Oscar, Felix won’t fight in ‘99

Dean Juipe

Thursday, Feb. 4, 1999 | 11:38 a.m.

De La Hoya disappointed that he won't get chance to meet Trinidad in ring

It came as news to Oscar De La Hoya and it was a reality that took him aback.

While only moments earlier he had said "I'll face the winner" of the Feb. 20 fight in New York between Pernell Whitaker and Felix Trinidad, the truth is he will not be fighting Trinidad any time in the foreseeable future. And that's a fight he has talked about for years, as well as one boxing fans expected to see materialize this year.

"I'm very disappointed, actually," De La Hoya replied Wednesday when apprised by the Sun -- and later by his promoter, Bob Arum -- that Trinidad would not be on his 1999 docket.

"Legally, we can't do the fight this year," Arum confirmed, saying that De La Hoya (HBO) and Trinidad (Showtime) are aligned with rival cable networks and that Trinidad is booked through this year.

Arum had confided in an exclusive Sun story Jan. 21 that there would be no De La Hoya vs. Trinidad fight because rival promoter Don King "was too difficult to work with." But that news failed to reach De La Hoya in his Big Bear, Calif., training camp until he participated in a national conference call with the media.

Taking De La Hoya's place in the marquee fight with Trinidad that is tentatively set for September apparently will be a fellow world champion, Vince Phillips of Las Vegas.

"I'm not sure Oscar realizes it or not," Phillips said of the change in plans. "But I'll tell you what: Maybe it's because the promoters don't get along, but it looks like I'm going to fight Trinidad."

Phillips is training for a fight with Teron Millett on the Trinidad vs. Whitaker undercard, while De La Hoya is training for his Feb. 13 fight with Ike Quartey at the Thomas & Mack Center.

Phillips, who switched promoters from Arum to King late last year, added "I don't have any dislike for Bob and his staff, but this is a business. They didn't want me fighting Oscar, so this is how it turns out."