William Joppy


William Torelle Joppy is an American retired professional boxer who competed from 1993 to 2011, and held the WBA middleweight title three times between 1996 and 2003.

Professional career

Joppy won his first of three WBA middleweight titles 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 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, and made a few more defenses, including a 3rd-round TKO of a 47-year-old Roberto Durán.

Unsuccessful unification against Trinidad

Joppy lost the title a second time, however, on May 12, 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, 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 and Joppy retired after the bout, only to come back two years later.

Retirement

Following a close decision loss to Sebastien Demers in March 2010 Joppy announced his retirement from boxing, although it was not the first time that Joppy has announced that he is leaving the sport. He returned to the ring later that year, fighting Baltimore native Cory Cummings to a draw, and subsequently defeated Cummings by unanimous decision in a 2011 rematch.

Professional boxing record

No.ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes
49Win40–7–2 Cory CummingsUD10Mar 12, 2011 Patriot Center, Fairfax, Virginia, U.S.
48Loss39–7–2 Beibut ShumenovKO6, 0:15Jan 8, 2011 Sport Palace, Shymkent, KazakhstanFor WBA and IBA light heavyweight titles
47Draw39–6–2 Cory CummingsMD10Nov 6, 2010 Patriot Center, Fairfax, Virginia, U.S.
46Loss39–6–1 Sébastien DemersMD10Mar 6, 2010 Montreal Casino, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
45Loss39–5–1 Lucian ButeTKO10, 1:08Feb 29, 2008 Bell Centre, Montreal, Quebec, CanadaFor IBF super middleweight title
44Win39–4–1 Etianne WhitakerTKO1, 1:58Nov 16, 2007 Beauséjour Stadium, Gros Islet, Saint Lucia
43Win38–4–1 Virgil McClendon1, 3:00Apr 27, 2007 D.C. Armory, Washington, D.C., U.S.
42Win37–4–1 Jonathan CornKO5, 2:18Jul 8, 2006 Savvis Center, St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
41Win36–4–1 Eric HowardTKO5, 2:12Jan 7, 2006 Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.
40Win35–4–1 Rashaan BlackburnTKO3, 2:08Jul 29, 2005 The Plex, North Charleston, South Carolina, U.S.
39Loss34–4–1 Jermain TaylorUD12Dec 4, 2004 Barton Coliseum, Little Rock, Arkansas, U.S.For WBC Continental Americas middleweight title
38Loss34–3–1 Bernard HopkinsUD12Dec 13, 2003 Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.Lost WBA middleweight title;
For WBA, WBC, IBF, The Ring, and lineal middleweight titles
37Win34–2–1 Naotaka HozumiTKO10, 2:48Oct 10, 2002 Ryōgoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, JapanRetained WBA middleweight title
36Win33–2–1 Howard Eastman12Nov 17, 2001 Mandalay Bay Events Center, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.Won vacant WBA middleweight title
35Loss32–2–1 Félix TrinidadTKO5, 2:25May 12, 2001 Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.Lost WBA middleweight title
34Win32–1–1 Jonathan ReidTKO4, 2:43Dec 2, 2000 Mandalay Bay Events Center, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.Retained WBA middleweight title
33Win31–1–1 Hacine CherifiUD12Sep 16, 2000 MGM Grand Garden Arena, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.Retained WBA middleweight title
32Win30–1–1 Rito RuvalcabaTKO1, 1:53May 20, 2000 Grand Casino, Tunica, Mississippi, U.S.Retained WBA middleweight title
31Win29–1–1 Fernando ZunigaUD10Mar 3, 2000 Caesars Palace, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.
30Win28–1–1 Julio César GreenTKO7, 1:52Sep 24, 1999 MCI Center, Washington, D.C., U.S.Retained WBA middleweight title
29Win27–1–1 Napoleon PittTKO1, 2:38Jul 24, 1999 Flamingo Hilton, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.
28Win26–1–1 Roberto DuránTKO3, 2:54Aug 28, 1998 Las Vegas Hilton, Winchester, Nevada, U.S.Retained WBA middleweight title
27Win25–1–1 Julio César GreenUD12Jan 31, 1998 Ice Palace, Tampa, Florida, U.S.Won WBA middleweight title
26Loss24–1–1 Julio César GreenUD12Aug 23, 1997 Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.Lost WBA middleweight title
25Win24–0–1 Peter VenancioUD12May 10, 1997 Coconut Grove Convention Center, Miami, Florida, U.S.Retained WBA middleweight title
24Win23–0–1 Ray McElroyTKO7, 1:41Oct 19, 1996 The Show Place Arena, Upper Marlboro, Maryland, U.S.Retained WBA middleweight title
23Win22–0–1 Shinji TakeharaTKO9, 2:29Jun 24, 1996 Yokohama Arena, Yokohama, JapanWon WBA middleweight title
22Win21–0–1 Dave BooneTKO2, 1:42Feb 10, 1996 MGM Grand Garden Arena, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.
21Win20–0–1 Israel FigueroaKO1Dec 7, 1995 The Show Place Arena, Upper Marlboro, Maryland, U.S.
20Draw19–0–1 Rodney Toney12Sep 16, 1995 The Mirage, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.For NABF middleweight title
19Win19–0 Joaquin VelasquezPTS10Apr 29, 1995 USAir Arena, Landover, Maryland, U.S.
18Win18–0 Tony McCrimmionKO3, 2:02Mar 1, 1995 War Memorial Auditorium, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, U.S.
17Win17–0 Tony CartelKO2Sep 20, 1994 Washington, D.C., U.S.
16Win16–0 Richard EvansPTS8Aug 13, 1994 Convention Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
15Win15–0 Miguel Angel HernandezKO3, 1:08Jul 30, 1994 Silver Nugget, North Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
14Win14–0 Carlos Christie6Jun 15, 1994 Elephant and Castle Shopping Center, London, England
13Win13–0 Carl SullivanTKO4May 13, 1994 The Show Place Arena, Upper Marlboro, Maryland, U.S.
12Win12–0 Muhammad ShabazzTKO5Apr 14, 1994 Richmond, Virginia, U.S.
11Win11–0 Kenneth ParkerKO2Apr 8, 1994 The Show Place Arena, Upper Marlboro, Maryland, U.S.
10Win10–0 Tony McCrimmionTKO2Feb 27, 1994 Circus Maximus Showroom, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
9Win9–0 Robert HarrisKO1Feb 17, 1994 The Show Place Arena, Upper Marlboro, Maryland, U.S.
8Win8–0 Willie TaylorTKO3Jan 7, 1994 The Show Place Arena, Upper Marlboro, Maryland, U.S.
7Win7–0 Tyrone HaywoodKO2Oct 21, 1993 Washington, D.C., U.S.
6Win6–0 Ivory TeagueKO2Sep 25, 1993 Prince George's Community College, Largo, Maryland, U.S.
5Win5–0 George TaylorKO3Aug 13, 1993 Prince George's Community College, Largo, Maryland, U.S.
4Win4–0 Tim Tisdale1Jun 18, 1993 Total Sports Pavilion, Woodbridge, Virginia, U.S.
3Win3–0 Shane MartinTKO3, 2:29May 12, 1993 Baltimore Arena, Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
2Win2–0 Ken Ruffin1Apr 30, 1993 Total Sports Pavilion, Woodbridge, Virginia, U.S.
1Win1–0 Dwayne Tennet4Feb 26, 1993 Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, U.S.Professional debut