With typical hyperbole, Don King introduced Felix "Tito" Trinidad as someone who is loved by everyone in the boxing world.
Well, everyone except Ricardo Mayorga, who was sitting about 6m to Trinidad's left.
"Tito has been knocked out ever since he signed that contract," said Mayorga, Trinidad's opponent in Saturday's middleweight fight that could be one of the highlights of the boxing year. "Once a car wrecks, it does not have the same value as before."
Mayorga, the former WBA and WBC welterweight champion, believes Trinidad lost his skills when he retired 29 months ago. To emphasize his confidence about beating the Puerto Rican star, Mayorga offered to bet "anyone who wants" US$1 million on the outcome of the 12-round bout.
The Nicaraguan even did a tap dance on a poster of Trinidad at Wednesday's news conference and wrote KO next to Trinidad's picture.
"When Tito falls and there is two to three seconds of silence, the only thing you'll hear is the old man (Trinidad's father and trainer, also named Felix) stepping up to the ring," Mayorga said, "to take care of his son."
Mayorga is known for his unpredictable behavior in and out of the ring. A smoker, he often has lit up cigarettes after fights. During bouts, he's been known to drop his glove and stick out his chin, daring an opponent to hit it.
Trinidad, who has 34 knockouts among his 41 victories (and one loss, to middleweight champion Bernard Hopkins), will gladly oblige Mayorga if so challenged.
"Tito is not coming to play in the ring," Trinidad promised. "He's coming to fight and will be hitting very hard [against] any challengers -- even more when they have a big mouth. This is the case even more with Mayorga.
"He doesn't understand with whom he'll be in the ring."
Mayorga (27-4-1, 23 KOs) will be in the ring with one of New York's most popular fighters.
Although the 31-year-old Trinidad grew up and lives in Puerto Rico, he has spent much time in the US.
Shohei Ohtani and Clayton Kershaw on Friday joined their Los Angeles Dodgers teammates in sticking their fists out to show off their glittering World Series rings at a ceremony. “There’s just a lot of excitement, probably more than I can ever recall with the Dodger fan base and our players,” manager Dave Roberts said before Los Angeles rallied to beat the Detroit Tigers 8-5 in 10 innings. “What a way to cap off the first two days of celebrations,” Roberts said afterward. “By far the best opening week I’ve ever experienced. I just couldn’t have scripted it any better.” A choir in the
The famously raucous Hong Kong Sevens are to start today in a big test for a shiny new stadium at the heart of a major US$3.85 billion sports park in the territory. Officials are keeping their fingers crossed that the premier event in Hong Kong’s sporting and social calendar goes off without a hitch at the 50,000-seat Kai Tak Stadium. They hope to entice major European soccer teams to visit in the next few months, with reports in December last year saying that Liverpool were in talks about a pre-season tour. Coldplay are to perform there next month, all part of Hong Kong’s
Shohei Ohtani, Teoscar Hernandez and Tommy Edman on Thursday smashed home runs to give the reigning World Series champions the Los Angeles Dodgers a 5-4 victory over Detroit on the MLB’s opening day in the US. The Dodgers, who won two season-opening games in Tokyo last week, raised their championship banner on a day when 28 clubs launched the season in the US. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts shuffled his batting lineup with all four leadoff hitters finally healthy as Ohtani was followed by Mookie Betts, then Hernandez and Freddie Freeman in the cleanup spot, switching places with Hernandez. “There’s a Teoscar tax to
Marcus Rashford’s first goals for Aston Villa on Sunday inspired a 3-0 win against Preston North End that sent his side into the FA Cup semi-finals for the first time in 10 years. Rashford struck twice in the second half at Deepdale to end Preston’s stubborn resistance before Jacob Ramsey wrapped up Villa’s long-awaited return to the last four. Villa are to face Crystal Palace — 3-0 winners at Fulham on Saturday — in the semi-finals at Wembley Stadium in London. Revitalized since joining Villa on loan from Manchester United during the January transfer window, Rashford is beginning to show the form that
RSS