12.05.06 – By Bryce Wren, photo by David Martin Warr / DKP — It started in 1994, when Felix Trinidad pounded out a unanimous decision against former multiple weight division champion Hector “Macho” Camacho. Little could the Puerto Rican slugger know that he had began paving the path to over a decade of “follow the leader” between the ropes. Trinidad had shown exactly how to beat Hector, -who was starting to decline as a fighter by that time- and a certain “golden boy” took note. It would be three years later that Oscar De la Hoya would finally feel comfortable in the knowledge that Macho Man’s speed and reflexes had all but perished, to finally fight Camacho. Much like Trinidad, Oscar was on offense and pressed Camacho. The unanimous decision was equally as one sided.
Also in 1994, Trinidad fought two other very talented former perennial contenders in Navajoa Mexico’s Yuri Boy Campas, and Detroit Cities, Oba Carr. Trinidad dominated and stopped them both, in the 4th and 8th rounds respectively.
In the middle of 1999, Oscar would get up the nerve to challenge Oba. Remarkably, it would take a lot more of a decline in Campas before Oscar would challenge the geriatric power puncher. De la Hoya waited for Yuri Boy to suffer four more stoppage losses and several more wearing wars before he would fight Campas. Unbelievably, even though many of Trinidad’s opponents were said to have been “ruined” by him, Tito had managed to stop both Carr and Campas sooner than the “Golden Boy” could. Taking four and eight rounds for Tito to seven and eleven for Oscar. These three fights would not be a short trend. De la Hoya would continue eating from Trinidad’s scraps for another ten years.
Fernando Vargas is a prime example of a talented fighter that was “ruined” by Felix. Maybe “ruined” is a bit harsh. He was “damaged”, anyway. He took an enormous beating by Trinidad, and even with a potential grudge fight with the Ferocious One, Oscar had to wait for a few tune ups from Vargas to ensure he was “shot” before taking him on in 2002.
Now clearly Oscar forgot the plan when he challenged former middleweight king Bernard Hopkins in 2004. I mean yes, this was a former Trinidad opponent, but Oscar should know, “you don’t fight the guys who win!”. Oscar learned the hard way, just as it was a given that any man Trinidad could walk through, could probably be out pointed or stopped later in a fight by De la Hoya, so did it go that anyone talented and powerful enough to beat Trinidad by an all night beat down could probably also stop Oscar earlier, with a lot less punishment. As if Tito’s victory decision over Oscar didn’t punctuate his superiority over his talented East Los Angeles rival, this just seemed to add more and more credence to the obvious conclusion. Trinidad was just better.
This past Saturday was just another chapter in the boxing version of “Beaches” with Oscar following Trinidad around singing “You are the wind beneath my wings”. Trinidad looked incredible during his first comeback fight in 2004 against tough slugger Ricardo Mayorga. Mayorga let his macho attitude get the best of him against Tito, and proved to be a fool by sticking out his chin for Tito to test. Trinidad obliged and hit Mayorga with two incredibly hard left hooks which the Nicaraguan never recovered from. It was impressive. It was also no surprise when the HBO crew aptly pointed out time and time again that the Golden Boy, Oscar De la Hoya, once again, was borrowing straight from the book, Felix Trinidad’s game plan for beating Ricardo Mayorga. Indeed, Everything from the way Oscar held his hands, to the way he threw his left hook was nearly a mirror image of what Felix had done in 2004.
Yes, it seems Oscar is completely obsessed with Trinidad. Hell, he even moved to Puerto Rico, Trinidad’s beloved homeland. I think a rematch, even now that Trinidad has re-re-retired would probably still be the largest payday for both men. I’m not sure that Oscar would have done any better against the Winky Wright that Tito was schooled by. So based on their last top level opponents, Hopkins and Mayorga, it seems that Trinidad is at least on par with the Golden Boy. Lets call for the rematch. I think both of them feel like there is unfinished business. Oscar isn’t capable of running for six rounds anymore, so we are guaranteed to see more fireworks. What does anybody have to lose? Let’s get it on!