ON GREATNESS
By Adeyinka Makinde
01.10.01 - Right from the time
of its making, the Bernard Hopkins-Felix Trinidad
match up promised the victor a reward which would
transcend the 'secondary issues' of multi-belt
holder and financial remuneration. The writing
and talking both between and within the lines
pointed to a coronation of sorts; the anointing
and appointing of the 'one left standing' as a
bonafide great of the contemporary game and most
likely a place among the standouts of the different
era's. Indeed, the creation of the Sugar Ray Robinson
Trophy in honour of the man many critics rank
as the interdivisional champion of all time; or
colloquially, as pound-for-pound, the most complete
boxer, set the conditions for what Messrs. Trinidad
and Hopkins were fighting for: an elevation to
boxing immortality. And now that Hopkins has sailed
through his test with almost embarrassing ease,
will he be elevated to the rarefied heights of
pugilistic valhalla or will the fans and pundits
renege on this sense of promise, steadily built
up in the pre-fight promotion?
I pose this question because
I feel uneasy about the manner in which history
has favoured certain fighters and has correspondingly
made it difficult for others when ascertaining
who will be remembered as a great fighter. Consider
the the rivalry between the recently departed
Sandy Saddler and Willie Pep. Saddler beat Pep
in three meetings out of four, yet when a list
of the greatest featherweights is produced,
one tends to locate the name of Saddler behind
that of Pep. Another duet that comes to mind
is that of Sugar Ray Robinson and Carmen Basilio;
both Welterweights cum Middleweights. Almost
all would put Basilio miles below Sugar Ray.
Yet Basilio engaged in two closely (and maliciously)
fought bouts winning the first and losing the
return.
My point is that the Hopkins-Trinidad
bout appeared more to be about establishing
Trinidad's credentials as a 'great' than it
was about Hopkins assuming this mantle. Trinidad
with his unbeaten record, win over the glamorous
figure of Oscar De La Hoya, his success across
the divisions was the betting favourite and
negotiated a pecuniary deal far in excess of
what Hopkin's was earning. Hopkins on the other
hand possessed a solid but unspectacular record
sullied by a loss to Roy Jones. There are some
fighters who have a certain style and an aura
aspects of which are undefinable as to be bordering
on the esoteric. They are 'more attractive'
than their contemporaries and because of this
are more susceptible at gaining recognition
than those who in fact are their equals and
in some circumstances, their betters.
Willie Pep at his peak had a
style that bordered on the ethereal, a swiftly
moving master of scientific boxing who arched
his blows and evaded his opponents punches with
consummate ease and with seemingly effortless
artistry. The style of Sandy Saddler, now of
blessed memory, was as far off from the Pep
school of 'fancy dan' boxing as chalk is different
from cheese. But his robustly direct and ruggedly
aggressive modus was as efficient and infinitely
more destructive than Pep's ever was. I would
submit that Saddler would have beaten Pep three
times out of four at any stage of their careers.
So far as Robinson and Basilio
are concerned, I have no reason to break ranks
with the notion that as a fighter, he was Basilio's
superior, as indeed I have few grounds to deviate
from popular estimates that he is the greatest
fighter of all time. Yet, all Basilio remembers
is that he stood in there with Robinson for
thirty rounds and did not embarrass himself.
In the aftermath of the fight,
the two questions which need to be posed are
whether Hopkins has indeed ascended to greatness
and also whether Felix Trinidad can regain enough
credibility in the future to be ranked as a
great.
Fighting greatness encompasses
the tried and tested criteria of overall ability
and durability: punching power, ability to take
a punch, stamina, adaptability, guile and so
on. Hopkins has consistently though unspectacularly
displayed the full range of these traits and
most impressively has demonstrated an adeptness
at merging the physical as well as psychological
dimensions of his craft to pull out a famous
victory. He didn't simply go in and knock Trinidad
over because he had the advantage of being the
'natural' middleweight, he actually out thought
and out manoeuvred a man who it was felt had
a better boxing brain. His blustering performances
at the pre-fight conferences in both words and
actions; parts of which were considered to be
in poor taste, are likely in hindsight to be
seen as skilfully crafted ploys aimed at bolstering
his confidence and wounding Trinidad's psychological
equilibrium. He was uncompromising in his methodology
of focusing his professional ire at Trinidad
by sporting apparel bearing the word 'WAR' even
at the risk of the disapproval of many of his
countrymen given recent events.
Does Hopkins deserve the tag
of great fighter? Well, if you beat what is
put before you in your career, it would appear
to be a valid appellation. Should his achievement
be played down because some will now claim that
Trinidad was merely an overblown Welterweight?
Of course not. Marvin Hagler's fighting credentials
went up with victories over the likes of Tommy
Hearns, Roberto Duran and a peak form John Mugabi.
On the other hand, will Trinidad's
loss irreparably damage his quest for greatness?
Not necessarily. Fighter's like Henry Armstrong
and Sugar Ray Robinson failed during excursions
to heavier divisions though admittedly, Armstrong's
draw with Ceferino Garcia and Robinsons loss
to Joey Maxim bear little similarity to Trinidad's
situation. For while Armstrong did not succeed
on a technicality and Robinson's loss was due
more to a New York City heatwave rather than
to Maxims punches, Trinidad was comprehensively
outboxed and then stopped. Nevertheless, a return
to the lower divisions to tackle the likes of
Sugar Ray Mosely and Oscar De La Hoya and beating
them would be a route to attaining this status.
Before that comes about however, he will be
in need of a lengthy rest to heal the physical
and spiritual wounds inflicted by Hopkins.
It is of course with Hopkins
we must end. He has overcome the crippling early
circumstances of criminality. He reconstituted
and revived himself after losing to Roy Jones
to become the dominant Middleweight of the late
nineties. He has upset odds that figured him
to be Trinidad's inferior.
Let us hail Bernard Hopkins,
a great champion.
The author may be contacted
at adeyinkamakinde@aol.com
