De La Hoya vs Vargas

It didn't make since to Fisher why the Trinidad's were so insistent on not rewrapping the hand because obviously they knew the rules. They have been in enough of these big fights to know that a representative from the other camp is allowed to be in the room while they are wrapping Tito's hand. Even if the New York Commission's Representative didn't know any better, the Trinidads definitely did. The Trinidads went so far as to actually say, "If we have to rewrap Tito's hand then there will be no fight."
Why was this left hand wrapping so important to the Trinidads?
Finally, after the head commissioner became involved the Trinidads were told to either rewrap the left hand or the fight was off. After much argument, they finally agreed to rewrap the hand with a member from the Hopkins team present.
Tito was made to remove his glove and the prior wrapping in front of Hopkins representative Naazim Richardson who noticed that the wrap looked very thick and when he felt it he says it was as hard as a rock. All the sudden it became very clear why they had tried to get away with wrapping the left hand without anyone from the Hopkins camp watching and also why they didn't want to remove it and rewrap the hand.
Don Felix began to rewrap the hand again, but Richardson noticed that Don Felix was putting layers of tape and then gauze, tape and then gauze, tape and then gauze which is not in accordance with NYSAC rules. The rules stipulate tape cannot be applied directly over the knuckles, and that repeating the process several times (is not permitted).

In an interview with Bernard Fernandez of Philly.com, Hopkins said, "If you put on tape, then gauze, then tape, then gauze, it's like a [plaster] cast. It's like being hit with a baseball bat. I'm giving out some secrets here, but you can dip your hands in ice water and that tape will, like, marinate and become harder. But it's only cheating if you get caught. Personally, I think Vargas' and Reid's people dropped the ball. Naazim did a brilliant job in spotting what [Felix Trinidad Sr.] was doing with the wraps." Don Felix was also putting tape on the skin and over the knuckles, both of which are not in accordance with NYSAC rules. New York's head commissioner put his foot down and made Don Felix wrap in strict accordance to the rules.
Don Felix has insisted in several interviews that, "I have always wrapped Tito's hands this way and nobody else has ever said anything."
That’s like saying, I beat my wife all the time and I've never got in trouble for it before. Now, all the sudden you guys want to make a big deal out this. That's just not right, I'm a respectable man.
In a recent interview of Don Felix by Gerardo M. Avila-Planas and David Mesqueue., Don Felix was asked, "Do you think that the Hopkins camp did it (made them rewrap Tito's hand) to get to you psychologically?" and he answered, "Well, it got to us a little because, since I couldn’t place the tape that I usually place on Tito’s hand... I had to add some more gauze to make a type of pillow... This tends to take away some of the power in the punch."
There are a couple really important things in this statement by Don Felix.
First, he admits that the New York Commission wouldn't allow him to wrap the hands like he ALWAYS DOES. There can only be one reason for him not being allowed to wrap the hands that way - it was illegal. Therefore, if that is how he ALWAYS wrapped Tito's hands in the past, the assumption that he always wrapped illegally is not far-fetched. But this time he was forced to wrap the hands in strict accordance to NYSAC rules.

Second, he admits that not being able to use the layers and to put the tape on the skin and over the knuckles, "TENDS TO TAKE AWAY SOME OF THE POWER IN THE PUNCH." So he admits that with the illegal wrapping Tito is able to hit harder.
Finally, he also admits, that not only does the illegal wrap allow Tito to hit harder, but it PREVENTS TITO'S HANDS FROM OPENING ON IMPACT" which actually provides more protection for his hand. So while most fighters have to worry about hitting a fighter on the top of the head in fear of hurting their hands, Tito's hands have extra power and extra protection from illegal hand wraps.
You may think, "Oh Well," it's over. He wrapped the hands illegally, he got caught and was made to rewrap legally - no harm - no foul.
Not exactly.
First of all, Don Felix insists that he is going to continue to wrap Tito's hands the way he has always wrapped them - which is of course, illegally. In the same interview quoted above, Don Felix is asked straight out, "Will you be wrapping Tito’s hands differently for this upcoming fight with Cherifi?" and to my absolute amazement his answer was, "No, we’ll be doing it the same way we’ve always done it because I believe that we wouldn’t have the same problems we had for the last fight. That controversy was really done to fill our heads with too many things at the same time. It was like a type of terrorism in a time when terrorism was in the United States. It was boxing terrorism."
I don't see how you can blame Hopkins for not allowing them to wrap Tito's left hand without anyone from his camp being there. Hown one day the cops come and arrest you just after one of your sparring sessions on her face, you can't blame the cops for terrorizing you just because you got away with it all the other times.
If the wraps were illegal, then they will be and always have been illegal. That is as long as they are in the United States. Which brings up a very interesting twist.

 

He did always come to fight. Vargas just had weight problems and back injuries that cut his carreer short. He had Oscar early though in that fight.

 

and when i was pissed i probably said i could nail tyson ( i was heavy as an AM)...it doesn't make it so, does it?

 

he never fouled as much as hopkins. hopkins spent 99% of a round fouling and 1% punching

 

I wouldn't say he had him. He did have some seccess in the second half of the first round, enough to win it.

He won the third and the fifth. He then didn't win another round untill the 9th which by the way I believe no other fighter had ever won a round against DLH so dominantly. But after the 9th he didn't win anymore.

I had the fight 7 rounds to 4 for De La Hoya.

 

Uli again if you were to wrap any current top fighter hands in a diffrent manner especially if they are a power puncher there power can be reduced not because they were doing anything illegally before.

 

But if you went fronm having casts to having normal wraps I'm sure it can make a difference.

"Tito was made to remove his glove and the prior wrapping in front of Hopkins representative Naazim Richardson who noticed that the wrap looked very thick and when he felt it he says it was as hard as a rock. All the sudden it became very clear why they had tried to get away with wrapping the left hand without anyone from the Hopkins camp watching and also why they didn't want to remove it and rewrap the hand."

 

Yes that's someone from Hopkins camp saying that it holds no weight to me, Hopkins always tries to get in the heads of his opponents the handwrap situation was just another one of Hopkins schemes.

 

Okay dude. You believe Tito a well known cheater, I'll believe the experts.:good

Put it this way. If this could go to trial, Tito would be found Guilty.

 

Anyone but me thought Vargas was never really in the fight?

Other than DelaHoya being off balanced in the 1st round, DelaHoya dominated, the HBO crew was really reaching for Fernando.

 

bump

 

It's an uderrated fight.

I enjoy watching it just as much seeing it the first time whenever I throw it on.

 

That fight was an instant classic ..It was a grudge match with two Latin Icons ..It couldn't of been better for any boxing fan .

 

Great fight.... Vargas always came to battle and him comparing Oscar to Ricky Matrin was hillarious.

 

I don't know for sure what went on but Whitaker stayed in his feet by sheer juice, crouching in the corner when Tito got too close. I didn't see the Camacho fight but if it was anything like the Camacho/Hoya fight than survival was all he cared about. Hoya hardly got hit and so never felt the full Trinidad punch. But to this day Hoya has never fought anyone with the same respect for punching power as he did against Trinidad. I don't think this will ever be settled but I'm sure everyone from now on will have someone paying close attention to how Tito wraps his hands. The situation should solve itself but it is an important question as to Tito's legacy for sure.