By Mark Vester
The fighters helping Felix "Tito" Trinidad with his training camp for the Jan. 19 clash with Roy Jones Jr., are weak. Trinidad's camp, based in Puerto Rico, has had three unfamiliar faces assisting the former three division champion with his training.
According to El Nuevo Dia , Edgardo Santos, Eliécer González and Julio de la Cruz are the three men helping Tito with his preparations. Santos, who last fought in 2004, has a pro-record as a cruiserweight of 1-4-1. His claim to fame is being the brother of top junior middleweight contender Daniel Santos. For a sense of trivia, his last fight was a knockout loss to unbeaten cruiserweight prospect Francisco Palacios (13-0, 7KOs).
De la Cruz, who also last fought as a pro in 2004, has a record of 15-4 with 14KOs as a middleweight. No word on why De la Cruz has been inactive since 04. His last fight was a ninth-round TKO loss to Aslanbek Kodzoev. The fight was stopped per the advice of the doctor, and De la Cruz was not only up on points at the time of the stoppage, he also floored Kodzoev three times in the bout.
González, with no pro record to speak of, is said to be nothing more than a local gym rat.
A far cry from the tough sparring partners being brought for the training camps of Trinidad's Puerto Rican counterpart, WBA welterweight champion Miguel Cotto.
Aside from the help, Trinidad is said to be in the best shape of his career (according to his father/trainer Felix Trinidad Sr.) and is already near the contract weight of the fight. The bout with Jones takes place at a catch-weight of 170-pounds at New York's Madison Square Garden.
Send News Tips and Comments To Mark Vester @ boxingscene@hotmail.com
