NEW YORK -- One lesson can be learned from
Felix Trinidad's total annihilation of William Joppy
to win the World Boxing Association middleweight title
and position himself for a September showdown with
Bernard Hopkins for the undisputed title: don't bet
against Puerto Rican super hero until he takes on Roy
Jones Jr.
Hopkins, the World Boxing Council and International
Boxing Federation champion, looked like he was too big
and too rugged for Trinidad before the Puerto Rican
super hero dropped Joppy three times en route to
stopping the two-time champion 2:25 into the fifth
round. Now, fans and boxing analysts who favored
Hopkins to win Don King's world middleweight
championship tournament, aren't so sure about their
original pick.
And even if that so-called mismatch against Jones can
one day be made, don't put too much money on Jones.
Trinidad, who improved his perfect record to 40-0 with
33 KOs, is boxing's miracle man. For the past two
years Trinidad has challenged champions who were
supposedly faster, smarter, bigger, stronger and
tougher the he is. But Trinidad always finds a way to
beat them as he charges his way to the Boxing Hall of
Fame.
Be careful Bernard. Watch out Roy. If you guys thought
Trinidad was a blown-up welterweight, you were wrong.
"I always knew I was a middleweight," Trinidad said
after the fight. "You guys saw it tonight, I'm a true
middleweight. I knew I was going to knock him out. I
beat the best middleweight in the world tonight, and
on September 15th, I will beat Hopkins, too."
Joppy, now 32-2-1 with 24 KOs, probably won't dispute
that prediction.
"I've never been hit like that," he said. "He's a
great fighter and he has punching power I didn't
expect coming up from 147. He's a true veteran with a
big heart. I underestimated him a bit."
And a bit is all Trinidad needs to put a full-grown,
seasoned middleweight champion on his butt.
In the opening minute of the first round, Joppy seemed
to be in control of the fight by circling and
peppering Trinidad with a sharp jab followed by a few
hard right hands. He "seemed" to be in control, only
because Trinidad had not started punching yet. Once he
did, Joppy took notice. A straight right got Joppy's
attention, and caused him to drop his hands -- a ploy
he's done with lesser fighters to lead them in so he
can counter. But against Trinidad, Joppy could not
lean back from the deadly follow up left hooks. With
45 seconds left in the opening round, a big hook from
Trinidad cocked Joppy's head over his left shoulder, a
follow-up right sent him stumbling back and another
hook sent him reeling into a neutral corner where he
hit the canvas for the first time in the fight.
The bout was very close to being stopped in the final
10 seconds of the round as Trinidad staggered Joppy
with a volley of punches before the bell. It was
easily a 10-7 round for Trinidad.
In round two, a still wobbly Joppy jabbed and circled
Trinidad, who was patient and focused, waiting for the
opportunity to finish his foe. The opening wasn't
there and Joppy survived. In the third, Trinidad
stepped it up, landing a crunching over-hand right to
Joppy's exposed jaw, he landed another as the champion
teetered and tottered around the ring. Trinidad went
to Joppy's body with accurate hooks causing Joppy to
stop moving and cover up in front of him. Joppy fought
back, courageously, landing jabs and one-twos to
Trinidad's body, and although his punches lacked
steam, his legs were slowly recovering from the
first-round onslaught.
In the fourth, Joppy landed a hook in the opening
seconds of the round. Trinidad answered back with two
rights, an uppercut and one big hook that put Joppy
flat on his back and almost into a backwards
somersault. Joppy got up by the count of three, but on
very unsteady legs. He wisely grabbed onto Trinidad's
lean frame and held on for his life.
Trinidad wrestled free and missed with some deadly
bombs. Joppy punched back. He had no power. No legs.
Just heart. And it enabled him survive one more round.
In the fifth, Joppy came out with the intent to go
down swinging. He stood in front of his soon-to-be
conqueror and threw punches. Trinidad went to his
body, then landed a left uppercut and a big right hand
that sent Joppy's sweat and blood spraying. Two more
rights sent him stumbling to the canvas near his own
corner. He tried to get up, but his legs were gone.
A few seconds later, so was his WBA middleweight
title.
Trinidad stayed in the ring 15 minutes after stopping
Joppy to acknowledge his adoring fans. Trinidad
pounded his chest over and over again, then held his
hands wide apart as if to say "The champions I face
are great, but my heart is greater than them all."
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