TalkingBoxing Interviews
Talking Boxing with WINKY WRIGHT
THU JUNE 2, GARTH WEAVER - After the second round, the undisputed jr. middleweight champ knew it was his fight to lose. The 15-year veteran coming off a pair of wins over Shane Mosley would end up securing a WBC #1 ranking at middleweight with an improbable shut-out decision over Felix Trinidad. The resounding performance may line up middleweight champ Bernard Hopkins and Ronald 'Winky' Wright is willing and able.
"I want to fight Bernard [Hopkins], and then if Jermain [Taylor] wins, then I guess it be Jermain, but it is better for me that I fight Bernard because he is the bigger name, bigger draw," said Wright, who believes a re-match with Fernando Vargas and a bout with Oscar De la Hoya are out of the question.
Wright, 49-3, who has travled the world in search of fame and in defense of his titles, is a win away from legendary status. Beating Mosley [twice], Trinidad and Hopkins in a row would be a trio of our generation's best wins.
Yesterday, I was fortunate enough to speak with this great champ and if I can say one thing, Wright is just as quick to the point outside the ropes, as he is inside the ropes. Wright was greatful and kind enough to take a few short minutes out of his busy schedule to talk some boxing with TalkingBoxing. Without a doubt, Wright got his points across on his future intentions.
Garth Weaver: Well Winky, I want to thank you for taking the time to be talking boxing with me and the fans, and more importantly, congratulations on your big win over Felix Trinidad...
Winky Wright: Hey man, I appreciate it, I appreciate it...
Garth Weaver: What would you say you say in training you used the most to your advantage to pitch such a shutout against Trinidad?
Winky Wright: Well I just worked on everything. Like I say, it is better to have everything than to have one thing, so I just worked on everything and then prepared myself for Tito's power, and it worked for me.
Garth Weaver: What round was it that you realized that he (Trinidad) was going to be in front of you and relatively easy to hit for the rest of the fight.
Winky Wright: After the second round.
Garth Weaver: So you just knew he was going to be right there and you could excercise your plan to the fullest, huh?
Winky Wright: Yeah, I knew I could just relax and be me.
Garth Weaver: So what is a typical day like in your training camp? What all goes on while Winky Wright is in training?
Winky Wright: We in there training, we train hard in the morning, then do another workout in the afternoon, then another workout at night. Hard work, it is alot of hard work.
Garth Weaver: Well, lets hypothetically say that Trinidad wanted to take a rematch with you, is there anything you would do differently or would you just excercise the same plan?
Winky Wright: I wouldn't do anything differently, (Laughing) Why try to fix somethin' that ain't broke? Like I said, I go back and work on everything and just stay sharp, so if he comes with a different game plan I be ready for that.
Garth Weaver: Well talking some other boxing, what did you think of Lamon Brewsters big win over Andrew Golota?
Winky Wright: Oh, it was great! I wanna congratulate Lamon, cause we trained together in the gym everyday, we both were training at the same gym, so I'm glad he did his thing, you know what I mean?
Garth Weaver: Also, how about the Ricky Hatton- Kostya Tszyu fight, and then the Gatti-Mayweather fight? Who do like in those fights and why?
Winky Wright: Well the Kostya Tszyu fight, I'll be at that fight, I think Kostya Tszyu will win the fight. Ricky Hatton, I really don't know him, I heard of him, I heard he is an exciting fighter, but I just think Kostya Tszyu is a sharp power puncher and I don't think Ricky Hatton has seen anything like that, so, I got to go with Kostya Tszyu. Then the Mayweather fight, I gotta go with Mayweather because I think he is a great boxer and I just think he can just box circles around Gatti, and if Gatti dont catch him with nothing devastating, then it'll be a shutout.
Garth Weaver: Well going back to you, there are some that are clamoring for a rematch with Fernando Vargas or even a fight with Oscar De La Hoya. Are those 2 fights potentially in the future that you might like to take?
Winky Wright: Well Fernando Vargas is out of the question, and De La Hoya, I haven't heard anything about De La Hoya fighting me. De la Hoya is talking about fighting at (1)47 and all that, you know I fight at (1)54'-160 I haven't heard anything about a De La Hoya fight.
Garth Weaver: Well getting back to the Middleweight division, do you see yourself staying there for a little while?
Winky Wright: If Bernard Hopkins wins his fight and wants to fight, then I'll campaign at middleweight. But, you know I am fighting the best fights out there for me.
Garth Weaver: Well that brings me to my next question: So that's who you want, the winner out of (Bernard) Hopkins and Jermain Taylor?
Winky Wright: I want to fight Bernard, and then if Jermain wins, then I guess it be Jermain, but it is better for me that I fight Bernard because he is the bigger name, bigger draw.
Garth Weaver: So Middleweight conquest is in your immediate future?
Winky Wright: Could be...
Well, there you have it folks! It looks like if Bernard Hopkins gets by Jermain Taylor on HBO in July, then fans could have the pleasure of seeing two of the finest athletes in the sport of boxing, fighting for middleweight supremacy.
I would like to thank Winky for taking the time out of his schedule, and especially Damien for making this interview happen. Winky may be a man of few words, and rightfully so, as his fists do most of the talking. We all look forward to a big, big year in the Middleweight Division in 2005. A little Hopkins-Wright would end the year
