Joe Hipp facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Joe Hipp |
|
|---|---|
| Born | December 7, 1962 Browning, Montana |
| Other names | The Boss |
| Residence | Yakima, Washington |
| Nationality | American Blackfeet Nation |
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) |
| Weight | 105.0 kg (231.5 lb; 16.53 st) |
| Division | Heavyweight |
| Reach | 73 in (185 cm) |
| Stance | Southpaw |
| Years active | 18 (1987–2005) |
| Professional boxing record | |
| Total | 50 |
| Wins | 43 |
| By knockout | 29 |
| Losses | 7 |
| By knockout | 6 |
| Amateur boxing record | |
| Total | 128 |
| Wins | 119 |
| Losses | 9 |
| Other information | |
| Occupation | All Nations Foundation, founder |
| Notable school(s) | A.C. Davis High School |
|
last updated on: October 17, 2009
|
|
Joe "The Boss" Hipp (born December 7, 1962) is a retired American heavyweight boxer. He is a proud member of the Blackfeet Tribe. Joe Hipp made history on August 19, 1995, by becoming the first Native American to fight for a world heavyweight boxing championship. This big fight was against WBA champion Bruce Seldon at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. In May 2009, Joe Hipp was honored by being added to the American Indian Athletic Hall of Fame.
Contents
Joe Hipp's Boxing Journey
Joe Hipp started his professional boxing career on August 29, 1987. His first fight was in Eugene, Oregon, where he won against Steve Cortez. Just two months later, he faced Veti Katoa in Carson City, Nevada. During this fight, Joe broke his jaw in the third round, and the fight had to be stopped.
Early Career Wins
After his first loss, Joe Hipp bounced back quickly. He won his next three fights by knocking out his opponents in the first round. He then had a rematch with Veti Katoa on July 2, 1988. Joe fought hard and won this time by a unanimous decision after five rounds.
Joe took a break from boxing for about a year. He returned on July 4 the next year to fight Andrew Matthews. Joe was much heavier than his opponent and won by stopping the fight in the first round. Two weeks later, he had another impressive win against Cleveland Woods. This victory was a big surprise in the boxing world at the time.
Joe Hipp then went on another winning streak. He even beat Veti Katoa for a third time with a knockout in the third round. Later, he faced Bert Cooper, a tough boxer. Cooper won that fight in the fifth round.
Big Fights and Challenges
Joe Hipp recovered from that loss and won three more fights in a row. On June 27, 1992, he fought Tommy Morrison in Reno, Nevada. It was a very tough fight where both boxers got hurt. Morrison broke his jaw and a hand, while Joe Hipp broke his cheekbones. Morrison won the fight in the ninth round.
After healing from his injuries, Joe fought once in 1993. He won a ten-round decision in a rematch against Kevin Ford. In 1994, Joe started the year with a win against Alex Garcia. This win earned him the NABF heavyweight title. He finished that year with two more victories.
In 1995, Joe continued his winning streak by beating Phillip Brown. This important win led to the biggest fight of his career. It was the fight that made him the first Native American to challenge for a major heavyweight title.
Fighting for a World Title
On August 19, 1995, Joe Hipp stepped into the ring at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. This was on the same night as a very famous fight between Mike Tyson and Peter McNeeley. Joe was there to challenge Bruce Seldon for the WBA Heavyweight championship.
Joe fought bravely, but Seldon was ahead on the scorecards. In the tenth round, the referee Richard Steele stopped the fight. Joe's face was very swollen and bleeding, so the fight was ended to protect him.
Later Career and Retirement
After his world title fight, Joe Hipp continued to box. He won several fights against less experienced opponents. However, on June 15, 1997, he was knocked out by Ross Puritty. Joe had been leading the fight, but Puritty came out strong in the tenth and final round, and Joe was too tired to keep up.
Joe won three more fights after that. But on December 9, 1999, he suffered a serious knee injury during a fight against Jeff Pegues, which caused the fight to stop in the fifth round.
He tried to make a comeback four years later, winning one fight. But his second comeback fight, on November 14, 2003, ended in a loss to Billy Zumbrun. Joe "The Boss" Hipp, as his fans called him, returned for one last fight on August 13, 2005. He won a six-round decision against Ted Reiter. This was his final boxing match.
Life Outside the Ring
Joe Hipp has also been active outside of boxing. In 2004, a special poetry reading was held in his honor by various Native American groups.
In December 2005, Joe worked as a FEMA worker during the Hurricane Katrina disaster. He joined other members of the Blackfeet Tribe who were called to help because of their experience in wildfires and search and rescue missions.
By 2007, Joe Hipp was working for his former manager at a sweeping company in Seattle. He also co-owned a small construction company.
