Written By Puerto Rican Lead Journalist Luis Cadiz
Photo: Chris Farina Top Rank
I was looking through my closet a few moments ago, getting
tomorrow’s work clothes in order, when I stumbled upon a shirt
that was hanging towards the back of the closet. “The Wright
Choice. The Wright Challenge”. Saturday, May 14th, 2005, it
reads on the back. TRINIDAD VS. WRIGHT in big bold
letters cover the rest of the back of the shirt and on the
front, a PIC of both fighters with the same bold lettering
beneath the photo. In smaller case letters above the picture it
reads, TITO, TITO. Memories of Felix “Tito” Trinidad’s
fights began to rush through my mind and a hint of that feeling
we Puerto Ricans get when we remember his bouts. That feeling
that I am referring to is just pure emotion. When this man
fought, the island would stand still. When he would win, it was
a celebration, damn near a national holiday the following
Monday. But when he would loose, which happened only twice in
his illustrious career, it was a day of national morning. Felix
Trinidad announced his retirement on May 16th, 2005, after
losing a lop-sided unanimous decision to Ronald “Winky” Wright
wrong choice, wrong challenge. Since his retirement, boxing fans
around the globe, especially here on the island, eagerly await
his successor.
Fast forward to this upcoming Saturday, December 2nd, 2006.
On one hand, we have Miguel El Angel Cotto from Caguas, Puerto
Rico. A former WBO
Junior Welterweight champion who successfully defended his title
six times before deciding to move up to the welters. He
currently owns an unblemished record of 27 wins with 22 KO’s and
at one moment he was considered to be the ”heir apparent” to
Tito’s throne. I can clearly remember HBO claiming, in their
Boxing After Dark commercials, that Cotto was a prodigy. But a
wobbly performance against Demarcus “Chop-Chop” Corley on
February 6th, 2005, alarmed both HBO and the boxing public.
Almost four months later, he had to put some extra effort in
pounding out a 9th round TKO win over Mohamad Abdulaev. Then the
unexpected happened, on September 24th of the same year, Cotto
was rocked and visited the canvas for the first time in his
career when he faced the Colombian powerhouse, Ricardo
“Mochuelo” Torres. “Mochuelo” Torres flooredCotto in the 3rd,
had him holding on for dear life in the 5th, but then he
succumbed to a TKO loss in the 7th. Cotto looked vulnerable, the
prodigy status disappeared and people here on the island began
doubting his potential as the next Puerto Rican boxing idol. He
raised his status a bit with the Gianlucca Branco massacre this
past March 4th, 2006, which was fought here on the island. But
three months later, he couldn’t stop the surprisingly durable
Paul Malinaggi in Madison Square Garden. Team Cotto claims that
it’s all a weight issue and that with the jump up to the
welters, Miguel Cotto will go back to his dominating and
destructive ways.
On the other hand, we have Carlos “El Indio” Quintana from Moca,
Puerto Rico. Carlos is coming off a very impressive unanimous
decision win over the highly regarded Joel Julio. He has an
undefeated record with 23 wins and 18 KO’s. “El Indio” is a
crafty and uncomfortable lefty that has fought his whole career
at welterweight. The reason that we don’t know more about him is
because of promotional problems, at one point in his career he
was promoted by the now defunct Sugar Ray Leonard Promotions.
Come December 2nd, Carlos “El Indio” Quintana is looking to
change that situation and leave his mark both in boxing and on
Cotto.
Now the real winners on Saturday, December 2nd, will be the
Puerto Rican boxing fans.
Why? Because no matter who wins, a Puerto Rican is becoming a
WBA welterweight champion that night. If Cotto wins, and
depending how he wins, he will become a big time boxing star
here on the island, but he won’t be at that “Tito” superstar
level, at least not yet. He has to work on certain things,
outside of the ring, to gain national acceptance. If Miguel
Cotto wins on Saturday night he wins, but if he loses, he loses
big. A loss will only substantiate the doubts that people here
on the island have had on their minds since the Corley fight.
If Carlos “El Indio” Quintana wins, he takes a commanding role
as the head of the Puerto Rican pack of boxers who carry the
country on their backs every time they step into the ring. Not
exactly “Tito” status, but “Hero” status. Quintana projects
humility, he’s a family man; he’s a working man (he still works
in the gas station in his hometown of Moca), he’s accessible and
he’s outgoing. A loss for “El Indio”, depending on how he loses,
is not as devastating as it would be for Cotto. As a matter of
fact, a hard fought loss to Cotto will raise his stock. Quintana
has much to gain and little to lose.
Regardless of who wins December 2nd, on Sunday, December 3rd,
the island of Puerto Rico will embrace a native son turned WBA
welterweight champion and whoever it is, superstardom is in his
path. But for one of these Boricua boxers in
particular, acceptance within the Puerto Rican people is easier
achieved for him than it is for his counterpart. Time will tell.
Good night and God Bless
Luis M. Cadiz Sr.
