On This Day: Puerto Rican great Felix Trinidad scoops up WBA crown

Felix Trinidad
  1. SOMEBODYโ€™S 0 had to go on this day in 2000, as Felix Trinidad squared-off with David Reid, for the latterโ€™s WBA World super-welterweight strap.
  1. THE fight marked Felix ‘Tito’ Trinidad’s first at 154lbs, after a hugely successful campaign at 147, where he had reigned as IBF king since 1993, and had later added the WBO crown to his collection in 1999, after gaining a majority decision over then unbeaten Oscar De La Hoya.
  1. IT was a slow start to the title contest, with neither man impressing the 10,100 capacity-crowd that had packed in to Caesarโ€™s Palace. But pandemonium ensued in the third, when the former Olympic gold medallist dropped Tito – a straight-right, causing the Puerto Rican to take a knee.
  1. UP at 3, Felix Trinidad rubbed his nose and jogged to a neutral corner to hear the rest of the count. Oddly, it wasnโ€™t the American who applied the pressure in the moments that followed, but the gutsy Puerto Rican – proving how much of a dangerous operator he could be when wounded.
  1. AFTER five rounds, Reid led on all scorecards, prompting Tito Trinidad to up the ante. He began to batter the championโ€™s torso with vicious hooks, the wild nature of the shots causing a handful to land low. And having already received instruction to keep it above the belt in the second stanza, Tito had a point deducted in the sixth.
  1. AS the second half of the fight got underway, Reid began to lose control. Instead of sticking to his game-plan of utilising his speed, movement and skill, he reverted to searching for the straight-right that had put Trinidad down. Sensing a momentum shift, Tito moved in tight, landed a left-right and followed it up with a left hook to the jaw, stunning the champion, and sending him crashing to the canvas for a count.
  1. TRINIDAD dominated the eighth, landing hurtful blows and administering additional damage to Reidโ€™s already swollen right eye. Referee Mitch Halpern called a time out to inspect the injury before deeming it suitable to continue.
  1. BEING in the best shape of his career allowed Tito to suffocate his opponentโ€™s space throughout the ninth and tenth rounds. Without a slight air of caution, he ripped two left hooks into the side of the American, who approvingly responded with a nod.
  1. A right upper-cut put Reid down in the eleventh, he rose at the count of two [assured that he could walk it off] but the Puerto Rican swarmed him, a flurry of punches finding their desired mark sent the champion to the canvas for the second time in the round. Pre-empting victory, Trinidad scaled the turnbuckle, punching his chest in approval of the crowdโ€™s cheers. The heart of Reid could not be denied however, as he rose to fight on.
  1. AFTER visiting the mat for a third time in the eleventh, and being hit with everything, David Reid welcomed the sound of the bell at the end of the twelfth. He had survived a late onslaught, to hear what the judges at ringside made of the contest. With tallies of 114-106 and 114-107 twice, Felix Trinidad was announced the winner by unanimous decision.

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