Riot in Puerto Rico during a Trinidad-Hopkins press conference

Trinidad-Hopkins goes on a four-city tour to promote their upcoming Sept. 15th fight.

Middleweight Championship Series - Coverage from Madison Square Garden, NYC.

Riot in Puerto Rico during a Trinidad-Hopkins press conference.

Throws Puerto Rican flag on the floor again.

Written by Manuel Suarez
Latino Legends in Sports

July 12, 2001 -- Bernard "The Executioner" Hopkins was bold enough to take a Puerto Rican flag out of Tito Trinidad's hand at a recent press conference in NYC, but would he have the cojones to do it in Trinidad's native land of Puerto Rico.

Yes he does, this guy got cojones! Yesterday at a press conference at the jam-packed, Roberto Clemente stadium in Puerto Rico, Bernard Hopkins went up on the stage and began making comments about Puerto Rico and Trinidad.

"It will be a sad day for Puerto Rico when you see your hero fall," he said. Hopkins then started saying insulting comments about Puerto Rico and began making foul hand gestures to the crowd -- adding fuel to the fire.

The angry, hostile crowd didn't attack the stage - not yet.

An angry Felix Trinidad took the microphone and vowed revenge.

"My Puerto Rican flag is the only thing that I don't allow anyone to touch or throw to the floor," Trinidad said. "You will pay a high price for that." He continued, "On September 15th, I'm going to show the world that you are a stupid man." "I will be a great night for me." "I'm going to smack you around like a baby ... then after the fight you're going to have to get new teeth."

Hopkins, bothered by what Trinidad said, went face-to-face with the island hero, and grabbed the microphone from his hands and slammed it down along with a flag he had taken from Don King who was in the middle of the action.

The crowd started throwing bottles, rocks and chairs onto the stage and broke threw a barricade of police officers trying to get their hands on Hopkins. Hopkins ran to safety, but was said to have slight bruises and scratches on his arm. It was also reported that he lost his gold watch in the melee.

Despite just barely escaping the fury of a Puerto Rican crowd, Hopkins vowed that he "will do it again" in reference to throwing a Puerto Rican flag onto the floor.

All of the windows of Hopkins' limousine were broken by the angry crowd who thought he was in there.

Promoter Don King was hit by some debris and Don Felix, Trinidad's father and trainer was slightly hurt when a water bottle struck him in the head.

Afterwards, when the crowd started leaving, Hopkins was taken by helicopter to the airport and got on a flight to Philadelphia.

No one was arrested.