By Mark Vester
Winky Wright skipped out on the post-fight press conference, but had plenty to say in a recent interview with the Tampa Tribune .
Last Saturday in Las Vegas, Wright (51-4) was on the losing end of a unanimous decision to Bernard Hopkins (48-4), his first defeat in over seven years. Wright, who prior to the fight said Hopkins was a dirty fighter, says he was proven right by the tactics Hopkins used during their fight.
Wright suffered a nasty cut above his left eye after a clash of heads in the third round. He says Hopkins used his head often, hit him with low blows and held often. He received twelve stitches for the cut and bruises that he claims were a direct result of Hopkins' using his head. He doesn't place all the blame on Hopkins, he felt referee Robert Byrd let Hopkins do whatever he pleased in the ring.
"This whole thing was ridiculous," Wright said. "I told you for months Bernard Hopkins was a dirty fighter. I told you what he was going to do. Did I lie?"
"He [Byrd] didn't want to take away a point and become a part of the fight, but by not doing anything while he sees this man head-butting me all the time, he became a part of the fight," Wright said. "There is a reason boxing has rules, and a referee is supposed to enforce them. He didn't do that and Bernard was allowed to do whatever he wanted to do, whether it was head-butting or hitting me low. I couldn't get my jab off because he kept rushing in with his head. If I threw it, he still kept running in with his head."
Wright said the fight with Hopkins is his first and last bout at 170-pounds or higher. He told the paper that he only went up in weight to prove that he was not afraid to fight the best, and plans to move back to the middleweight limit of 160-pounds. He felt that he did enough to win and there was no way Hopkins won enough rounds to win by scores of 117-111, 117-111 and 116-112.
"There were definitely some close rounds, but 117-111 is ridiculous. I definitely thought I won the fight. There is no way he won that many rounds," Wright said. "The only thing Bernard did was throw some punches and then hold me."
"He was much better than I thought he was, but he knew I was there to fight and I was not a joke. The fans who watched the fight know I won, and that is what's most important to me."
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