Unbeaten featherweight standout Omar Trinidad. Photo by Lina Baker / 360 Promotions
COMMERCE, Calif. – Omar Trinidad has a thing for theatrics.
That and making a statement to the other featherweights in the division.
Trinidad dropped Viktor Slavinskyi twice en route to a thrilling knockout win in the 10th and final round of their main event before a boisterous, partisan crowd at the Commerce Casino. Trinidad improved to 16-0-1, 13 KOs. The bout topped a 360 Promotions card that was streamed live on UFC Fight Pass
Trinidad was on the offensive from the opening bell, walking the Ukrainian southpaw down and forcing him to fight off his back foot. Although Slavinskyi attempted to hold his ground, exchanging in the pocket, Trinidad landed at will with left hooks and right crosses to the head. Trinidad found success towards the end of Round 2, landing a series of right crosses that snapped Slavinskyi’s head back.
Slavinskyi initiated exchanges to begin Round 3. He did find success, occasionally landing left hands to the head of Trinidad, but Trinidad again found success by landing straight right hands to Slavinskyi’s head. Slavinskyi mixed in and connected with a few jabs right before the end of the round.
As the pace of the fight slowed during the middle rounds, settling more in the middle of the ring, Slavinskyi attempted to box more behind a steady jab. The tactic worked as he was able to score more, particularly with straight lefts to Trinidad’s body.
The action opened up in Round 8, as both winged lead hooks and crosses to the head. Trinidad almost always landed straight right hands that split the guard of Slavinskyi, but he did not target the head the way he had earlier in the fight.
Late in Round 9, a right uppercut staggered Slavinskyi across the ring. Trinidad followed up by landing a right hand to the head that sent Slavinskyi into the ropes. Because the ropes held up Slavinskyi, breaking his fall, referee Ray Corona corrected ruled it a technical knockdown and began administering a standing eight-count. Trinidad followed up after action resumed but was not able to land anything flush at the end of the round.
With about a minute left in Round 10, Trinidad landed a right uppercut flush to the chin of Slavinskyi, dropping him to the canvas. Slavinskyi beat the count, but stood on wobbly legs, prompting Corona to stop the fight at 2:31.
In his previous fight on January 28, Trinidad dropped Jose Perez twice en route to a knockout win in eighth and final round. On April 14 of last year, Trinidad defeated former top prospect Adan Ochoa by unanimous decision.
Both Perez and Ochoa fights also took place at the Commerce Casino, where Trinidad is very popular. Trinidad resides in the Boyle Heights section of Los Angeles, which is about a 10-minute drive from the Commerce Casino.
Slavinskyi, who is originally from Mykolaiv, Ukraine and now resides in Los Angeles, falls to 15-3-1, 7 KOs.
The 33-year-old has now lost three of his last five bouts. Slavinskyi suffered back-to-back close decision losses to former world-rated Caludio Marrero (MD 8) and once-beaten Edward Vazquez (SD 8). Trinidad is the first fighter to stop Slavinskyi.
Francisco A. Salazar has written for The Ring since October 2013 and has covered boxing in Southern California and abroad since 2000. Francisco also covers boxing for the Ventura County (California) Star newspaper. He can be reached at [email protected]