Manos de Piedras, Roberto Duran, seems to be leaning toward Joppy. Joppy KO'd a 46 year old Duran a couple of years ago. Anyone sense a bit of resentment toward Tito from Roberto?
Roberto Duran Weighs in on Trinidad-Joppy
By Thomas Hauser
Contrary to prevailing wisdom, Roberto Duran expects William Joppy to bring the fight to Felix Trinidad when the two men meet at Madison Square Garden this Saturday night.
"It's a tough fight to pick," Duran said at a press luncheon this afternoon at Victor's Cafe. But the Panamanian legend, who was stopped in three rounds by Joppy in 1998, added, "I think Joppy will apply pressure, especially early in the fight. Going up in weight won't hurt Trinidad. If you're born with a punch, you can carry it up in weight. But Joppy is a lot stronger than Trinidad thinks he is."
Duran also said that he thought Trinidad lost his 1999 fight against Oscar De La Hoya. "I don't want to offend anyone," Duran told the gathering. "I was rooting for Trinidad in that fight, but I know what I see. We all know that Trinidad lost against De La Hoya."
Duran said that, in his opinion, Roy Jones, Jr. still reigns as boxing's "pound for-pound" champion. |
