Bernard Hopkins vs Felix Trinidad

Bernard Hopkins became the undisputed middleweight champion by stopping Felix Trinidad in the twelfth and final round at Madison Square Garden on September 29, 2001. Hopkins, holder of the IBF and WBC championships, added Trinidad’s WBA title and gained general recognition as the first undisputed champion of the division since Marvin Hagler. Trinidad entered undefeated in 40 contests and was a two-to-one favourite, while Hopkins was making the fourteenth defence of the IBF title. Trinidad weighed 158½ pounds and Hopkins 157. The official attendance was 19,075.

The contest had originally been fixed for September 15 but was postponed following the terrorist attacks upon New York and Washington four days earlier. When it was staged two weeks later, it became the first major sporting event held in New York after the attacks. Members of the emergency services were seated at ringside, and the atmosphere differed markedly from the bitter promotion that had preceded the original date. Hopkins had caused offence by throwing down a Puerto Rican flag during a press conference in San Juan, provoking a disturbance from which he had been hurried to safety. There was further tension before the contest when Hopkins’ representatives objected to the manner in which Trinidad’s hands had been wrapped. The wraps were removed and applied again under supervision.

Trinidad had reached the final of the middleweight tournament by overwhelming William Joppy in five rounds, having previously won championships at welterweight and light-middleweight. Hopkins had outpointed Keith Holmes to add the WBC belt to the IBF championship he had held since 1995. Trinidad’s victories over Pernell Whitaker, Oscar De La Hoya, Fernando Vargas and Joppy had established him as one of boxing’s principal attractions. Hopkins, although the longer-established middleweight, was expected by many to be worn down by Trinidad’s left hook and sustained pressure.

The opening round was cautious. Trinidad advanced behind a high guard while Hopkins moved to his left, jabbed to the body and refused to remain directly in front of the Puerto Rican. Hopkins was quicker than anticipated and repeatedly changed the angle after punching. Trinidad followed rather than cutting off the ring, looking for the left hook but finding few stationary targets. Hopkins began landing the straight right over Trinidad’s lead and tied him up when the distance closed. The early work was measured rather than forceful, but the pattern of the contest had been established.

Trinidad had his best period between the fourth and sixth rounds. He increased his pressure, brought Hopkins towards the ropes and found occasional success with the left hook and right hand. Hopkins remained difficult to hit cleanly. He rolled beneath punches, caught shots on his gloves and answered with short counters before turning Trinidad. The sixth was one of the challenger’s better rounds, but he could not sustain his attack. From the seventh onwards, Hopkins assumed clear control. His jab disturbed Trinidad’s balance, his right hand reached the target with increasing frequency, and his greater natural size became apparent whenever they worked at close quarters.

Hopkins’ tactics were based upon discipline rather than retreat. He gave ground when Trinidad was properly set, then stopped to counter as the WBA champion stepped forward. Trinidad needed his feet beneath him to deliver the left hook with full force, but Hopkins rarely allowed him that position. When Trinidad attempted to work inside, Hopkins leaned upon him, turned him and struck with compact punches to the body and head. By the eighth and ninth rounds, Trinidad was still advancing, but he was being beaten to the punch and was no longer dictating the terms of the contest.

Aware that the championship was slipping away, Trinidad attacked with greater urgency in the tenth. He forced Hopkins to the ropes and threw in sustained bursts, producing the most prolonged exchanges of the bout. Hopkins blocked much of the work and answered immediately, matching Trinidad at close quarters before taking command during the final minute. A succession of right hands and uppercuts shook Trinidad, and another right near the bell left him unsteady. Referee Steve Smoger moved between the fighters as the round ended.

Trinidad returned for the eleventh with weakened legs. Hopkins appeared fresh and continued placing the jab and right hand with accuracy. Trinidad began holding when Hopkins stepped close and could no longer deliver his own punches with the same authority. Between rounds the contrast was marked: Trinidad sat heavily in his corner while Hopkins remained alert and composed. The challenger was far ahead and required only to complete the final three minutes, but he recognised that Trinidad was ready to be stopped.

Hopkins advanced at the beginning of the twelfth and struck repeatedly as Trinidad tried to hold his ground. After little more than a minute, Trinidad lunged with his left and Hopkins met him with a right hand to the jaw. Trinidad fell heavily onto his back. He struggled upright near the completion of the count, but his father and chief second, Felix Trinidad Sr., entered the ring to prevent further punishment. Smoger stopped the contest at 1 minute 18 seconds. It was the first defeat of Trinidad’s professional career.

Hopkins was leading widely when the end came. Judge Don Ackerman had him ahead 109–100, while Stanley Christodoulou and Anek Hongtongkam each scored the contest 107–102. The figures accurately represented a performance in which Trinidad had been given few opportunities to use his principal weapon and had been comprehensively beaten during the second half. Hopkins received $2.5 million and Trinidad $9 million, while the promotion sold approximately 475,000 pay-per-view subscriptions. The victory tied Hopkins with Carlos Monzon’s then-recognised record of fourteen middleweight title defences and established him, at 36, as the leading fighter in the division. He had defeated the favourite through movement, defensive judgement, close-range strength and exact counter-punching, then completed the work with the only knockdown of the contest.

I fancied Trinidad going into this one. Most people did. He had looked frightening against Fernando Vargas and then destroyed William Joppy in five rounds to win the WBA middleweight title. Hopkins had been champion for years, but he was 36, awkward to sell and still not receiving the respect his ability deserved. Trinidad was the attraction; Hopkins was viewed as the obstacle.

What followed was one of the best technical performances I have seen in a major fight. Hopkins understood that Trinidad needed to plant his feet to generate the left hook. He kept turning him, disrupted his balance with the jab and landed the right hand before moving off at an angle. When Trinidad closed the distance, Hopkins used his greater middleweight strength to tie him up, turn him and work inside. It was experienced, disciplined boxing without a wasted movement.

Trinidad had a decent spell through the middle rounds, but by the seventh Hopkins had worked him out completely. The tenth was supposed to be Trinidad’s big rally, yet Hopkins answered everything and hurt him badly before the bell. From there, the finish was inevitable. The right hand in the twelfth dropped Trinidad heavily, and his father was right to intervene.

This was not Trinidad being poor. He was an outstanding fighter facing a bigger, cleverer man who produced the performance of his career. Hopkins didn’t merely beat him; he removed every weapon Trinidad possessed and then stopped him.