On Saturday, May 12, 2001, Felix “Tito” Trinidad defeated William Joppy by fifth-round TKO at Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York. It was a brutal performance from “Tito” in his first fight at middleweight, which saw him win the WBA middleweight title from Joppy, which added to his ever-impressive resume. Big Fight Weekend are taking you back to Trinidad’s destructive demolition of the Maryland native.
Felix Trinidad Defeats William Joppy by Fifth Round TKO
Felix Trinidad vs. William Joppy Recap
It was a brutal performance from Trinidad as he dismantled Joppy to move to 40-0, adding to his ever-growing legacy. Joppy came out aggressive in the first round, but he felt the power of “Tito” later in the round with a smart combination, ending with a spiteful left hook, knocking the Maryland native down.
The power of Trinidad was evident as he hit Joppy with another big left hook that floored his opponent, who somehow survived the round. The ending came in round five as Trinidad landed two big straight right hands that sent Joppy stumbling back to his corner, which led the referee to wave the fight off, and make “Tito” the new WBA king.
Post Fight Quotes
After the fight, Trinidad addressed his power at middleweight: “I always knew I was a middleweight,” said Trinidad, who won titles as a welterweight and super welterweight. “You saw it tonight. I’m a true middleweight. I knew I was going to knock him out.”
Joppy addressed his opponent’s impressive performance: “He’s a great champion,” Joppy said. “I never thought he could hit like that. I didn’t think he would have that much power coming up from 154 pounds to 160. I’ve never been hit like that before.”
What Came Next?
After defeating Joppy, Trinidad tasted defeat for the first time in his career against Bernard Hopkins before winning successive fights against Hacine Cherifi and Ricardo Mayorga. Trinidad’s career ended with two defeats against Ronald “Winky” Wright and Roy Jones Jr. Despite his career – ending on a loss – his accuracy and power ensure his legacy will remain for generations.
More must-reads: