3 perspectives: Joppy says he can beat Trinidad …

Dean Juipe

Thursday, May 3, 2001 | 10:48 a.m.

Like many champions before him, William Joppy believes he has what it takes to defeat Felix Trinidad.

But Trinidad is not easily deterred and has been turning back every challenge he has faced, whether it was at 147 pounds, 154, or, when he and Joppy fight May 12 in New York, 160.

Since rising to champion's status in 1993, Trinidad has conquered a succession of fellow champions, including Maurice Blocker, Hector Camacho, Yory Boy Campas, Pernell Whitaker, David Reid, Oscar De La Hoya and Fernando Vargas. Now, at 39-0 with 32 knockouts, he has Joppy's World Boxing Association middleweight title in mind.

"I want to knock him off," Joppy said during a conference call. "He's the marquee name and he puts butts in the seats and he has a large Puerto Rican fan base behind him, and he beat the Golden Boy and the two babies (Reid and Vargas). He brings the money.

"But I'm going to show that Trinidad doesn't even belong in there with me."

Trinidad has heard it all before, of course, yet Joppy has sufficient credentials to merit an audience for his claims. The Maryland resident, 30, is a stablemate of new heavyweight champ Hasim Rahman and is 32-1-1 with 24 KOs in a pro career that dates from 1993. He avenged the only blemish on his record, a 1997 loss to Julio Cesar Green.

"I need a young lion like Trinidad so I can show the boxing world that I belong in the elite status," Joppy said. "It was getting boring fighting mandatories and not getting any credit.

"When boxing is all over, I want my name to be mentioned years from now.

"This fight will put me over the hump."

The winner of next week's fight will face International Boxing Federation and World Boxing Council champ Bernard Hopkins Sept. 15 in New York.

"If the fight goes the distance and it's close, yes, I think they'll give it to Trinidad," Joppy said, implying he may have a perception problem with the judges. "But it's not going to go like that. I'm going to beat him every round ... (or) not even go 12 rounds with this guy.

"I'm not a kid. I'm a full-grown man going into my 35th fight. I'm going to show him what I've got."