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By Doug Fischer (April 14, 2005)
Take away his one loss to Bernard Hopkins and Felix Trinidad's boxing career has been almost perfect.
Sure, the "fight" with Oscar De La Hoya was close, and could have gone to the Golden Boy by a point or two, and Trinidad has been sent to the canvass almost a dozen times in his 43-bout career - but aside from that one loss to the undisputed middleweight champ, the Puerto Rican hero's powerful fists and indomitable will have enabled him to overcome all obstacles in his way to becoming one the great fighters of this era.
Hopkins, who is now recognized as the best fighter in the world, had the perfect blend of disciplined technique, ring intelligence, toughness, size and physical strength to upset Trinidad in September of 2001.
In four weeks Trinidad, who retired for two and a half years one fight after the only loss of his career before coming back in thrilling fashion versus Ricardo Mayorga last October, will face a fighter with a similar mix of attributes as Hopkins.
Winky Wright, the recognized world junior middleweight champ, is perhaps the biggest, strongest and technically proficient fighter that Trinidad, 42-1 (35), has faced in his career, next to Hopkins.
Wright, who has 52 pro bouts and an impressive 48-3 (25) record, may also be the most experienced championship-level fighter that Trinidad has faced in his 15-year career.
Hopkins had 43 pro fights when he fought Trinidad, as did Pernell Whitaker. Hector Camacho Sr. had 46 bouts.
De La Hoya had 31.
Trinidad has defeated fighters who had more than 52 bouts - Alberto Cortes had 53 pro bouts when he faced a still-developing Tito, Yory Boy Campas was 56-0 when clashed with the young welterweight title holder, and Freddie Pendelton had 64 bouts - but none of these veterans had the combination of size and skill that
Wright possesses.
They were not the championship distance fighter that Wright, who has fought to 12-round decisions 15 times,
has proven to be. (Wright's championship record in distance fights is 12-3, with all three losses being either close or controversial decisions.)
They didn't have Wright's chin, either. Wright has never been stopped, though he was "officially" dropped five times versus Julio Cesar Vasquez in his first title challenge 11 years ago. (Wright maintains they were "slips" and who's going argue with him? He hasn't
been close to going down since.)
Nobody Trinidad has fought has had anything close to Wright's tricky southpaw style, something many hardcore fans and pundits believe will trouble Trinidad.
Trinidad's father and trainer Don Felix admits that Wright's style is unlike any of his son's previous
opponents.
"[Wright's] stance is completely different to any other fighter we have faced before," Trinidad Sr. told the press during a national conference call held yesterday. However, 'Papa Trinidad' added that an opponent's style is never a concern for he or his son.
"We didn't base [our choice to fight Wright] on styles," said Trinidad Sr., who added that his son has
faced and defeated six southpaws.
The most notable lefties on Trinidad's record are Whitaker and Camacho, both of whom took him the 12-round distance. (Jake Rodriguez, a tough New York-based junior welterweight who went on to win a 140-pound title, is another southpaw who took Trinidad the distance - in a 10 rounder - early in his career.)
Although Trinidad handled all three southpaws with relative ease, it should be noted that Whitaker and Camacho were defensive specialists with distinct size disadvantages to Trinidad. He will not enjoy any significant height and reach advantages over Wright, who stands about 5-foot-10 and a half. He will not hold any edge in size over Wright, who began his career at junior middleweight and has struggled lately to make the 154-pound limit.
Wright will not run the way Camacho did vs. Trinidad. He will not bother to slip and duck under punches like Whitaker, either. Wright's style is to patiently stalk his opponents, block their incoming shots with is tight, high-held guard and counter-punch behind a solid southpaw jab.
It's a style that some believe will bother Trinidad, while others think it will make Wright a sitting duck for the Puerto Rican's crisp combinations.
When asked if he thought Wright's style presented any weaknesses to exploit, Trinidad Sr. replied "we have not based our training on any weakness we see in Wright, only on Tito's potential - his punching technique and his power."
Trinidad added, "the fight will not be won or lost because of a 'weakness', we are both champions. The fight is a matter of superiority and we believe that
we are superior to Winky Wright."
And when it comes to championship experience, Trinidad is correct with this assumption.
While Wright has made eight junior middleweight title defenses over two reigns (including three of the WBO
belt), Trinidad has made a total of 17 title defenses spanning two divisions (including 15 of his IBF
welterweight title). While Wright has fought six world title holders in his 15-year career (including two
wins over Shane Mosley, but close losses to Vasquez, Fernando Vargas and Harry Simon), Trinidad has taken
on 12 current or former belt holders, losing only to you know who.
And as strong as Vasquez, Vargas and Simon are, none of these former title holders come close to possessing
the kind of frightening fire power that Trinidad generates with his punches.
Trinidad has taught a legion of fighters - including Vargas, Campas, Oba Carr, Larry Barnes, Roger Turner, Mahenge Zulu, and Ray Lovato - how to be knocked out for the first time, so one can forgive the usually humble warrior for his beaming confidence coming into this fight.
"I don't want to sound disrespectful to [Wright], but nothing worries me about what he'll try to do," he said. "I know he'll be in great shape and he'll come to fight.
"If I see he is not up to par with me, I'll take him out."
However, both Trinidad and his father were quick to laud Wright for his accomplishments.
"We just want to fight the best," said Trinidad Sr. "Wright is one of the elite champions of boxing."
Trinidad, as usual, echoed his father's sentiments stating that Wright is in the same class as Hopkins, Whitaker and De La Hoya.
"He is the junior middleweight champ, he's proven himself at 154 pounds, that's why I took this fight," he said. "Winky is willing to fight and I want to fight the best fighters who are willing to fight me."
This take-on-all-comers mentality is part of Trinidad's mass appeal. It is the reason he can pack Madison Square Garden after taking nearly two and a half years off. He'll likely fight in front of a sold-out arena of primarily Tito fanatics when he takes on Wright at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on May 14.
When asked if he thought his loud, partisan crowd would psyche out Wright in any way, Trinidad didn't
think so.
"Wright is an experienced fighter, he's fought all over the world so the crowd won't bother him," he said. "If he gets psyched out it will be because of me."
Take away his one loss to Bernard Hopkins and Felix Trinidad's boxing career has been almost perfect.
Sure, the "fight" with Oscar De La Hoya was close, and could have gone to the Golden Boy by a point or two, and Trinidad has been sent to the canvass almost a dozen times in his 43-bout career - but aside from that one loss to the undisputed middleweight champ, the Puerto Rican hero's powerful fists and indomitable will have enabled him to overcome all obstacles in his way to becoming one the great fighters of this era.
Hopkins, who is now recognized as the best fighter in the world, had the perfect blend of disciplined technique, ring intelligence, toughness, size and physical strength to upset Trinidad in September of 2001.
In four weeks Trinidad, who retired for two and a half years one fight after the only loss of his career before coming back in thrilling fashion versus Ricardo Mayorga last October, will face a fighter with a similar mix of attributes as Hopkins.
Winky Wright, the recognized world junior middleweight champ, is perhaps the biggest, strongest and technically proficient fighter that Trinidad, 42-1 (35), has faced in his career, next to Hopkins.
Wright, who has 52 pro bouts and an impressive 48-3 (25) record, may also be the most experienced championship-level fighter that Trinidad has faced in his 15-year career.
Hopkins had 43 pro fights when he fought Trinidad, as did Pernell Whitaker. Hector Camacho Sr. had 46 bouts.
De La Hoya had 31.
Trinidad has defeated fighters who had more than 52 bouts - Alberto Cortes had 53 pro bouts when he faced a still-developing Tito, Yory Boy Campas was 56-0 when clashed with the young welterweight title holder, and Freddie Pendelton had 64 bouts - but none of these veterans had the combination of size and skill that
Wright possesses.
They were not the championship distance fighter that Wright, who has fought to 12-round decisions 15 times,
has proven to be. (Wright's championship record in distance fights is 12-3, with all three losses being either close or controversial decisions.)
They didn't have Wright's chin, either. Wright has never been stopped, though he was "officially" dropped five times versus Julio Cesar Vasquez in his first title challenge 11 years ago. (Wright maintains they were "slips" and who's going argue with him? He hasn't
been close to going down since.)
Nobody Trinidad has fought has had anything close to Wright's tricky southpaw style, something many hardcore fans and pundits believe will trouble Trinidad.
Trinidad's father and trainer Don Felix admits that Wright's style is unlike any of his son's previous
opponents.
"[Wright's] stance is completely different to any other fighter we have faced before," Trinidad Sr. told the press during a national conference call held yesterday. However, 'Papa Trinidad' added that an opponent's style is never a concern for he or his son.
"We didn't base [our choice to fight Wright] on styles," said Trinidad Sr., who added that his son has
faced and defeated six southpaws.
The most notable lefties on Trinidad's record are Whitaker and Camacho, both of whom took him the 12-round distance. (Jake Rodriguez, a tough New York-based junior welterweight who went on to win a 140-pound title, is another southpaw who took Trinidad the distance - in a 10 rounder - early in his career.)
Although Trinidad handled all three southpaws with relative ease, it should be noted that Whitaker and Camacho were defensive specialists with distinct size disadvantages to Trinidad. He will not enjoy any significant height and reach advantages over Wright, who stands about 5-foot-10 and a half. He will not hold any edge in size over Wright, who began his career at junior middleweight and has struggled lately to make the 154-pound limit.
Wright will not run the way Camacho did vs. Trinidad. He will not bother to slip and duck under punches like Whitaker, either. Wright's style is to patiently stalk his opponents, block their incoming shots with is tight, high-held guard and counter-punch behind a solid southpaw jab.
It's a style that some believe will bother Trinidad, while others think it will make Wright a sitting duck for the Puerto Rican's crisp combinations.
When asked if he thought Wright's style presented any weaknesses to exploit, Trinidad Sr. replied "we have not based our training on any weakness we see in Wright, only on Tito's potential - his punching technique and his power."
Trinidad added, "the fight will not be won or lost because of a 'weakness', we are both champions. The fight is a matter of superiority and we believe that
we are superior to Winky Wright."
And when it comes to championship experience, Trinidad is correct with this assumption.
While Wright has made eight junior middleweight title defenses over two reigns (including three of the WBO
belt), Trinidad has made a total of 17 title defenses spanning two divisions (including 15 of his IBF
welterweight title). While Wright has fought six world title holders in his 15-year career (including two
wins over Shane Mosley, but close losses to Vasquez, Fernando Vargas and Harry Simon), Trinidad has taken
on 12 current or former belt holders, losing only to you know who.
And as strong as Vasquez, Vargas and Simon are, none of these former title holders come close to possessing
the kind of frightening fire power that Trinidad generates with his punches.
Trinidad has taught a legion of fighters - including Vargas, Campas, Oba Carr, Larry Barnes, Roger Turner, Mahenge Zulu, and Ray Lovato - how to be knocked out for the first time, so one can forgive the usually humble warrior for his beaming confidence coming into this fight.
"I don't want to sound disrespectful to [Wright], but nothing worries me about what he'll try to do," he said. "I know he'll be in great shape and he'll come to fight.
"If I see he is not up to par with me, I'll take him out."
However, both Trinidad and his father were quick to laud Wright for his accomplishments.
"We just want to fight the best," said Trinidad Sr. "Wright is one of the elite champions of boxing."
Trinidad, as usual, echoed his father's sentiments stating that Wright is in the same class as Hopkins, Whitaker and De La Hoya.
"He is the junior middleweight champ, he's proven himself at 154 pounds, that's why I took this fight," he said. "Winky is willing to fight and I want to fight the best fighters who are willing to fight me."
This take-on-all-comers mentality is part of Trinidad's mass appeal. It is the reason he can pack Madison Square Garden after taking nearly two and a half years off. He'll likely fight in front of a sold-out arena of primarily Tito fanatics when he takes on Wright at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on May 14.
When asked if he thought his loud, partisan crowd would psyche out Wright in any way, Trinidad didn't
think so.
"Wright is an experienced fighter, he's fought all over the world so the crowd won't bother him," he said. "If he gets psyched out it will be because of me."
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