Joppy calls Trinidad a "cheat"

by Paul Upham: During a media conference call on Tuesday to promote his fight with Jermain "Bad Intentions" Taylor on December 4 on HBO's 'Boxing After Dark', three-time WBA middleweight champion William Joppy called Felix "Tito" Trinidad a "cheat". After the Puerto Rican great (pictured) was forced to re-wrap his hands prior to his only loss to Bernard Hopkins at Madison Square Garden in September 2001, 34 year-old Joppy 34-3-1 (25) said that he doesn't count his 5th round knockout by Trinidad in May 2001 as a loss on his record. "I don't even count that fight," he said. "He bought a bat to a fist fight. He cheated. I don't care what you say, to all you writers, Felix Trinidad should not be in the Hall of Fame, even though he'll make it to the Hall of Fame. There should always be a question mark behind his name. He's a cheat. When he fought Bernard Hopkins, Bernard Hopkins exposed him." In the dressing room before the Hopkins-Trinidad fight, one of Hopkin's cornermen who was witnessing the wrapping of Trinidad's hands complained to officials and Trinidad's father was made to un-wrap his son's hands and re-wrap them again. "Trinidad's dad wouldn't let him come out to the ring unless he could wrap his hands the way he wanted them to be wrapped and that was illegal," said Joppy.