William Joppy

Statistics
Real name	William Torelle Joppy
Rated at	Light heavyweight
Nationality	U.S.
Birth date	September 11, 1970 (1970-09-11) (age 39)
Birth place	Silver Spring, Maryland, U.S.
Stance	Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights	42
Wins	38
Wins by KO	29
Losses	5
Draws	1
No contests	0

William Torelle Joppy (born September 11, 1970) is an American middleweight boxer. Joppy held the WBA middleweight title on two occasions. He first became the WBA champion in June 1996 by stopping defender Shinji Takehara in Japan with a flurry of punches in the ninth round. He then would make a couple defenses of his crown. However, on August 23, 1997, Joppy lost a controversial decision to Julio César Green. Joppy's very next fight, on January 31 of the next year, saw him avenge that loss with a decision win by a wide margin. This fight won Joppy the WBA title for the second time. After recovering from a neck injury, Joppy stopped Green on cuts in the seventh round in a rubber match (Green had been the interim champion while Joppy recovered), and made a few more defenses, including a 3 round KO of a nearly 50 year old Roberto Duran.

[edit] Unsuccessful unification

Joppy lost the title a second time, however, on May 13, 2001, to Félix Trinidad in the middleweight unification tournament. Joppy was knocked down in rounds one and four before finally being stopped in the fifth. After the WBA title was vacated due to Bernard Hopkins beating Trinidad and being very dubiously declared a "super champion," Joppy had the chance to fight for it again. He claimed the title from British contender Howard Eastman in a close majority decision where he was knocked down by Eastman in the final few seconds.

On December 14, 2003, Joppy lost his title to Bernard Hopkins, losing by a wide points margin on all three judges' cards. A year later, Joppy lost another lopsided unanimous decision against Jermain Taylor.

Joppy returned as a Super Middleweight on July 29, 2005 knocking out journeyman Rashaan Blackburn in the third round. Joppy said then that he hoped to have one final title run as a Super Middleweight before retirement. After a string of five victories against lesser opponents, Joppy obtained a title fight against the new IBF champion Lucian Bute on February 29, 2008. Bute won by way of technical knockout in round 10.

As of March, 2008, Joppy's record stands at 39 wins (29 by way of knockout), 5 losses (2 by way of knockout), and one draw.

Sporting positions
Preceded by Shinji Takehara	WBA Middleweight Champion Jun 24, 1996–August 23, 1997	Succeeded by Julio Cesar Green
Preceded by Julio Cesar Green	WBA Middleweight Champion Jan 31, 1998–May 12, 2001	Succeeded by Felix Trinidad
Vacant Title last held by Felix Trinidad	WBA Middleweight Champion Regular title November 17, 2001–December 13, 2003 Lost bid for super title	Succeeded by Maselino Masoe

[edit] External links

• Professional boxing record for William Joppy from Boxrec