'Show me'
Whitaker, the challenger, not convinced by Trinidad
Posted: Thursday February 18, 1999 07:28 PM
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Whitaker (far right) meets the undefeated Trinidad in an attempt to become welterweight world champion for a second time. AP |
NEW YORK (AP) - Pernell Whitaker's attitude toward Felix
Trinidad Jr. is: "Show me."
"I don't know anything about him," the 35-year-old former
champion in four weight classes said about Trinidad, whom he will
challenge Saturday night in Madison Square Garden.
"I haven't watched any tapes of his fights. Whatever he has he
will show me Saturday night."
Whatever Trinidad has, Whitaker makes it clear it will not be
enough to win.
"He will be trying to beat me, it's just that nobody has,"
said Whitaker (41-2-1, 17 knockouts), who is convinced he won
losing decisions against Jose Luis Ramirez and Oscar De La Hoya as well as a draw against Julio Cesar Chavez.
Nobody has beaten Trinidad (33-0, 28 knockouts), controversially
or otherwise.
Trinidad's father, the champion's trainer, has gone to the
videotape.
"I've watched them all, especially the last one," he said.
Whitaker's last fight, his first after losing the WBC
welterweight title to De La Hoya, was a 12-round decision over
Andre Pestriaev. That win was supposed to earn him a shot at then
WBA champion Ike Quartey, but he tested positive for cocaine and
ended up in drug-alcohol rehabilitation in 1998, a year in which he
also got a suspended sentence for reckless driving.
Whitaker won't discuss his out-of-ring problems, although the
senor Trinidad did - briefly.
"He's still a good boxer, but the drugs and alcohol have taken
their toll," he said. "But Whitaker still has pride."
"He's a little bit slower, but he's still strong," the
champion said of Whitaker. "He has experience."
Whitaker also is left-handed, but Trinidad said, "I don't think
that's any problem. I've fought left-handers before."
Trinidad, at 5-foot-10, also has physical
advantages over the 5-6 Whitaker.
The questions about Whitaker are whether his experience can
overcome the erosion of his talent by age, a long layoff and his
lifestyle.
In Trinidad's case, it's whether youth, speed, power and pride
overcome a lack of experience against world-class opposition,
especially the last four years when he won seven fights in fewer
than 23 full rounds.
It will be Trinidad's 12th defense of the title he won by
knocking out Maurice Blocker in the second round on June 19, 1993.
Whitaker will be trying to become a welterweight champion for
the second time. He also has held world titles as a lightweight,
junior welterweight and junior middleweight.
The fight will be televised by HBO, but it will be preceded by a
rebroadcast of De La Hoya's split-decision win over Quartey on
Saturday in Las Vegas.
In another title match, which won't be televised, IBF junior
welterweight champion Vince Phillips will fight Terronn Millett.
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