May 13, 2005

Trinidad, Wright meet in middleweight showdown

LAS VEGAS (AP) - Former world champion Felix Trinidad doesn't see much difference between the fighter he was before he retired, and the fighter he is today.

Trinidad's rabid fans didn't either when they watched their Puerto Rican hero knock out former welterweight champion Ricardo Mayorga last October in his first fight after nearly 2 1/2 years out of the ring.

"I'm the same fighter I was before," Trinidad said. "I didn't retire to rest."

On Saturday, Trinidad will match wits and skills with slick southpaw boxer Winky Wright in a fight that risks derailing his goal of avenging his only defeat with a rematch against Bernard Hopkins.

But Trinidad isn't concerned.

"Winky challenged me and I accept every challenge," Trinidad said. "Winky is one of the few fighters out there who really wants to fight me."

Wright gets that chance when the two meet at the MGM Grand hotel-casino in a middleweight showdown that promises to be a classic matchup of boxer versus slugger. There's no title at stake, but there's no doubt both Trinidad and Wright are among the best fighters in the world.

Both, though, will have some questions to answer in the scheduled 12-round fight. Wright, after 15 years at 154 pounds (69 kilograms), is fighting as a middleweight for the first time, while Trinidad needs to show he can deal with a far different kind of opponent than he has seen in recent years.

Both fighters weighed in Friday at the class limit of 160 pounds (72 kilograms).

"No matter what he brings to the ring I'm prepared to handle him," said Trinidad, who sparred 260 rounds for the fight. "I'm mentally prepared to win the fight whether by knockout or decision. I know I hit hard with both hands."

Wright, though, said Trinidad's power won't help if he can't land the punches.

"I've never been afraid to be hit by one punch because I see punches to pick them off," Wright said. "I'm not worried about Tito's power. He's got to worry about my jab, my outthinking him."

Both fighters could put themselves in a position to fight Hopkins, who defends his middleweight title on July 16 against unbeaten Jermain Taylor, by winning what shapes up as a crossroads bout for both.

Wright would like to cash in on his recent success by meeting Hopkins, but for Trinidad it's far more personal.

Hopkins handed Trinidad (42-1, 35 knockouts) his only loss in their September 2001 middleweight unification fight, stopping him in the 12th round of a bruising fight. Trinidad fought only once after that before announcing his retirement.

Trinidad said he retired because it didn't look like Hopkins would fight him again, and that he had no motivation for lesser fights. But, after hearing fans constantly ask him when he was going to fight again, he regained his desire.

Trinidad talked with his father, who manages and trains him, and the rest of his family before finally making the decision himself to come back.

"I told myself if I want to go back to the ring it's got to be now," Trinidad said. "I feel great physically and mentally, like a boy again."

Trinidad will need to be sharp against Wright, who spent much of his career fighting in strange places for small purses before taking advantage of his biggest opportunity and beating Shane Mosley twice last year for the 154-pound (69-kilogram) titles.

Wright is a consummate boxer, a lefty who likes to fight inside and can frustrate an opponent with his defensive skills. Wright (48-3, 25 knockouts) isn't known as much of a puncher, but said he may surprise Trinidad with his power.

"If I hurt Tito I'm going to try to knock his head off," Wright said. "But I've got better skills than Tito, period. Tito can't jab like me, he can't move like me. the only thing he has is a big punch."

That punch has served Trinidad well, with knockout wins over the likes of Fernando Vargas and William Joppy. It also caused Oscar De La Hoya to be so wary that he ran the last four rounds of their 1999 fight to lose a disputed decision.

Trinidad may not knock out Wright, but he's confident enough to take the fight - and a $10 million (?7.9 million) payday - while waiting for the 40-year-old Hopkins to agree to a rematch.

"When I fight Hopkins I will win. The people of Puerto Rico are expecting that fight," Trinidad said. "It's not because of me that this fight hasn't happened yet. Hopkins has his reasons why he's not fighting me."

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