The Big Debate: Felix “Tito” Trinidad vs. Ronald “Winky” Wright.

Hey there fight fans. After knocking out our very own editor, Jimmy the Gent (I’m sure he will love me saying this), I have now been given some fresh meat. Yours truly shall now take on our very own James MacDonald. After reading some

of his work, this should be a worthy challenge. James, as the heavyweight champion in the movie “Harlem Nights” once said: “don’t take this ass whipping personal!” Ok my fellow fight fanatics, here we go! On May 14, 2005, live from the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, and televised on HBO’s pay-per-view boxing series, Felix “Tito’ Trinidad (42-1-0 with 35 KOs), will take on Ronald “Winky’ Wright (48-3-0 with 25 KOs). It is a fight that many in the boxing mainstream have been waiting for and should be an excellent scrap. Emotions are running very high, and the media seems split down the middle as to who will win. Luckily fight fans, SaddoBoxing.com has you covered with a “Big Debate” as to who will win and why.

This is why Felix “Tito” Trinidad will win.

Let me first start off by saying that I have a lot of respect for “Winky,” and feel that the deserves this big payday. Wright has labored in obscurity for so long that it is nice to see him finally making the money he deserves. Having said that, “Winky” will have to be satisfied with a great payday, as he will receive the worst beating of his long and illustrious career. Wright is a defensive wizard, but don’t get confused by this. Many people believe that his great defense will befuddle “Tito” and “Winky” will be able to easily out box the Puerto Rican legend, much like Oscar de la Hoya, and Bernard Hopkins did. The problem with Wright is that, unlike De La Hoya, or “The Executioner,” “Winky” does not stick and move. He uses his unusually long arms to cover up and counters very well for his defensive pose. Trinidad will hit elbows, shoulders, or anything else given to him in order to inflict damage with his serious power.

I know that Wright has been in there with Fernando Vargas, who is a solid puncher, but “Tito” is in a class of his own. Trinidad is an extremely powerful puncher that can give angles and find the holes in any defensive armor. “Winky” will be facing an uphill battle, as he does not have the punching power to keep the Puerto Rican at bay, which spells big trouble for him. Trinidad will take a few rounds to figure Wright out, but “Winky” will realize that he cannot hurt Trinidad, and “Tito” will start to walk in, letting bombs go, and that will just be too much pressure.

I see this fight as a tactical one for the first three to four rounds, with Wright having some early success. Once Trinidad puts constant pressure, and starts to bang away at Wright’s arms, shoulders, and body, “Winky” will start to counter less and less. Trinidad will keep the pressure on all night, break Wright’s will, and stop him by no later than the tenth round. If, for some reason, Wright is to hear the final bell, it will be because he was in full retreat and decided to go into “survival” mode. I just don’t see “Winky’ having the strength, or firepower, to keep the Puerto Rican monster off him.

What are your thoughts, James?

Well, Sergio, you have some interesting points, however, I have identified a couple of flaws in your staunch defense of “Tito,” the first of which is the common misconception that Wright cannot stick and move. In fact, earlier in his career, Wright did employ that tactic to some effect. The fight that sticks in my mind is his loss to Vasquez. You might be thinking, “Why on earth is this clown using Wright’s loss to Vasquez, being floored five times in the process, to make any sort of point?” Oddly enough, there were moments in that fight, many of them, where “Winky” looked nothing short of perfection. He was moving beautifully and sickening Vasquez with his jab, and had he been a little more experienced, he would have undoubtedly cruised to victory. The point of all that? Wright is a multi-dimensional fighter, a fighter who can adapt to any given situation. Should he decide to fight Trinidad in the same way he fought Vargas, I’d wager that he will adopt a more cautious approach after a couple of rounds.

As technically gifted as “Winky” is, it would stand for nothing if he didn’t possess a boxing brain to match. That is why I see Wright out pointing Trinidad. Can Trinidad bang? Unquestionably. As a fighter, he is also as complex as the alphabet. And once figured out, as he was against Hopkins and De La Hoya, he resembles a rabbit caught in the headlights. “Winky” possesses the ability, the versatility and boxing brain to figure out and conquer Trinidad.

I have a feeling many people will be feasting on their own words in the days following the fight. If I’m wrong…erm, don’t expect to hear from me for the next month, as I’ll probably be in hiding. Only time will tell who will come out on top in this battle. Stay tuned to see who gets the bragging rights.

Sergio Martinez can be reached at srg_mrtnz@yahoo.com

James MacDonald can be reached at ac009b5460@blueyonder.co.uk