by James Slater – Last seen losing a clear points decision to Paul “The Punisher” Williams, former world champion Ronald “Winky” Wright is set to make is return to the ring this December 11th, in Puerto Rico. So is reporting ESPN.com. According to advisor Damian Ramirez, in speaking to ESPN, Wright will likely face former “Contender” participant and winner Grady Brewer. Wright, who turns 38 in November, will be looking to get back in the win column after the April loss to fellow southpaw Williams. Against 38-year-old Brewer (39 in December), Winky should be able to do so. Unless he’s regressed as a result of inactivity and the Williams loss, his fifth as a pro..
Brewer is a good enough fighter, but he has never fought anyone quite like Winky. With a so-so pro record of 26-11(15) Brewer has also been stopped six times. Still, he is on a winning roll at the moment, having triumphed in his last eight fights, all of them taking place at or around the 154-pound mark (presumably the weight at which he will fight Wright).
Following his close points win over Stevie “Two Pounds” Forbes in September of 2006, Brewer embarked on a two year layoff, before returning to pound out wins over good fighters like Cornelius Bundrage and, in his last fight back in August, the unbeaten Albert Onolunose (who he stopped in just two-rounds). December 11th’s fight does figure to be interesting, and while Winky will probably enter the ring as favourite, he might have to be at or near his best to get the win.
A loss for Wright would really be a disaster. Still in the hunt for big fights/world titles, the gifted and stylish boxer who has to his name wins over greats like Shane Mosley and Felix Trinidad could figure in a few more marquee fights yet. Far from a faded force, Winky, even in the loss to the far taller Williams, showed what he is capable of. Against guys his own size (remember, in recent years, Wright has only lost to naturally bigger or taller guys Bernard Hopkins and Williams), Winky could well wind up looking like the masterful boxer of old.
Wright did say after the loss to “The Punisher” that he would be back in the ring and that he would not permit himself to take another long layoff (he was out for 21 months going into the Williams fight), and he has kept his word.
Look for the always dangerous Brewer to give it a real go, but for the superior skills of Wright to see him to a points win in the scheduled ten-rounder. It will be good to see Winky back.