William Joppy
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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 occasions. Joppy 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 Cesar 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 kayo 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 tournement. 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 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.
After the Hopkins loss he was defeated by Jermain Taylor.
Joppy returned as a Super Middleweight on July 29th 2005 knocking out journeyman Rashaan Blackburn in the third round. Joppy said he hopes to have one final title run now as a Super Middleweight before retirement.
As of July, 2005, Joppy's record stands at 35 wins, 4 losses, and one draw, with 26 wins coming by way of knockout.
[edit] External links
| Preceded by Shinji Takehara |
WBA Middleweight Champion 24 Jun 1996–23 Aug 1997 |
Succeeded by Julio Cesar Green |
| Preceded by Julio Cesar Green |
WBA Middleweight Champion 31 Jan 1998–12 May 2001 |
Succeeded by Felix Trinidad |
