Interview with William Joppy - ex WBA middleweight champion

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Interview with William Torell Joppy – three times WBA middleweight world champion

I’ve always said that I’m a huge Social Media Fan. This was also one of the reasons it became my job. 😉
But anyway. I experience every day new and great things and I meet incredible people.

This happened with William too. We “met” on Instagram.

He is from Maryland and soon he will turn 46. I’m so happy to have the occasion to publish my Interview with him.

I’d love to meet him in real life. He seems like a great person. Especially his engagement for the kids -sounds absolutely wonderful to me.

William Joppy Caesars Palace

When did you career start?

Boxing has always been on my radar ever since as a child watching the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal, Canada, but coming up as a teenager I did not have the maturity to dedicate myself to boxing.. I’ve been through a lot growing up and it took me until I was 20 years of age to totally commit myself to the sport of boxing.

What fascinates you most on boxing?

What fascinates me about the sport of boxing is the art of it. I love the mere fact of the technique involved as far as hit and not get hit.

Joe Frazier and William Joppy at a black tie event in Washington DC in the 90s

Do you think boxing changed the last years?

Yes. Unfortunately boxing has changed through the years because they concentrate more on the money rather than making good fights.

Do you have a role model?

My role model would be Sugar Ray Leonard because he could do it all inside the ring, not only my role model but the best that ever did it period. 😉

William Joppy Sugar Ray Leonard at his house

Best moment in life?

The most amazing moment in my life I would have to say, the birth of my children! Definitely.

William Joppy and his Son – Hall of Fame Weekend 2015

If you would go back in time. What would you change?

If I could go back I would change my surroundings. During my boxing career I dealt with the wrong women. Women who were around Just because I was the champ. Now that I’m no longer on top of the game like I was, I realize a lot of my surroundings was around because I was the WBA middleweight champion of the world. And being in that position to help others feels great. I just had the wrong crowd amongst me. I also blame myself because I wanted to be regular and I never looked at myself as somewhat of a celebrity. And when you are amongst people who look at you as a celebrity on a regular, sooner or later there will be confusion because “familiarity breeds contempt”.

Worst moment of your career?

It really hurts a lot to lose a fight, after 10 weeks of hard training and to come up short on fight night is unexplainable! My worst moment was, when I lost my fight to Felix Trinidad, a fight that I surely should have won but I let the mega fight atmosphere get into my head. Also as I said before having the wrong people in my circle, people who came around me because that fight was the biggest of my career.

A normal day during your active boxing career?

Getting up at 4:00am in the morning. Run 5 to 7 miles. After the run I would eat the biggest meal of my day which was breakfast. I would get some rest after breakfast and by 1:00pm I would be in the gym for 3 to 4 hours working on my craft. After I would leave the gym. I would come home and study old fight tapes.

Special diet?

My diet during my boxing career was a lot of vegetables and baked chicken. I would eat my carbs such as spaghetti, baked potatoes, and lasagna early in the day. I would drink a lot of water everyday

Any Motto?

“If you ain’t right – get right, if you’re already right, stay right.”

First signed contract with Don King as a promoter 1994

Which country or city do you like most?

The most beautiful city I’ve visited would be Tokyo, Japan. And the most beautiful country I’ve visited would be Dominican Republic with the beautiful beaches.

What kind of tips would you give boxer who just start?

Boxers starting out in their career I would tell them to always keep positive people in your circle, always stay hungry even when you reach your goal. You do not want to get to comfortable once you reach your goal, because once you get comfortable you will start a decline. And my motto is: Comfort is the Enemy to Success.

1996 in Yokohama Japan when he won the WBA middleweight title

Plans for the future?

I’m working on now is public speaking to at risk youth, especially young black youth. Blacks in America make up most of the prison population. My job is to stop this mass incarceration of my people, and it starts with the youth. I’m looking forward to strengthening my public speaking career to get at risk children on the right path, that’s in my future..!!