Boxing's dinosaurs can still put on stunning show

Boxing's dinosaurs can still put on stunning show August 15, 2007 By Mark Staniforth PA SportsTicker Boxing Writer First it was Floyd Mayweather Jr. who reversed his own retirement decision before he had even had time to count his winnings from his super-fight against Oscar de la Hoya. Now former three-weight world champion Felix Trinidad has announced his intention to shed the pipe and slippers once more and come out of retirement for the second time. The 34-year-old Trinidad (42-2, 35kos) will face another aging titan in the 38-year-old Roy Jones early next year. Unlike Trinidad, Jones has ignored all previous urging to call it a day. Trinidad first quit in 2002 after a routine win over Hacine Cherifi. It was effectively a farewell fight in front of his adoring San Juan fans, eight months after the first loss of his career to Bernard Hopkins. However, just over two years later, Trinidad was back to batter Nicaraguan Ricardo Mayorga and put himself back in the title picture. "I wasn't wrong when I retired," Trinidad insisted. "I just changed my mind." Trinidad had built a reputation as one of the most ferocious punchers in boxing history. In becoming the first man to defeat de la Hoya in September 1999, he secured his future status in the Hall of Fame. But Trinidad's unquenchable desire to improve his legacy led him into a May 2005 middleweight eliminator against slippery Winky Wright. Dominated to the point of embarrassment in a one-sided points loss, Trinidad retired again. "My father told me at the airport that he was planning to retire and I reminded him that I always said the day my dad would not be by my side, I would not throw another punch," Trinidad said. Trinidad Sr. was back by his son's side at Don King's offices in Florida this week to announce his fight against the legendary Jones, which will take place at a catchweight limit of 170 pounds. "I'm going to feel very good at that weight," Trinidad said. "I never avoided great fighters and I'm coming back to fight one of the greatest in the sport. And I am going to knock him out. "I have too much boxing inside me that I can still show to the world, and I can show the world that I am still one of the world's greatest by overcoming this big challenge." While Trinidad was regarded to have quit too soon when he first walked away from his sport, Jones has found himself increasingly battling the critics who say he should have hung up his gloves long ago. Then a stellar three-weight world champion, Jones moved up to the heavyweight division in 2003 to defeat WBA champion John Ruiz in what was then regarded as one of the greatest achievements in the sport. However, Jones' victory came at an almighty price, and after boiling back down to the light-heavyweight division he was never quite the same fighter again. After scraping a majority verdict over Antonio Tarver, Jones lost his next three fights - including heavy knockouts by Tarver and Glen Johnson - and appeared a shell of the former dazzling showman. Subsequent comeback wins over Prince Badi Ajamu and Anthony Hanshaw have enabled his name to re-enter the world title picture, but hardly allayed fears over his ability to rekindle former glories. Jones has not fought as low as 170 pounds since 1996, and possibly more questions remain over his ability to do so now than the questions over Trinidad's ability to move up yet another division. "I will sacrifice a few pounds to make the fight," said Jones. "This is a fight worth getting up for. Tito is a great champion. He has built a great legacy and if someone like that challenges you, how can you turn it down?" This fight is about more than another lucrative, quirky stop on boxing's veterans tour. While both fighters are past their best, they still boast the natural talent to put on a stunning show. Imponderables over what it is precisely that both fighters have left - with one bulking up and the other boiling down - make it intriguing, if not quite worthy of Don King's usual hyperbole. "These are two legendary fighters coming together to fight," said King. "Tito is saying, in the words of the immortal Cyrano de Bergerac, 'Don't bring me no mortal men, bring me giants'. And a giant is coming in Roy Jones Jr." :: Manny Pacquiao has tried to allay fears that he has other things on his mind after a break in preparations for his October 6 rematch with Marco Antonio Barrera. The Filipino firebrand returned abruptly to his homeland this week sparking fears he would not be ready to meet his Mexican rival. But he has subsequently indicated he will be back in California this week. Trainer Freddie Roach told doghouseboxing.com: "People are telling Manny it is an easy fight but it's not. The only way Manny can lose this fight is if he takes it lightly and I'll make sure that doesn't happen." Updated on Wednesday, Aug 15, 2007 8:15 am, EDT