July 22, 2000 -- Puerto Rican boxing champion, Felix "Tito" Trinidad  (38-0, 31 KOs), going into his 18th title fight, made quick work out of the Frenchmen, Mamadou Thiam in a raucous crowd at the American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida.

Thiam a strong fighter, withstood the power punches of Trinidad for nearly three rounds, but quit at 2:48 second mark of the third round after a barrage of left hook and upper cuts to his severely swollen right eye.

Here's a round-by-round recap:

Round One:

Both fighters seemed tentative, Trinidad starts to establish his left hook.  Thiam starts to become more aggressive, but Trinidad lands several solid body shots and upper cuts which made Thiam right eye swell.  Trinidad backs Thiam into the rope and Thiam's legs seem wobbly. It looks like Trinidad's power is already too much for Thiam.

Round Two:

Mamadou starts off the round aggressively by trying to land some powerful right hands.  Trinidad escapes his punches and counters with beautiful left hook/upper cut combinations.  Mamadou continues to be  the aggressor and lands a couple of right hand blows to Trinidad's head.  Trinidad finishes the round strong by landing some good left hooks and upper cuts.  Thiam's right eye is now completely shut and it seems he cannot see Trinidad's powerful left hooks.

Round Three:

Mamadou face looked  swollen.  His vision is impaired through that right eye.  Trinidad, like a shark circling his prey, attacks Thiam's right eye with powerful left hooks.  Mamadou begins to throw wild right hands which Trinidad dodges with ease.  Trinidad counters with a left upper cut which made Thiam quit at the 2:48 mark of the third round.

Thiam, the European 154-pound champion, struggled to leave the ring but walked to the locker room without help. He was taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital with a possible concussion. He did not attend the post-fight news conference 

Much of the paid crowd of 12,506 chanted "Tito, Tito," as Trinidad danced his way into the ring and spontaneously during the fight. 

Trinidad is still the undefeated (38-0 31 KO's) WBA super welterweight champion of the world.

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