Felix Trinidad

LAS VEGAS -- Standing inches away from his opponent during a photo opportunity after Wednesday's news conference at the Paris Hotel here, Felix Trinidad aimed an intense stare at Oscar De La Hoya.Trinidad had heard it all from De La Hoya, who had taken shots at the Puerto Rican fighter's boxing skills leading up to their welterweight title unification bout at the Mandalay Bay Hotel's event center tomorrow night.De La Hoya did not stare back."All this talking that De La Hoya has been doing, it is only to try to give himself confidence," Trinidad said.

Bernard Hopkins turns 40 today, but the self-proclaimed "granddaddy of boxing" says he'll spend this evening indulging in a childhood memory. "I'm going to go to the movies that night and see Fat Albert," Hopkins said Thursday. "I'm serious about that. I haven't seen that movie, and I remember watching him as a kid. "I've got to celebrate my birthday. I've been in camp training in the past on my birthday, but there's nothing like turning 40. They say you begin to enjoy life at 40, so I've got to celebrate - but only a little bit. The real celebration will come on Feb. 19, after I beat this next guy."

LAS VEGAS -- Oscar De La Hoya says, heading into Saturday's fight with Felix Trinidad, he is "hungry once again."Given his busy schedule and varied interests, it could be because he barely has time to eat.De La Hoya, the World Boxing Council welterweight champ, is focusing now on the unification title bout against International Boxing Federation champion Trinidad. But that's just boxing.On Tuesday, De La Hoya appeared on "The Tonight Show." He's done some acting, with cameos in several television shows, including the HBO series "Arli$$."

NEW YORK - A man known for his heavy drinking, Ricardo Mayorga is probably used to awakening to headaches. But the aches he felt yesterday morning were not from a long night at a bar, but rather the result of getting pounded during Saturday night's eighth-round knockout loss to Felix Trinidad in a middleweight bout at Madison Square Garden. Mayorga, who turned 31 yesterday, left the ring with a large gash down the left side of his face beneath a swollen eye. He had throbbing ribs from absorbing air-sapping left hooks, one of which drove him to his knees for the first of three times in the final round - the last time, for good with 21 seconds left.

In Puerto Rico, perfection is equated with Felix "Tito" Trinidad, whose face graces anti-drug posters and soft-drink adds on the island and who's known for his charitable contributions. A college student for two years, Trinidad, now 28, quit to become a boxer. Trained by his father, Felix Trinidad Sr., and often accompanied to his fights by his wife, Sharon, and three children, "Trinidad always has projected this perfect fighter, perfect family man image," said HBO commentator Larry Merchant.

NEW YORK - A hand-wrapping controversy that surfaced before Felix Trinidad's September 2001 loss to Bernard Hopkins has New York State Athletic Commission officials paying close attention to the Puerto Rican power-puncher's gloves entering Saturday night's non-title, middleweight fight against Ricardo Mayorga at Madison Square Garden. Ron Scott Stevens, chairman of the NYSAC, said yesterday that he and four other commission members were present at his New York office on June 10, along with promoter Don King, during a 30-minute meeting in which Trinidad's father, Felix Sr., wrapped his son's hands "in accordance with our rules and regulations."

When: 9 tonightWhere: Madison Square Garden, New YorkTV: Pay-per-viewCard: William Joppy (14-0-1, 19 KOs), Washington, vs. Julio Cesar Geeen (21-2, 15 KOs), Brooklyn, N.Y., for Joppy's World Boxing Association middleweight title.Felix Trinidad (31-1, 27 KOs), Puerto Rico, vs. Troy Waters (27-4, 19 KOs), Australia, World Boxing Council super welterweight elimination bout.Ricardo Lopez (45-0, 34 KOs), Mexico, vs. Alex Sanchez (25-1, 18 KOs), Puerto Rico, for Lopez's WBC strawweight title.Wilfredo Vasquez (48-7-3, 37 KOs)

LAS VEGAS - Seabrook, Md., middleweight William Joppy's no-nonsense approach to boxing is devoid of gimmicks. Unlike Fernando Vargas, there is no "Ferocious," before his name. No "Executioner," like Bernard Hopkins. Yet his handlers say he is, in boxing, what James Brown was to show business, and that, just like Rodney Dangerfield, all Joppy wants is respect. "Joppy's the hardest working man in the sport," said Stan Hoffman, co-manager with Steve Nelson of the World Boxing Association champ.

NEW YORK - Felix Trinidad endured rival Ricardo Mayorga questioning his heart and chin throughout the promotion leading up to last night's middleweight clash at Madison Square Garden. But it was Trinidad whose two-fisted punching power broke the will of his rival, turning the Nicaraguan's normally hard chin into one of china. Spurred on by the loud support of the partisan crowd chanting "Tito," his nickname, Puerto Rico's most famous athlete earned a knockout of Mayorga with 21 seconds left in the eighth round.

Et ceteraMarylander Coley wants his shot at TrinidadDerrell "Too Sweet" Coley (34-1-2, 24 knockouts) of Capitol Heights, the World Boxing Council's No. 1-ranked welterweight contender, will hold a national teleconference today in an effort to force a mandatory opportunity against World Boxing Council and International Boxing Federation champion Felix Trinidad (36-0, 30 KOs).Trinidad is coming off his unification victory in Las Vegas over Oscar De La Hoya (31-1, 25 KOs). Coley and his promoter, Dan Goossen, are trying to block any plans by Trinidad that may not include Coley.

NEW YORK - Felix Trinidad endured rival Ricardo Mayorga questioning his heart and chin throughout the promotion leading up to last night's middleweight clash at Madison Square Garden. But it was Trinidad whose two-fisted punching power broke the will of his rival, turning the Nicaraguan's normally hard chin into one of china. Spurred on by the loud support of the partisan crowd chanting "Tito," his nickname, Puerto Rico's most famous athlete earned a knockout of Mayorga with 21 seconds left in the eighth round.

NEW YORK - Felix Trinidad was loose and confident at a Wednesday news conference at Madison Square Garden, site of his middleweight, non-title fight against Ricardo Mayorga tonight. The ex-champion from Puerto Rico made a rapid motion with his left hand as Mayorga spoke, implying that his hard-drinking, hard-smoking rival had a big mouth. Trinidad, who has unretired after a 29-month layoff, pressed his right fist against his mouth, showing what he would do to remedy the matter. "There's a certain mind-set that a champion has: I had it. I think Felix has it," said Sugar Ray Leonard, who unretired four times.

NEW YORK - Felix Trinidad rose on wobbly legs at the count of 9. But with his father, trainer and cornerman, Felix Sr., already climbing through the ropes to rescue his son, referee Steve Smoger stopped the fight at 1:22 of the 12th and final round. That was the scene at Madison Square Garden on Sept. 29, 2001, after Bernard Hopkins had taken less than 36 minutes to end Trinidad's eight-year, two-month championship reign by humbling Puerto Rico's most famous athlete. A man about whom a native countryman once said, "Ricky Martin sings for Puerto Rico; Tito Trinidad bleeds for Puerto Rico."

NEW YORK - A hand-wrapping controversy that surfaced before Felix Trinidad's September 2001 loss to Bernard Hopkins has New York State Athletic Commission officials paying close attention to the Puerto Rican power-puncher's gloves entering Saturday night's non-title, middleweight fight against Ricardo Mayorga at Madison Square Garden. Ron Scott Stevens, chairman of the NYSAC, said yesterday that he and four other commission members were present at his New York office on June 10, along with promoter Don King, during a 30-minute meeting in which Trinidad's father, Felix Sr., wrapped his son's hands "in accordance with our rules and regulations."

In Puerto Rico, perfection is equated with Felix "Tito" Trinidad, whose face graces anti-drug posters and soft-drink adds on the island and who's known for his charitable contributions. A college student for two years, Trinidad, now 28, quit to become a boxer. Trained by his father, Felix Trinidad Sr., and often accompanied to his fights by his wife, Sharon, and three children, "Trinidad always has projected this perfect fighter, perfect family man image," said HBO commentator Larry Merchant.

In training for his May 12 fight at New York's Madison Square Garden against Puerto Rican Felix Trinidad -- the biggest fight of his career -- middleweight champion William Joppy is borrowing a page from his stablemate, Baltimore heavyweight champion Hasim Rahman. Joppy, speaking from his training camp in the "House of Champions" facility in New York's Catskill Mountains, said during a conference call Thursday that he's doing the same things Rahman did before heading off to South Africa for last week's fifth-round knockout of Lennox Lewis.

LAS VEGAS - During the aftermath of the Lennox Lewis-Evander Holyfield heavyweight title bout here in November 1999, many boxers who showed up as spectators could be seen with beautiful women on their arms like jewelry, or sipping beers at the Mandalay Bay Hotel, the host site for that fight. Then there was Felix Trinidad, who could go down in history as one of the most feared and devastating, two-fisted punchers the sport has ever known. Trinidad gently held his daughter, and made himself available to autograph seekers, flanked by his pregnant wife, Sharon, and his father-trainer, Felix Sr. "Yes, yes," said Trinidad, 27, in his native Puerto Rican language, as a man asked if it was OK to tickle his daughter, Ashley, now 4. He also has another daughter, Licah, who is 9 months old. But that image is a sharp contrast to the Trinidad who will put his 38-0 record (31 knockouts)

NEW YORK - A man known for his heavy drinking, Ricardo Mayorga is probably used to awakening to headaches. But the aches he felt yesterday morning were not from a long night at a bar, but rather the result of getting pounded during Saturday night's eighth-round knockout loss to Felix Trinidad in a middleweight bout at Madison Square Garden. Mayorga, who turned 31 yesterday, left the ring with a large gash down the left side of his face beneath a swollen eye. He had throbbing ribs from absorbing air-sapping left hooks, one of which drove him to his knees for the first of three times in the final round - the last time, for good with 21 seconds left.

NEW YORK - For years, he has labored in the shadows cast by bigger-name attractions. Now, Keith Holmes says, the time has come for him to step into the sunlight and announce himself to the world as the standout fighter he always has believed himself to be. Holmes (35-2, 23 KOs) puts his World Boxing Council middleweight championship on the line against International Boxing Federation champ Bernard Hopkins (38-2-1, 28 KOs) tonight in the Theater at Madison Square Garden. "I think it's very disrespectful people are overlooking me," Holmes said.

WASHINGTON - After his ninth-round knockout of Quincy Taylor earned him the World Boxing Council crown on March 16, 1996, Washington middleweight Keith Holmes offered solace to one of his weeping daughters. "She was in my corner, crying after the fight, didn't like seeing daddy in there," said Holmes, 30, who briefly lost that crown to Hassine Cherifi of France after two defenses, then regained it from Cherifi two fights later. "I told her, `Baby, don't cry, daddy's taking you to the toy store.