After two wins over Mosley, Winky Wright wants the biggest names who have eluded him.
By JOHN C. COTEY
Published November 22, 2004
LAS VEGAS - After 51 fights, many against nameless opponents in foreign countries, and after 19 title fights and HBO exposure and two wins over Shane Mosley, St. Petersburg's Winky Wright had a question for the biggest names in the boxing game. How about now?
"Stop talking the talk and walk the walk," Wright told the audience at his postfight news conference Saturday, addressing his comments to those who "know who they are. We ain't got to call them by name."
But everyone knew who he meant: Felix "Tito" Trinidad, Oscar De La Hoya and Bernard Hopkins, in that order.
Wright may have finally earned the $5-million or so payday he has been seeking for years after another impressive showing against Mosley at Mandalay Bay.
Using a precise right jab and mixing it up inside, Wright defended his WBA and WBC junior middleweight title belts Saturday night with a 115-113, 115-113, 114-114 majority decision.
Had Mosley won the last round on two of the judges' scorecards instead of just one, he would have forced a majority draw. And going into the 10th round, Wright trailed on two cards.
If that wasn't enough to make the Wright supporters a little edgy, there was the fifth round in which the typically business-like Wright dropped his hands and clowned around as Mosley teed off with two vicious shots that threatened to end the fight.
But Mosley didn't land the punch, missing his best chance in 24 rounds with Wright, and the champion closed strong, dominating every statistical punch category and winning the final three rounds on one card and two of three on the others.
Wright made $1.6-million, still less than half of the challenger Mosley.
Now, he is ready for the fight, and payday, of his life.
"I want Tito first," Wright said. "I want Tito first because he's looked the sharpest. And I think after this fight, me and Tito can be a nice mega fight.
Trinidad is tentatively scheduled to fight Felix Sturm. "We can do it after that, maybe this time next year," Wright said.
Labeled a boring fighter his entire career, Wright has emerged his last two fights as much more. He tactically destroyed Mosley in the first meeting and stood toe to toe with him in the second; two entertaining fights that could make him an HBO regular.
Wright appears likely to pursue a fight that may cost him his title belts. He has no interest in fighting mandatory contenders. The IBF stripped him this year for not fighting a mandatory, even after Wright defended his title against the likes of Jason Papillion, Juan Candelo and Angel Hernandez the last three years while the big fights eluded him.
"I've won every belt," Wright said. "Look at my record. I won the WBO, the WBC, the WBA, the IBF, the USBF, the NABF ... it ain't about the belts no more. It's got to be about proving yourself to the people. I'm trying to fight the best in my era."
Wright acknowledged IBF champ Kassim Ouma in the crowd, and said he deserved a shot. "But like I said," he added, "it's a money chase right now. We're on a paper chase. Listen, I'm from the hood, and it's time to get paid."
Wright is free of contractual obligations to any promoter or manager, he said, though he still refers to James Prince as his manager.
He didn't rule out a third fight with Mosley, maybe a parting gift for the former champion's hospitality and role in leading Wright to the top of the boxing world.
"I have to thank Shane Mosley for giving me the chance, because without him I'd still be fighting on ESPN in West Virginia somewhere," Wright said.
