Eight years too late? Without a doubt. Never late than never? Maybe, maybe not… This coming Saturday, even if you’re not tuning in, your inevitable habit of checking the message boards will resume when Roy Jones takes on Felix Trinidad at the famous Madison Square Garden in the city that never sleeps.
And regardless of the outcome and what some of you skeptics might claim, you and I are very aware, both Roy Jones and Felix Trinidad had already marked their place in the sport as two of the greatest prize fighters of the last decade.
Yes, the key term here is called ‘prize fighting’. The purpose here is to fight, and milk the most cash out of the cow. It’s not necessarily about what you or I want to see. And that’s how Roy Jones has always been. In that regards, you ought to respect him as one of the most financial successful stories in boxing considering his fan base has never been remotely close to that of an Oscar De La Hoya or a Mike Tyson. And as a self-managed fighter who has found success without a major promoter to back his claim throughout, Jones ought to be applauded for the business decisions he’s made thus far.
It didn’t take an MGT110 course to know this, and Roy’s very keen on what’s been brought to the table when Felix Trinidad decided to come out of retirement to call him out. And either he knows this or not, Puerto Ricans will pack the Garden, and Jones will gladly play the B-side of the equation without a strong fan support.
And it’s from my humble opinion to say that this event isn’t much different from Mayweather-Oscar, Vargas-Mayorga or Hopkins-Wright. Comparing historically, I think this is a notch above Leonard-Duran III. From a marketing standpoint, it still garners intrigue. From a financial standpoint, it also makes sense.
It’s what’s called an event. Delightful Trinidad fans will be graced by their beloved hero’s presence, while some might even be joyous to see Roy Jones perform in what could be his last meaningful fight. Does it hold any significance in the super middleweight or light heavyweight ranks? Perhaps not. Did Mayweather’s win over De La Hoya put the jr. middleweight division on notice? I don’t think so.
Legendary fighters, even in their imminent decline, present something to the public. And yes, the public will buy in. Even today, the headlines will include Mike Tyson before Wladimir Klitschko, whether it’s boxing related or not. There are subpar fighters, ordinary fighters, and club fighters. Then there are good fighters, very good fighters, and great fighters. But apart from that list, there are always the exceptional superstars, and we call them legends in the game.
Despite of its potential subsequent letdown, if it looks good on paper, folks will eventually cave in. In terms of excitement and live action, most journalists and reporters could’ve told you that Mayweather and De La Hoya weren’t going to generate one for the ages. But going out on a positive limb, it brought boxing back to the limelight. And even if it was for a couple of weeks, the sport finally retrieved its appeal to the mainstream and historically, it broke records on almost all accounts but the fireworks from the fight itself.
Certainly not in all cases, but in some cases, the built-up of the fight can be more critical and exciting than the outcome.
Further more on the subject, when two legends collide, there’s no secret as to why fans tune in. Perhaps it’s for one reason and one reason only. We gather friends in the living room or meet up at a local sports pub. Or if you’re a celebrity, you’ll be there at ringside to catch the action. For what exactly? Again, it’s just my opinion, but I would vouch for the sake of curiosity.
So my fellow scribes, fans, and other boxing aficionados, stop the whining and enjoy the fight for what it’s worth.
Trinidad fans ought to be thankful that they get another chance to see their man at the Garden. Those who’ve been there know the experience of a Trinidad event surrounded by the enchanting jeers of ‘Tito, Tito!’ Those who wish Roy Jones’ curtain call to close in a meaningful manner, here’s your chance to see the greatest of all time in his last hurrah.
To put an emphasis on the intrigue, if Trinidad somehow manages to knock Jones out, imagine the possibilities of the debates which would follow. Jones’ supporters will clamor on their icon’s age and decline and would probably suggest that Trinidad would be no match for ‘RJ’ in his prime. Vice versa, Trinidad followers will be enthused to tell you that had this bout taken place in 2001, Jones would met a similar fate.
Folks, this is what boxing is all about! For the sake of curiosity, hope, excitement, and never ending arguments!
May it be baseball, football, tennis or even volleyball, always remember our titans. Reflecting on the past, they’ve served us well. And as for their much needed farewell, well, they’ve certainly earned one. In Tito’s case, it might even be two or three.
MIRANDA EMPTIES BANKS
Had enough yet? Geez, how much wordplays were there on the post-fight coverage of last Friday’s ESPN telecast? But indeed, Edison Miranda proved his case as to why he’s one of the most dangerous bangers in the game. In dispatching last season’s ‘Contender’ participant David Banks, Miranda has put the super middleweight division on notice including his much publicized rival Jean Pascal, who fought on the undercard.
I’ll say this right now, although I’ve heard that Miranda is actually looking forward to meeting the winner of the Kelly Pavlik-Jermain Taylor rematch, I’d say go through with Pascal showdown in Montreal and make a case as a viable contender for the IBF titlist Lucian Bute.
Pascal seems to be 80% reflexes and 20% skills, and as it was shown in the later rounds, the limited David Pittman was able to expose some of the technical deficiencies and questionable chin and stamina of the Haitian-based Canadian.
A young Roy Jones, he’s not, a Zab Judah-lite he may be. Actually I take that back, this is almost as bad as Freddie Norwood’s Lil’ Hagler comparison.
FINAL MINUTE KNOCKDOWN
Well, it looks like the WBC light heavyweight title bout between Chad Dawson and Glen Johnson is officially a ‘go’ on April 12 th to be televised on Showtime. Antonio Tarver could also appear on the card, but from the sources I’ve read, Jeff Lacy is not going to be the opponent. Assuming all goes well, Bernard Hopkins is expected to meet Joe Calzaghe on the same night in a PPV telecast.
As far as these events are concerned, Hopkins-Calzaghe is without a doubt, the much more significant matchup, but in terms of action and its validity to the light heavyweight division, the Dawson-Johnson bout garners more pugilistic interest.
There’s still no opponent for Miguel Cotto for his planned April date, but I’ve heard names like Alfonso Gomez and Kermit Cintron in the mix. Speaking of welterweights, the former WBA champion, Luis Collazo is set to make his return on the Jones-Trinidad undercard, taking on Edvan Barros. Also on the card is former IBO cruiserweight champion Ezra Sellers attempting to resume his comeback on a winning route as he’s set to face ‘knock out of the year’ victim, Emanuelle Nwodo.