10.05.04 – By Luke Dodemaide: Next week marks the two year anniversary since the pride of Puerto Rico, Felix ‘Tito’ Trinidad last stepped into the ring. Coming off his first and only loss, Felix Trinidad burst back into the ring with a 4th round knockout of French man, Hassine Cherifi. Trinidad showed why, despite his loss, he was still one of the premier fighters in the game. After the fight he looked towards Hopkins and De La Hoya for a meeting that would return him to the big time, where fighters of Trinidad’s calibre belong.
But when both parties declined Trinidad’s offer, he silently stepped out of the sport.
In retirement Trinidad was barely seen and rarely heard, he appeared a quite man enjoying his relaxing new life.
But then the boxing world began hearing whispers, ‘Felix misses boxing’, ‘Felix wants to come back’.
Earlier this year at a press conference in Madison Square Garden, the Mecca of boxing, Felix fronted the media sea of microphones and cameras, cleared his voice, opened his mouth, confirming the worst kept secret in boxing, the great man is back!
But after two long years out of the sport, which road does Trinidad head down for his first comeback fight? Did I hear you say ‘take a tune up and get rid of a little ring rust’? Are you out of your mind?
After pondering the comeback question for months Don Felix has elected that after two years out of the sport, his son will step through the ropes October 2nd and fight the most intense unorthodox clubber in the sport, former WBC/WBA welterweight king Ricardo Mayorga.
Is it just me or is this a disaster waiting to happen?
Felix Trinidad is a great fighter, his comeback is a welcome breath of fresh air in the once mediocre middleweight division, but after two years out of the sport Felix is going to need some time and room to get comfortable again inside the ropes.
If there is one man in boxing that gives you neither of these two luxuries, it is ‘El Matador’ Ricardo Mayorga.
For as long as you can take it, Mayorga will throw punches at your body, heard, ears, back of the neck, where ever, it doesn’t matter to Ricardo. He doesn’t give you an inch or a second. No one applies pressure quite like him.
Can comeback kid, Felix Trinidad successfully shed his ring rust against Mayorga?
It will be a tough task to say the least. Cory Spinks showed the way to beat Mayorga, but is it realistic to expect Trinidad to exhibit the same silky game plan as Spinks? Trinidad has never been the best mover, not even at the height of his powers.
Trinidad’s best chance is possibly, to stand toe to toe and try to nail Mayorga.
But in saying that Mayorga has never showed any dislike for being hit, in fact against Vernon Forrest, Mayorga famously welcomed Forrest to freely land punches upon his head.
For Trinidad to be affective he must not only shed his ring rust as soon as possible, he also has to use his three and a half inch reach advantage to it’s full extent.
It must also be asked, how will Ricardo Mayorga handle the middleweight division? My opinion is, much easier than Felix Trinidad. During retirement it has been rumoured that Trinidad has ballooned to weighing up and over 200 pounds, it looks as though for him to get down and lose that 40 pounds to make the 160 lb middleweight limit is almost going to be as tough as the fight itself.
On the other hand, Mayorga has been having trouble making the 147 pound welterweight limit, so much that he failed his last weigh in by six pounds and was forced to find a new opponent days before his April 17th fight this year.
When Mayorga entered the ring that night weighing 155 pounds, he looked right at home and won an easy lope side unanimous decision. The middleweight move will suit Ricardo Mayorga just fine.
Mayorga is a tough man to tame, especially for a fighter who has been inactive for over two years, can Felix Trinidad pull it off? He’ll give it a hell of a go that’s for sure.
The only certain winner on October 2nd is the fans, this has ‘fight of the year’ written all over it.
Any questions or queries on this article can be sent to l_dodemaide@hotmail.com