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Antonio Tarver Breaks Down
Trinidad-Wright
May 11, 2005
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LOS ANGELES, May 11 – Light heavyweight
superstar Antonio “Magic Man” Tarver returns to the ring on Saturday,
June 18 to battle Glen Johnson for 175-pound supremacy in an
HBO-televised bout at the FedEx Forum in Memphis, Tennessee. And luckily
for boxing fans, there’s another superfight coming up - a middleweight
showdown between Felix Trinidad and Winky Wright which will be held at
the MGM Grand in Las Vegas this Saturday, May 14. Tarver took time out
from his busy training schedule in Vero Beach, Florida to break down
Trinidad-Wright. “I see this as a tremendous fight,” said Tarver. “Winky
Wright is a guy that has really fought hard for his just due. He came up
the hard way and I’m particularly in favor of a guy who had to earn it,
rather than just having the yellow brick road paved for him.”
On Wright’s Heart…
“A lot of people think that Winky is just a cute boxer with a great
defense, but having the opportunity to spar many, many rounds with Winky,
I know that this guy is big on heart. He’s a very tough fighter, and he
can take it as well as give it. When it comes down to that, Trinidad
will be severely tested, and it all depends on what Trinidad really
has.”
On Trinidad’s Strengths…
“I think his strengths are obvious. He has a lion’s heart; he comes to
win and is in shape for every fight, he’s committed to the victory, and
you’re going to have to defeat a guy like Trinidad. He’s not going to
lie down and he’s not going to stop trying. He’s gonna be in there every
minute and every second, and that’s the type of pressure that I don’t
think Winky is accustomed to – having to be on his p’s and q’s every
second of every round. Trinidad is in there looking for that devastating
knockout and he’s a great finisher.”
On Wright’s Strengths…
Winky is a guy that has good legs, great defense, and he moves. We know
that Trinidad really don’t like movers; he needs a guy to be aggressive
and come straight to him in order for him to be at his best. The guys
that have given Trinidad trouble in the past have been movers – guys
with great jabs that used their feet as an asset.
On Wright’s Disadvantages…
“The disadvantage for Winky is that he’s moving up. He ruled 154 and I
was surprised that he was moving up, rather than having Trinidad sweat
down. That may or may not be a factor in the fight.”
On The Magnitude Of The
Event…Will This Distract Wright?
“I think Winky is a solid professional. He’s fought on big shows and on
the undercards of some Roy Jones fights, and I think he’s an old,
seasoned pro. He’s had to go into other people’s backyards, go overseas,
and was successful, so he’s been the underdog. Every fight he’s been in,
he’s been the underdog, so that’s not really gonna stir him one way or
another. I don’t think that will shake him. I think he’ll be solid, and
mentally he’ll be able to handle the hype, and be comfortable in the
surroundings. I don’t see that being a distraction at all.”
Was The Mayorga Fight
Misleading Because He Played Into Trinidad’s Strengths?
“Winky is a couple of steps above Mayorga because he has so many facets
to his game. Trinidad will be challenged physically, mentally, and
stylistically, so it could be a frustrating night for him if Winky is on
his game. Whether Trinidad gets frustrated, or stays cool, calm, and
collected and on his game plan, we’ll see.”
How Will The Fight Play Out?
“I see this fight going the distance. I think Winky’s heart will allow
him to surely survive the fight, and I feel the question is, ‘does he
have what it takes to hurt and stop Trinidad?’ Winky is comfortable with
just beating a guy on points and going the distance, rather than just
going for that knockout, so I see the fight going the distance, and I’m
leaning towards Winky just because I know this guy is a great boxer, a
great defensive fighter, and if he don’t get caught and knocked out, I
see him winning this fight by decision.”
“On paper it has the ability to be a somewhat boring fight, but I think
that plays into Winky’s hands unless Trinidad gets in there, digs to the
body, slows Winky down, and then is able to utilize those power punches
well and get Winky out of there. That’s how I see Trinidad winning, and
if Winky wins I see him winning by decision.”
Tarver’s Prediction – Wright W12
“I favor Winky to win this fight by decision. If Trinidad is to win this
fight, he’ll have to win it by knockout.” |
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