WINKY WRIGHT SAYS THE WINKY OF OLD IS STILL HERE
By John McCormick

Former world junior middleweight champion Ronald "Winky" Wright returns to the ring next Saturday to take on undefeated "Kid Chocolate" Peter Quillin. The last time boxing fans saw Wright was when he got dominated by Paul Williams in April 2009. Three years later, Wright doesn't expect any ring rust and is confident that he is still the man that we saw shut Shane Mosley and Felix Trinidad out years ago. "Oh, the Winky of 2004 is still here. Tune in on June 2nd," said Wright during a media conference call earlier this week. "I have a great opponent that will bring it out of me.  I didn't pick a bum to come out and fight, I picked a kid that is undefeated, that is hungry, that wants to prove to the world that he's a great fighter. He's going to have to do that June 2."

"I wasn't really retired yet," Wright continued. "I thought if I wanted to get back in the ring, I had to do it and do it now.  I just turned 40 so if I'm going to do this, I have to do it.  We're glad to get an opponent like Peter. I'm here to prove that I want to fight the best. I'm not coming back just to fight and get a win, I want to fight the best. I want to be champion.  If I can't be champion there's no reason to do this."

It appears as if Wright has joined the line of fighters who are defying the odds and who are continuing to fight into their 40s. Recently, we have seen Bernard Hopkins, Antonio Tarver, and many others compete on a championship level well into their 40s. Wright is glad to join the club. "The game has evolved.  Training is totally different.  Fighting is totally different.  You have to look at the individual, not how old the individual is and see how they fight.  All you can do is watch them fight and see what happens."

Whether Wright has a realistic understanding of his limitations is still yet to be seen. What is clear is that he believes he can still compete at an elite level, and that's what it all starts off with: a belief.

Wright went on to say "I got two hands and he has two hands.  When we step in the ring we have to be prepared to do whatever it takes to win.  Whoever can adjust and dictate what they want to happen in the fight is going to win the fight.  I want to fight the best.  I want a title shot.  If I don't get a title shot then what I'm doing is not necessary.  If you're not here to win titles and win belts then you're just doing it for the fun of it."

Next week we shall see another round of youth vs experience and if Wright still has what it takes to defy the odds.

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