Roy
Jones Vs. Felix Trinidad
January 19, 2008
by Hal Clarke
Preview of January 19,
2008 bout.
Aged legends Roy Jones, Jr. and Felix "Tito"
Trinidad meet for the first time tonight at Madison Square Garden
in New York City. Almost ten years in the making, tonight's 170
lb catch weight contest pits two combatants in the twilight of
their careers looking for one last big name to add to their respective
Hall of Fame resumes. It is a fight defined by pride, machismo,
and the old boxing cliche that a retired boxer is never fully
retired until he's in a pine box six feet underground.
So who will be the victor in tonight's big event?
Will it be the 35 year old Puerto Rican star, Trinidad (42-2,
35 KOs), who loves to stand in front of his opponents and trade
knock out blows but who has never fought above 160 lbs? Or will
it be perhaps the greatest pure talent the sport has ever seen,
the 39 year old Pensacola, Florida native, Jones (51-4, 38 KOs),
who dominated every division from 160 to 175 for a decade before
his superhuman reflexes began to fail him and he was caught on
the losing end of two devastating knock outs a few years ago to
Antonio Tarver and Glen Johnson? Can a big puncher in Trinidad,
who fought at 147 lbs almost his entire career beat a man in Jones
who captured a heavyweight title but never really faced a boxer
whose greatest attribute was his punching power? Can Jones, a
man whose ability to avoid punches and fire back from every angle
imaginable reacclimate to a world where his reflexes aren't what
they used to be in the face of a man who will hunt him down no
matter the cost? These are some of the many questions this bout
brings to mind. Even with no titles are on the line and both fighters
having seen better days, with such an air of uncertainty swirling,
Jones/Trinidad could be quite the barnburner.
My prediction for the fight:
Jones by TKO in 6.
I have made the mistake of thinking Jones will engage
with his opponents before and been burned badly as he merely laid
on the ropes, ran, and bought time until the fight went to the
score cards. This time is no different: Jones may run and hide
but I am picking him on the basis that at some point he will be
forced to stand and fight. Trinidad needs a knock out
of Jones to win, for his pride more than anything else, and I
believe his overeager approach toward gaining a KO will be his
downfall. Jones may not be the superman defensive tactition he
once was but his hand speed is still second to none. I believe
he will catch the leaning Trinidad early, gaining the confidence
he needs to put him away later in the fight. Tito, I think, will
lay it all on the line in the face of possible destruction by
the bigger man because that's just who Felix Trinidad has been.
If he does, as all watching hope, then this could be a very entertaining
fight. Jones will do some running, that is for certain,
but when his legs tire, as they surely will for a portion of every
round, he will be forced to trade with Tito or kiss the canvas.
Those exchanges will tell the tale of this fight, and I believe
the precision punching of Jones will be the difference. Tito has
a puncher's chance, but if Jones lets his hands go, as we all
hope he will, then Tito will be knocked out.
I have called Roy Jones, Jr. the greatest fighter
I have ever seen and tonight's bout will not take anything away
from that opinion. However, what tonight's fight can do is add
a little something extra to his legacy proving once and for all
that Jones can come back from adversity even when father time
tells him he can't. That final lingering question, can Roy Jones,
Jr. take a risk when his chips are down, makes tonight's bout
something more than a typical senior circuit event. Jones is running
out of second chances to back up his words with his actions, and
tonight may be his last. He knows it, we know it, and Felix Trinidad
knows it. I hope his fists find that all the motivation they need.
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Want to tell Hal Clarke he doesn't know anything
about anything? Or maybe you agree. Email him at halclarke@undependentmedia.com
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