William Joppy

From Wacklepedia - The Free Encyclopedia

William Joppy is an American middleweight boxer. Born in Washington, D.C on September 11, 1970, he has held the WBA middleweight title on two occassions. He is considered a very tough journeyman fighter, who has lost only to first-class opponents. Joppy first became champion - WBA middleweight title holder to be exact - 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 Cesar Green. Joppy's very next fight, on January 31 of the next year, saw him avenge that loss with a decision win by 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 impressive defenses. Joppy lost the title a second time, however, on May 13, 2001, to Felix Trinidad. Joppy was knocked down in rounds one and four before finally being stopped in the fifth; this was Joppy's first and only loss by knockout. After the WBA title was vacated due to Bernard Hopkins being declared a "super champion," Joppy had the chance to fight for it again. He claimed the title from British contender Howard Eastman in a majority decision, giving "The Battersea Bomber" his only loss so far.

On December 14, 2003, Joppy lost his title to Bernard Hopkins, losing a one-sided twelve round bout.

As of December, 2003, Joppy's record stands at 34 wins, 3 losses, and one draw, with 25 wins coming by way of knockout.