Omar Trinidad: 'I'm not only making a statement, I'm setting an example'
Omar Trinidad will face off against cross-town Los Angeles rival Adan Ochoa on April 14.
The sport of boxing is in need of rivalries. Rivalries, especially those of the grudge match variety, can bring interest to bouts that go beyond the hardcore boxing fan base. This is important at all levels, not just for world champions.
This upcoming April 14, in a grudge match between Los Angeles rivals, Omar Trinidad (11-0-1, 9 KOs) will take on Adan Ochoa (12-2, 5 KOs) in an eight-round featherweight contest. The bout will be the main event of a Hollywood Fight Nights card at The Commerce Casino in the Los Angeles area.
At the beginning of this year, Ochoa, who hails from Downey, CA, in Los Angeles County, confronted Trinidad in the ring after Trinidad scored a second-round knockout. Trinidad, who is from Boyle Heights, a neighborhood in Los Angeles, called Ochoa's bluff and decided to take the fight with Ochoa.
"I knew that he was going to be up there," Trinidad said in an interview with FansidedMMA. "He's been calling me out for; I don't know how many fights. He's a different person when he is in front and a different person behind the screen. Where I come from, you running your mouth or just calling me out, it's on sight. I see him like, that's my next victim, and so I let the adrenaline get the best of me. But, I mean, it got people's attention, so that's what matters."
Now that the fight will be taking place, the match will be broadcast live on UFC Fight Pass. For Trinidad, it will be his fifth fight on the UFC Fight Pass platform. Trinidad is aware of the importance the additional exposure will give him at this stage of his career. Fans, who may not follow boxing, but instead other combat sports, will have the opportunity to see him for the first time.
"Well, every time I step into the ring, I know there's a lot of exposure, especially on a big platform like UFC Fight Pass," said Trinidad to FansidedMMA. "I know there are eyes watching, so that's why I don't let it get to me. I work great under pressure, so I don't let the outside noise mess me up. But I know there are eyes on me besides people at the venue, so I try to put on a show.
"I will try to show new wrinkles in my style, and this time coming around on Friday, April 14, I know it's going to be all eyes on me. I'm the main event. I can't wait to keep doing what I've been doing, which is to give a show to the people."
Omar Trinidad will main event Hollywood Fight Nights on April 14 against Adan Ochoa
Trinidad has come into his own over his last four fights scoring some highlight-reel knockouts. These victories and the manner in which they came led to him being signed to 360 Promotions, headed by Tom Loeffler. He was also recently rated by Ring Magazine as one of boxing's top prospects. The hope for Trinidad is that the Ochoa fight continues the trend of keeping him active, giving him more possibilities to improve further under the 360 Promotions banner.
"We have good chemistry, and that's what helps a boxer elevate to his full potential," said Trinidad. "I'm glad I signed with them (360 Promotions) because they're keeping me active. I've been active since last year, March, and I haven't stopped. And that's what I wanted especially since I'm 27. So I want to get on the fast track. Moving smart, but that fast track. I want to stay active."
Along with keeping active, Trinidad has been able to cultivate a loyal fan base in the Los Angeles area. Since late 2021, all of Trindad's bouts have taken place in California. Many will harken back to the days of the Great Western Forum (now the Kia Forum) in Inglewood, CA, when fighters like Marco Antonio Barrera and Juan Manuel Marquez fought many of their bouts during the early stages of their career in the former Los Angeles Lakers arena.
When it came time for them to transition into more significant fights, they had already amassed a following and supporters. Trinidad hopes to do the same, as he plans to continue not only to fight in California but in other markets in the United States and beyond.
"You get known at your stomping grounds," Trinidad said. "You get known in Boyle Heights, get hood famous, get all of LA, and from there, we start expanding. I don't even want to focus on the Mexican crowd or LA or Mexican Americans, I want to be a worldwide man; that's my angle. I just want to make every time Omar Trinidad's in a fight, I just want to know that they're going to expect a show. Not only in the boxing ring, but the way I carry myself and the way I approach a fight."
Standing in his way will be Ochoa, who last fought in November 2021. Disappointingly, the bout with Adam Lopez ended in a no-contest after an accidental head butt. However, for Ochoa to so brazenly constantly challenge Trinidad, it would seem that he might have something up his sleeve to surprise his cross-town rival.
"I see it like he's in my way, and I got to get him out of there," Trinidad said, regarding his opponent. "He's not going to stop my train from keeping rolling, and whoever they put in front of me; I'm taking him out. And then they want to make it personal; I can make it personal. As soon as the bell rings, he's mine for eight rounds, and I don't think we're going to go the whole eight rounds. I think I'll get him out of there."
With Trinidad primed and ready with additional motivation to put on another stellar performance continuing his current knockout streak, it will be exciting to find out how it plays out in the ring. Will Trinidad-Ochoa be a good enough encounter that will require a rematch? Or will one of the two come out victorious in spectacular style?
"So this fight, I came into this training camp, with like not a chip on my shoulder, but I came in totally focused in this training camp," said Trinidad. "I came in, with condition. I came in, with already runs and sparring. I was just maintaining, and honestly come April 14, I'm not only making a statement, but I'm setting an example, so you just see what happens when you call me out."
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