|
|
 Papa Trinidad Closes Out Career with Oquendo — For Now
By Johnnie Whitehead (December 15, 2002)
 Send this page to friend Give us your feedback
LAS VEGAS, Dec. 14 — It wasn't a picture perfect farewell for Papa Trinidad.
Still, his last Puerto Rican charge, Fres Oquendo, got the win in scoring a stoppage at the end of the 11th round against rugged Brazilian George Arias at Atlantic City's Boardwalk Hall.
"I never seen him fight in my life. I didn't prepare for this fight like I did for David Tua," says Oquendo, who was about 20 pounds heavier for his first fight back since losing to the Samoan. "But the guy came to win."
Arias looked like a cruiserweight, but you'd never know it by the way the bout unfolded. He came forward and roughed up Oquendo on the inside exchanges. He was willing to take two to give one. The few times he actually let his hands go he looked like he could be the stronger of the two.
"After I got my second wind I got stronger and I cut him and that was it," said Oquendo, who probably will fight next on the undercard of the March 1 John Ruiz-Roy Jones card in Las Vegas. "He gave me a couple solid shots. I guess my neck got stronger from absorbing those right hands."
Arias didn't always cut off the ring well and handcuffed his offense with his high guard. But after giving away all the early rounds -- and surviving a third-round knockdown from a right hand high on the head -- a bad cut on his right eye halted the contest. Angry swelling and bruising developed under his eye, and Arias -- his head wrapped in gauze to stop the bleeding -- was taken to a local hospital for observation.
Oquendo attempted to punch through Arias' guard and wing right hands to momentarily punch himself out. He got dinged by a right hand in the sixth and was holding his mouth open by the seventh round. Oquendo, however, regained his footing by the 11th.
Oquendo continued the lateral movement but sat more on his punches. A left hook opened up Arias' eye, and series of right hands left his face crimson. When the bell sounded for the 12th, he wasn't allowed to continue.
Not the kind of sendoff one would imagine for the legendary Trinidad, but one that both parties are content with nonetheless. But he could return for spot duty if Oquendo calls in the future.
"He's been in the game for 30 something years and I understand, but I've had such a good relationship with him," said Oquendo. "If I fight Ruiz for the (WBA) heavyweight championship he'll definitely be in my corner."
A stoic Trinidad went about the business of packing his belongings as if it's just another night at the fights. No outpouring of emotion, just a business-as-usual approach. "I'm retiring from boxing and expect to be out," said Papa, who again was steadfast in repeating his son, Tito, would not return.
"Just in the case of Fres Oquendo, for special fights if they need my help I will help Fres. It began with the retire of Tito. I had to leave my fighters with other good people and stay a little bit more."
* Lamon Brewster TKO 3 Tommy Martin: Brewster was at a significant height disadvantage, but Martin was severely hampered in the most important category -- talent. Brewster (28-2, 25 KOs) scored two knockdowns in the second round and cleaned up Martin (23-3, 17 KOs) with a pair of hooks for the third and final knockdown as referee Eddie Cotton stopped the heavyweight contest at 2:05. The onslaught began when Brewster caught Martin coming forward in the second round, landing an overhand right on top of a low, lazy left hand. Martin barely survived, and Brewster jammed him with a shotgun jab in the third to start his final descent.
* Syd Vanderpool TKO 2 Jaffa Ballogou: A beautifully timed counter right hook short-circuited Ballogou (40-5, 35 KOs), who looked like he was playing a game of Twister as he tried to no avail to untangle himself. Referee Benjie Estevez called a halt to the super middleweight bout at 1:51. There weren't many punches landed -- as expected with two southpaws -- but Vanderpool (33-2, 22 KOs) was more aggressive from the outset. Ballogou floated a soft jab as he backed Vanderpool against the ropes, and then the counter ended matters.
*Louis Azille W 8 Sam Reese: It's scoring such as this that warrants federal investigations. Though Azille (18-1-2, 15 KOs) dominated from start to finish and beat Reese like a bongo, judge Calvin Claxton scored it 76-76. Fortunately, judges Al DeVito and Alan Rubenstein were actually watching the one-sided assault (78-73). The southpaw Reese (6-5-3, 3 KOs) was too upright and left his chin exposed, but Azille could never put him down. Azille stalked throughout, landing with hooks at will and scoring to the body. Reese did just enough to prevent referee Benji Esteves from stopping the contest, punching defensively in hopes of keeping Azille off his chest. Esteves deducted a point from Azille in the fifth for low blows.
* Faruq Saleem TKO 1 Richie Jero: A right hand flattened Jero at 2:23, leaving him face down folded over the bottom rope. Though Saleem (30-0, 26 KOs), managed by Butch Lewis, has an impressive record, is ranked in the top 20 heavyweights by the WBA and is a veteran of many fights, Jero (12-3, 7 KOs) hardly seemed to be a worthy opponent at this stage of the heavyweight's development. Saleem's previous victory was a third-round knockout of Craig Tomlinson.
* Owen Beck TKO 5 Craig Tomlinson: Johnny Bench wasn't even close when it came to the art of catching, which explains why Tomlinson is a popular heavyweight opponent. Tomlinson (23-13-1, 13 KOs) was so offensively unqualified that referee Benjie Estevez called a halt at 2:20 during a break in the action.
"Too many headshots," Estevez said afterward. "He wasn't responding." Beck (17-0, 13 KOs), a shifty, defensively slick fighter, raked him with right hands at will, and it was unfortunate for Tomlinson that 'What the Heck' Beck wasn't more assertive earlier or a better puncher. He could've put him out of misery much sooner.
Contact Johnnie Whitehead at BoxingSoulChild@aol.com
Discuss this Topic - Go to the forums
|
