By Mark Vester
As expected, the idea to stage a battle between WBC/WBO Kelly Pavlik and former three-division champion Felix "Tito" Trinidad, is in jeopardy of being marked off due to a disagreement on the weight. Promoters Bob Arum and Don King have recently held talks with respect to a possible Pavlik-Trinidad showdown for June 7 at New York's Madison Square Garden.
Felix Trinidad Sr., father and manager of Tito, said that he will not allow or advise his son to move down to 160-pounds for a fight with Pavlik. He tells El Nuevo Dia that Pavlik can easily fight at a catch-weight above 160, as shown by his rematch with Jermain Taylor. He says that his son would have a hard time getting down to 160-pounds. Tito's last fight in January, against Roy Jones Jr., was a catch-weight of 170-pounds and Trinidad stuggled to meet the contracted weigh-limit.
"They have mentioned his name to us, but I am more than sure that the 160-pound division is going to be a thing of the past for Tito. I would not advise Tito to do that (move down to 160)," Trinidad Sr. said. "If he wants to fight Tito, it would have to be at another weight."
Promoter Bob Arum, recently told Primera Hora that in order to make the fight, Trinidad would have to agree to the weight-limit of 160-pounds. He says the fight with Taylor at 166-pounds was a one-shot deal per the stipulations of Taylor's rematch clause from the first Pavlik fight. Pavlik is moving back down to defend his titles and aims unify the middleweight division.
If a deal can not be made for Trinidad, Arum would match Pavlik against undefeated middleweight "Irish" John Duddy.
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