by Richard McManus
10/1 - On Saturday night Felix "Tito" Trinidad (41-1, 34KO) will lace up the gloves one more time in a comeback fight that offers the prospect of danger and intrigue for the boxing public. His opponent is the tough and rugged brawler Ricardo "El Matador" Mayorga (27-4, 23KO). The fight is at the Middleweight level.

It also offers the boxing power structure a chance at another Pay Per View fight card a mere two weeks removed from the last major Pay Per View. They must think we're made of money.

It's Trinidad's first fight in nearly two and a half years. His last fight was a four round blowout of the guardian of the third tier, Hassine Cherifi. Mayorga's last fight came as he won a unanimous 10 round decision against the extremely limited Eric Mitchell. Mitchell boasts losses on his record to the likes of Dwain Williams (24-5). What does this have to do with Trinidad? We'll have to see.

Most fans know Mayorga as a brawler and a slugger who exhibits an extreme lack of knowledge for the boxing instruction manual as well as an extreme lack of respect for his opponents. He often brags of his lack of training as well as the fact that he is an avid smoker. We also know him as a guy that is not afraid to get hit a little; in fact it seems to be part of his plan.

Mayorga's reputation was made primarily on his second fight with Andrew "Six Heads" Lewis and on his first fight with Vernon Forrest. "Six Heads" was best known for his 5th round TKO win against the over the hill James Page. And where Mayorga did win many fans and admirers in his 3 round surprise destruction of Forrest he was just as quickly exposed as perhaps the most one-dimensional fighter in recent memory in the 12 round majority decision loss to the extremely soft-hitting Cory Spinks.

It should be said that all of the three fights mentioned above were fought at the Welterweight limit of 147 pounds. That makes perfect sense considering the fact that Mayorga is a natural Welterweight who began his career at the 140-pound limit.

So logically the perfect fight for Ricardo would be the "loaded gloved one".., I mean...the hard-hitting Tito.

Tito is a fighter that doesn't really need much introduction. And despite the thorough "working over" he received by Bernard Hopkins back in 2001 has clearly and inarguably done enough to earn hall of fame status. He has wins over Maurice Blocker, Yory Boy Campas, Oba Carr, Ray Lovato, David Reid, Oscar de la Hoya, Fernando Vargas and Pernell Whitaker. He's the only guy to ever work over Whitaker even though Whitaker was essentially finished at the time. Well, Diosbelys Hurtado dominated him pretty well. But once Whitaker caught a glimpse of disappearing dollar signs he nearly knocked the kid unconscious.

So in spite of the hall of fame resume Tito still finds it necessary enter the squared circle and risk it all. And against a guy who fights like he's risking nothing.

Many are saying that Trinidad's shaky chin and notoriously slow starting style will play directly into the hand of the no holds barred fighting style of the Nicaraguan. They're saying that two years and a half years are too long and that Trinidad couldn't possibly have the hunger anymore.

Lest we all forget: Trinidad hits with devastating power. Don't you remember what happened to William Joppy? He was rubber-legged practically doing somersaults to try to counteract gravity as Tito unleashed the big guns. And David Reid: Actually I choose not to remember too much about that fight. What's too painful to remember, we simply choose to forget. And then there was the war with Vargas. It was simply the incredible will of Fernando that allowed him to hold out until the 12th.

The fact of the matter is that if the Felix Trinidad we all know shows up on Saturday it will be a short night. Mayorga simply gets hit too much and Trinidad will make him pay dearly as he gets him out of there inside 4 rounds. Tito by early KO.

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