Félix Trinidad vs. Roy Jones Jr.: Reliving ‘Superman’s’ MSG Dominance

On January 19, 2008, at Madison Square Garden, Roy Jones Jr. faced Felix Trinidad at a catchweight of 170lbs. Don King labelled the pay-per-view fight “Bring on the Titans.” Both men entered the bout in the later part of their careers with Trinidad fighting for the first time in 2 1/2 years since his one-sided decision defeat against Ronald ‘Winky’ Wright. Jones came into the fight having beaten Prince Badi Ajamu and Anthony Hanshaw. Big Fight Weekend are taking you back to fight night at MSG to relive a dominant performance from “Superman.”

Félix Trinidad vs. Roy Jones Jr.: A Look Back at Their MSG Battle

Roy Jones Jr.’s Dominance Against Félix Trinidad

Trinidad started on the front foot and looked to take the fight to Jones Jr., but the Pensacola native still possessed his slick defensive skills, which ensured “Tito” missed more than he landed. As the fight progressed, Jones was thoughtful with his work and showcased impressive hand speed and accuracy to dominate the bout.

He scored two knockdowns during the fight. The first came in round seven with a well-timed short right hand. The second knockdown came in the tenth through a trademark quick combination. The speed and slick footwork of Jones saw him take over the fight in the later stages, making Trinidad miss on countless occasions.

Read More: 10 Most Memorable Roy Jones Jr. Fights

Despite “Tito” starting the fight aggressively and taking some of the early rounds through his work rate, the class of “Superman” took over, and he controlled the back half of the fight. The domination of the second half saw the Florida fighter win via a deserved one-sided unanimous decision. The judges scorecards read 117-109 and 116-110 x2.

What Came Next?

Jones vs Trinidad was a success recording an impressive “500,000 pay-per-view subscriptions and $25 million in domestic television revenue” according to a report from Dan Rafael.

Read More: Roy Jones Jr. defeated Bernard Hopkins back in 1993

“Tito” never fought again, following this defeat. “Superman” went on to face the unbeaten Welshman Joe Calzaghe. The “Pride of Wales” ultimately dominated the American – winning by unanimous decision, 118-109 x3. Jones went on to fight consistently until 2018, fighting a lower class of opposition than he ever did in his prime, suffering some defeats. However, it cannot be forgotten what a joy to watch he was in his prime. Jones Jr. was a pugilist of the highest quality.