LAS VEGAS — Don King and Felix Trinidad had three words for Oscar De La Hoya yesterday: Get lost, chicken.
After King and Bob Arum were not able to come together on terms for a new fight between Trinidad and De La Hoya, King and Trinidad lined up a March 4 encounter with David Reid, boxing’s only USA Gold Winner in the 1996 Olympics. The fight will take place at Caesar’s Palace, King said, with an outdoor arena being built. He labeled the fight: Gold Rush.
In what was truly a classic King promotional act, obviously done in an effort to flush out De La Hoya for a future bout and try to put some pizzazz back in the ring, King repeatedly attacked the Golden Boy, saying it was time to move up to the Golden Man, Reid.
Of De La Hoya, King said, “He’s a loser.” He also said the Mexican community now refers to De La Hoya as the “Running Coyote.” In America they call him Chicken De La Hoya, so it’s up to him and his image, and what he has to live with to try to redeem that.”
King said Arum and HBO were trying “to get me to believe that the winner was the loser and the loser was the winner” in trying to set the terms for another fight between Trinidad and De La Hoya. Trinidad beat De La Hoya in a controversial decision in September. In that fight De La Hoya pulled down $23 million while Trinidad’s take was $8.5 million.
Reid, who was immediately listed as a 21/2-1 underdog, said he will knockout Trinidad. Trinidad’s father mapped out a bold strategy yesterday where his son would fight four times a year and eventually move up in weight class to take on Roy Jones Jr.
“I feel like the Millennium Bug,” cracked Reid of the fight that will be shown on Showtime’s pay per view. “They have this fight plan and I feel bad because I’m going to mess it up. I’m going to stop his dreams.
Though King ripped De La Hoya, he made it clear he would be happy to set up a rematch with Trinidad.
“Oscar needs Trinidad,” he said. “We want everyone to know that Oscar has an open door, anytime he wants to come. We’ll use Oscar with or without Arum, we don’t care. Oscar is the one who is going to get hurt, not Arum. Everyone knows Arum, I don’t have to say nothing. He says enough for himself to give me the difference. I wouldn’t know how good I was if I didn’t have a Bob Arum. So, he is great for me.”
Reid is undefeated in only 14 pro fights. “I thank Oscar De La Hoya for this opportunity,” Reid said. “I’m going to do what Oscar De La Hoya couldn’t do and that is to knock out Felix Trinidad.”
