By Dave Sholler

Just when it looked like there was a glimmer of hope that Winky Wright could land a bout with Oscar De La Hoya, the window of opportunity abruptly closed.

As first reported on MaxBoxing.com and BoxingScene.com, representatives from Golden Boy Promotions and Team Wright had informal discussions last week regarding a fall bout between De La Hoya and Wright to be contested at 154-pounds. While no financial terms were agreed upon nor discussed, a source close to the situation labeled the fight “a strong possibility.”

Nearly a week later, Winky Wright (51-4, 25 KOs) is left staring at the drawing board again. After learning De La Hoya’s intentions to fight Miguel Cotto should the Puerto Rican star get by Antonio Margarito on July 26, Wright found himself out in the cold. The 36-year-old southpaw, inactive since a July 2007 loss to Bernard Hopkins, has had little success in finding an opponent and members of the Wright camp are understandably growing restless.

“That’s putting it kindly,” Wright’s senior advisor Damian Ramirez said in an email response asking whether Team Wright was frustrated by the setbacks.

It remains to be seen what lies ahead for Wright. There is some interest in fighting Arthur Abraham should he get by Edison Miranda this weekend, but financial constraints could play a factor. With his first two choices off the market – Floyd Mayweather retired, De La Hoya has turned to Cotto – Wright will undoubtedly step up his efforts to land a bout with Kelly Pavlik. While securing a bout with the middleweight champion would be difficult, Wright would arguably be Pavlik’s toughest test to date. A slick, defensive-oriented counterpuncher, Wright could pose great problems for the Youngstown, OH native.

Should Wright choose to fight at 154-pounds, there are some possibilities. The Dan Birmingham-trained fighter could press for a bout with newly-crowned champion Sergio Mora. Mora’s contractual rematch obligation to Vernon Forrest – one of Wright’s best friends – could serve as the biggest roadblock. Rising super welterweight contender James Kirkland (22-0, 19 KOs), also rumored to be a potential foe for Wright, probably lacks the drawing power to draw Winky’s interest, but remains a distant option.