Was Tito Trinidad ever a real Middleweight? Or should he have stayed at 154 longer?

I agree he should have stayed at 154. But, the money was at 160. In Tito's defense, he did beat the living **** out of William Joppy. But, in reality, Tito had a grand total of 2 legitimate middleweight wins in his entire career. So it clearly was not his appropriate division. Had he drawn Keith Holmes instead of William Joppy in the first round of the middleweight tournament, he might have been exposed before Hopkins got to him.

 

He looked great vs Joppy

 

Shoulda stayed down but the lure of big name's and money to big a draw .

 

yeah but that was Joppy.. on the way down also. People overrated that fight.

 

No one overrated that fight more than me. I was there at MSG for that fight. The atmosphere was amazing. And Tito never looked more devastating. I am not sure how "on the way down" that version of Joppy was. He was just indicative of the somewhat weak state of the middleweight division at that time. The same weak middleweight field that Hopkins milked into a record number of defenses. Hell, even Joppy managed 11 successful title wins in that dreadful period. And, after getting annihilated by Trinidad, Joppy still went the distance with Bernard, and beat one of Bernard's top 3 title challengers. (Howard Eastman)

 

Easy to say with the benefit of hindsight. At the time, Trinidad looked like a killer after the way he battered Joppy. Coming off the back of beating Vargas the way he did the fight before, it's not surprising people were hyped by Tito's performances.

 

Tito looked so good it was just hard to envisage any overly competitive matches at 154 so chased the glory of being undisputed at 160. Tito thrives on challenges and the Joppy blitz was so exciting. I genuinely felt he was going to be one of the absolute best fighters ever.

 

Tito was a very good middleweight he could beat more good 160lbers than people tend to think. He gets dismissed a bit too much.

He basically fought one of the worst guys you could have ever choosen. Talking about boxing style, size and he was the hungry fighter.
If Don King hated Tito than this fight makes sense.
Bernard Hopkins didn't get hit. Airtight defense, iron chin, Great counter puncher, strong, taller than most 175lbers. Off the charts Ring IQ. And hes from Philadelphia.

Thats a great offer where do I sign up? Just cause Hopkins did it doesn't mean that everyone and their mother could.

 

It was a good win but it was the ''Tyson Effect' so to speak. He was spectacular in destroying a guy nobody had ever come close to doing that to.

That is the nature of boxing.

 

I remember thinking he has middleweight power. And I think everyone thought that. So when he fought Hopkins, people thought he lands that left hook he wins. I am not sure, but I think Tito was favored against Bernard.. Wasn't he?