|
|
 |
Madison Square Garden Boxing |
Bernard 'The Executioner' Hopkins
vs. Felix 'Tito' Trinidad
| Date: |
September 29th, 2001 |
| Place: |
Madison Square Garden |
| Time: |
9 PM |
| Outcome: |
Hopkins victorious in 12th Round TKO. |
Middleweight World Championship Series Finale
All Middleweight Belts on the Line on Sept. 29: WBA, IBF & WBC
Live from Madison Square Garden on Pay Per View & Closed Circuit
|
NEW YORK-First there were four participants in the Middleweight World Championship Series: Bernard "The Executioner" Hopkins, the International Boxing Federation champion; Keith Holmes, the World Boxing Council champion; William Joppy, the World Boxing Association champion and Felix "Tito" Trinidad, the WBA and IBF 154-pound champion, who left his titles behind to join the middleweight fray at 160 pounds.
The number of MWCS participants was reduced to three when Philadelphia's Hopkins decisioned Holmes on April 14, leaving the Theater at Madison Square Garden with both the IBF and WBC middleweight titles. Four weeks later, on May 12, only two warriors remained after the undefeated Puerto Rican Trinidad dismantled Joppy with a fifth-round technical knockout in front of 18,235 screaming fans at Madison Square Garden.
The MWCS grand finale will be held on Sept. 29 when Trinidad (40-0, 33 KOs) and Hopkins (39-2-1, 28 KOs) meet in the fabled ring at Madison Square Garden. The victor will take the WBA, IBF and WBC 160-pound belts, become the first undisputed middleweight king since Marvelous Marvin Hagler held that distinction from 1979 until 1987, and be the proud recipient of a specially commissioned "Sugar" Ray Robinson trophy.
Hopkins, if he wins, will also tie the legendary Argentinean Carlos Monzon on the list of most successful middleweight title defenses, at 14.
"On Sept. 16 Puerto Rico will have its flag at half-mast," Hopkins said, believing the people of Puerto Rico would be devastated if he delivers Trinidad his first defeat. "When I win this tournament, I will go on to break the record that has been held for so long by Carlos Monzon-15 [wins] will break it." Hopkins added, "Then it's Canastota time," referring to the home of the International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, N.Y.
Hopkins made the comment about the Puerto Rican flag in front of Trinidad at the post-fight press conference after Trinidad vs. Joppy. Trinidad glared at Hopkins after his taunt, running his index finger across his neck in a throat-slashing gesture to let Hopkins know he believes his days as a middleweight champion will soon come to an end.
"Bernard Hopkins has something I want-the IBF and WBC titles-and I will get them on Sept. 15," Trinidad said confidently. "I beat one of the best middleweights [Joppy], and I will beat Hopkins, too."
Promoter Don King has relished every moment of the MWCS so far, and he is excited about the championship match. "I have taken pride in promoting this tournament because it demonstrates all that is great in the sport of boxing," King said. "Four men putting everything they have on the line. Two have fallen and two are still standing. On Sept. 15, we will find out who is the undisputed middleweight king."
Madison Square Garden is also enjoying the MWCS. "It has been an honor to be able to host such a significant event as the Middleweight World Championship Series," Kevin Wynne, vice president, Madison Square Garden Sports Properties said. "Trinidad-Hopkins is one of those select prizefights whose magnitude is unmatchable. I know New York will embrace this transcendent event as it deserves no better place to make history than Madison Square Garden."
TVKO is also proud to be domestically broadcasting the final fight in the MWCS. "We are very proud to present the finale of this historic series," Mark Taffet, senior vice president of HBO Sports/TVKO said. "The excitement surrounding the meteoric rise of Tito Trinidad, and the long-overdue opportunity for Bernard Hopkins, makes this one of boxing's most special events in years."
Trinidad, despite his dominance in the ring, had never competed at 160 pounds before facing Joppy, and questions lingered as to whether he possessed the power to compete at middleweight. Those questions were answered with 12 seconds left in the first round, when Trinidad sent Joppy sprawling underneath the bottom rope with a crushing left hook. Even though Joppy survived the round, regained his composure and made it into the fourth round, Trinidad caught him again-this time with a right-left-hook combination that dropped the WBA champion again.
The brutal punishment ended in the fifth round after Joppy tasted the canvas again-this time courtesy of two Trinidad right hands. The onslaught solidified "Tito's" position as the hottest boxer in the world today. Trinidad makes a strong case, after every outing, to be considered the sport's pound-for-pound best as he moves closer and closer to boxing immortality.
Hopkins, long considered to be the finest middleweight in the world, fought diligently and methodically against Holmes to win a unanimous 12-round decision. Hopkins deployed roughhouse tactics that overwhelmed Holmes' more conventional approach.
Nine of Hopkins'13 successful title defenses have come by knockout. He is always in superb condition and says, "Whatever it takes, I will find a way to win." Hopkins heart can be measured in his 39 victories. A true blue-collar champion, he has not always met the marquee fighters that Trinidad has, with the exception of Roy Jones Jr., so he looks forward to the increased status and notoriety a MWCS victory would give him.
Trinidad vs. Hopkins tickets are priced at $755, $405, $255, $155 and $75 and are on sale at the Garden Box Office and all Ticketmaster outlets and can be purchased by calling Ticketmaster charge-by-phone, through Ticketmaster Online or on the Internet at www.thegarden.com. Ticketmaster purchases are subject to a service charge. The telephone number for Madison Square Garden event and ticket information is (212) 465-MSG1. The Garden Group Sales number is (212) 465-6080. Ticketmaster information and Ticketmaster charge-by-phone numbers are (212) 307-7171, (201) 507-8900, (516) 888-9000, (914) 454-3388 and (203) 624-0033.
The Trinidad vs. Hopkins pay-per-view telecast on Sept. 29, 2001, is being produced and distributed domestically by Pay-Per-View from HBO and will be available to over 42 million pay-per-view homes beginning at 9 p.m. EDT/6 p.m. PDT and carries a suggested retail price of between $44.95-$49.95. Commercial establishments can contact KingVision for closed-circuit information while international broadcasters should contact DK International Sales, both at (954) 418-5800.
|
Last Updated On:
Tuesday, September 25, 2001 | |
 |
 |
 |
| 2 Washington Street, 19th Fl., New York, NY 10004 / Toll Free: 877.NYC.SPORTS / Fax: 212.788.7514 |
| |
