seriously doubt anyone expected the fight would ever serve as a co-feature to a major PPV event.

How Roman Karmazin found his way to a PPV telecast is anyone's guess, but expect to see the LA-based Russian in action, as he takes on Alex Bunema in a 12-round super lightweight attraction. Karmazin is a tough out for any 154 lb. fighter in the world, but this bout is hardly a suitable replacement for the originally scheduled co-feature, which was supposed to be Cory Spinks facing Verno Phillips in a battle of top super welterweights.

COUNTDOWN TO… A FOREGONE CONCLUSION?

Was it me, or was this the first time an HBO Countdown special did NOT desperately try to sell its audience on the possibility of a competitive match emerging this weekend? The general consensus going in is that Jones will either overwhelm Trinidad en route to an early stoppage, or get caught into a monotonous rhythm en route to a drawn out lopsided decision. The Countdown special, which ironically enough debuted on Trindad's 35 th birthday last Thursday, did very little to dispel that notion.

On the positive side, Doug Fischer (MaxBoxing.com) and ESPN's Kieran Mulvaney (also a frequent contributor to BoxingScene.com) did a terrific job of breaking down the fight and each fighter. Both need to be featured more often, as opposed to the usual suspects that have been granted airtime in far too many past Countdown specials. Having BoxingScene's own Michael Katz offer his opinion for an episode or two wouldn't be a bad thing, nor would getting the opinion of Boxing Monthly's Graham Houston, who in my humble opinion is the best writer in the game today, or at leas the best writer not presently among the B-Scene family.

THE PRICE OF THE BRICK JUST WENT UP

Once upon a time, a family of four who couldn't quite afford a luxury car could at least catch a major sporting event without having to forego a bill or two.

That same family of four could drive around New York City in a brand new, fully-loaded Lexus for less than it would cost to purchase for VIP Ringside tickets for this weekend's fight, presently going at $15,000 per. For any floor site, expect to spend at least $1,000, the same amount for the most expensive seat for next month's heavyweight fight between Wladimir Klitschko and Sultan Ibragimov, taking place in the same arena.

OUTSIDE THE ROPES

How bad is the steroid epidemic? Now even singers and actors are being named in steroid investigations. A report released Monday morning alleged music superstars Mary J. Blige, Justin Timberlake, Wyclef Jean and 50 Cent among others have ordered steroids or human growth hormone pills from doctors and pharmacists targeted in an investigation launched by an Albany County DA. I don't know; athletes on juice are one thing. But not sure I can say I honestly give a damn what celebrity takes steroids, be it as a workout supplement, anti-aging effects or what have you. But whatever makes headlines these days, I suppose…

Two episodes into the final season of The Wire, and I can't believe that there are only eight episodes remaining. As has been the case throughout it's 5 ½ year run, the series has yet to produce a single bad, or even half-hearted episode. As noted in a recent issue of Entertainment Weekly, the greatest, and perhaps only, problem the show has is finding enough airtime for its plethora of fascinating characters.

My only beef so far – where the hell is Omar? (I know, I know, he resurfaces next week)…

All due respect to our friends at MaxBoxing.com, but I can only co-sign on ½ of the Super Bowl prediction offered in my man Steve Kim's column Monday morning. It's tough to argue against the Patriots making the Super Bowl, much less winning it en route to a perfect season. But the Packers taking out my beloved Giants in next week's NFC championship? I don't think so. The Cowboys got theirs after twice beating the Giants in the regular season. Expect Big Blue to once again gain revenge, avenging an embarrassing Week 2 loss to Green Bay, and running the road streak to 10 straight wins in the process…

On a related note, how great was it to see Eli Manning step up and hold the line on the same day big brother Peyton and his defending champion Colts fell apart down the stretch in an otherwise very winnable game against the underdog San Diego Chargers…

I know what you're thinking. If two underdogs can win on the road in the divisional round, why can't Trinidad beat Jones in his home away from home this weekend?

I know what I'm thinking: it didn't cost me $50 to pray for the Giants to pull off the upset.

Is that an official prediction on this weekend's fight? You'll have to wait until later this week to find out, assuming Rick solicits staff picks between now and then. Otherwise, wait until next Tuesday for an I-told-you-so response, regardless of the final outcome.

Jake Donovan is a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and the Tennessee Boxing Advisory Board. His column runs every Tuesday on BoxingScene.com.

Please feel free to submit any comments or questions to Jake at JakeNDaBox@gmail.com