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05/15/2005 Archived Entry: "Wright Beats Tito in Twelve"
Wright beats Tito in Twelve
By Mike DeLisa at ringside
Winky Wright used a solid defense and an incessant jab to outpoint Felix Trinidad at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Several hours after the Wright-Trinidad card started, I was drinking coffee at the Suncoast Casino in Summerlin, Nevada. I had appled late for a press credential and had been denied. The person who was supposed to help me get a credential turned off his cell phone at 2 P.M., and I was out in the cold.
Then, I thought of a "hook." I made my way to the MGM Grand at about 7:30 P.M. Las Vegas time. I walked up to an usher and asked for the head of security. Sorry, guys, but I can't reveal what I said. But, shortly after my conversation, I was being escorted to the fighter's dressing rooms. Trinidad was warming up in one room, while Zab Judah, fresh from his three-round stoppage of Cosme Rivera was taking off his fight togs.
I congratualted Judah, then spent a little time chatting with his father, Yoel. Interestingly, Zab's dressing room was low-key and professional. Yoel picked Wright to outpoint Felix I more or less agreed, though I still had a feeling Trinidad might be too strong. We both agreed the first two rounds would be telling.
As Trinidad made his way to the ring, I followed his entourage out into the arena and made my way to my ringside seat. Trinidad looked to be in good shape both physically and mentally, and I expected him to come out strong -- not reckless.
The first round saw Trinidad attempting to have Wright lead. Clearly, trinidad was concerned with Wright's countering abilities. Trinidad lost the round after eating a series of jabs.
Suddenly, four additional rounds had gone by and the patern was the same. It was clear that Trinidad was having an off night, caused by Wright's boxing style. Trinidad did nothing to overcome Wright's earmuff defense. I would have expected tito to try and loop a few shots around Wright's guard; instead he would either stop punching or shoot a straight right to Winky's gloves. Wrong move.
Trinidad's body attack was never sustained, and Jay Nady warned him several times for low blows. Nady's warnings seemed to discourage Trinidad from throwing to the body. In the ninth, a near harmess, incidental low blow casued nady to penalize Trinidad and Tito abandoned his efforts at body punching thereafter.
Wright continued to jab well, and that was the fight. After twelve rounds, Wright won a shutout on one card and a near shutout on the two other cards.
On the way out of the ring, I spoke to Trinidad who said the rematch would be different. I didn't get a chance to ask him how.
