TWENTY-four years ago, the great Felix Trinidad made his middleweight debut and silenced any doubts that his punch power would not translate to the 160lb division, knocking out WBA champion William Joppy in an authoritative display.
Proven as a phenomenal welterweight world champion, Trinidad, 42-3 (35 KOs), moved up to junior middleweight in 2000 and defeated both David Reid and Fernando Vargas to become a unified champion at 154lbs and further cement his legacy.
Yet, despite just nine months in that division, Trinidad decided to move up to the lucrative 160lb scene and target a clash with Bernard Hopkins, 55-8-2 (32 KOs), for the undisputed crown, but he would first need to replace William Joppy, 40-7-2 (30 KOs), as WBA champion.
At Madison Square Garden, Trinidad did not need long to take over the show, with Joppy willing to meet the Puerto Rican in the centre of the ring and soon realising that he shouldn’t have been.
In the opening round, the Maryland-born champion was sent crashing into the canvas after dropping his hands and feeling the full effect of a left-hook from the challenger before his blushes were saved by the bell – for the time being at least.
Joppy would take little notice of that warning sign and continued to exchange with Trinidad, refusing to deviate from the front-footed game plan despite his lucky escape but recovering well and having some success through rounds two and three.
However, Joppy would once again pay the price for his confidence in the fourth round, failing to learn from his mistakes and again lowering his hands, allowing for another prodigious left-hook that left him scrambling on the deck once more.
Fighting on survival instincts and shaky legs, the brave American continued to battle but met his fate in the fifth, caught clean by a right-hand that rocked him to his core and then with another mid-flight en route to the floor before the referee waved off the contest.
Although he refused to accept it during the fight, Joppy would admit Trinidad’s superior power in a famous post-fight interview in the aftermath.
“I have never been hit like that before.
“He’s a great champion. I never thought he could hit like that. I didn’t think he would have that much power coming up from 154 pounds.”
‘Tito’ got his shot at Hopkins and the undisputed middleweight title just four months later, but it was Hopkins who came out on top and ended Trinidad’s 40-fight undefeated record – winning with a final round knockout in their memorable clash.
