Joe Hipp

Last updated
Joe Hipp
Born (1962-12-07) December 7, 1962 (age 62)
Browning, Montana
Other namesThe Boss
Residence Yakima, Washington
Nationality American Blackfeet Nation
Height1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Weight105.0 kg (231.5 lb; 16.53 st)
Division Heavyweight
Reach73 in (185 cm)
Stance Southpaw
Years active18 (1987–2005)
Professional boxing record
Total50
Wins43
By knockout29
Losses7
By knockout6
Amateur boxing record
Total128
Wins119
Losses9
Other information
OccupationAll Nations Foundation, founder
Notable school(s) A.C. Davis High School
Boxing record from BoxRec
Last updated on: October 17, 2009

Joe "The Boss" Hipp (born December 7, 1962) is a retired professional American heavyweight boxer. A member of the Blackfeet Tribe, he became the first Native American to challenge for a world heavyweight boxing championship on August 19, 1995 when he fought WBA champion Bruce Seldon at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. In May 2009, he was inducted into the American Indian Athletic Hall of Fame.

Contents

Professional career

Hipp began his professional career with a 4-round decision over Steve Cortez at the Lane County Fairgrounds in Eugene, Oregon on August 29, 1987. For his second fight 2 months later, Hipp travelled to Carson City, Nevada to face Utah native Veti Katoa. The fight was stopped by the ringside doctor after Hipp suffered a broken jaw in the third round.

Hipp rebounded successfully from the defeat by notching 3 consecutive first-round knockout victories before facing Katoa in a rematch at Gardnerville Park in Gardnerville, Nevada on July 2, 1988. Hipp dominated the action on the inside with his hard-hitting, banging style to take a 5-round unanimous decision.

Hipp then took a year-long hiatus from boxing before returning to face Andrew Matthews on the 4th of July of the following year. Outweighing his opponent by over 30 pounds, Hipp punched his way to a first-round stoppage. Exactly two weeks later, Hipp scored a unanimous four-round decision over up-and-coming contender Cleveland Woods in what Ring Magazine referred to as "...the upset of the night" on the card for that evening.

Hipp began another winning streak (including a brutal third-round knockout of Katoa in their third and final meeting) before facing Bert Cooper in Cooper's final bout prior to his fight with Evander Holyfield for the world title one month later. Cooper outslugged Hipp en route to a fifth-round stoppage by referee Joe Cortez.

Hipp again rebounded by winning 3 consecutive contests before facing Tommy Morrison on June 27, 1992 in Reno, Nevada. In a slugfest that saw Morrison break his jaw and one of his hands, Hipp lost by a 9th-round TKO, resulting in broken cheekbones for Hipp. After recovering from his injuries, Hipp fought once in 1993, earning a victory with a ten-round decision in a rematch with Kevin Ford.

Hipp began 1994 with a victory over Alex Garcia for the fringe NABF heavyweight title and finished the year with two more wins. He began the following year by continuing his winning ways with a third-round TKO of journeyman Phillip Brown. This win would lead to Hipp's most important bout, the fight that would land him in the history books as the first Native American to challenge for one of the four recognized heavyweight title belts.

WBA Heavyweight Title Bout

On August 19, 1995 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on the undercard of the infamous Mike Tyson v. Peter McNeeley fight (Tyson's first fight after being released from prison for rape), Hipp squared off against Bruce Seldon for the WBA Heavyweight championship. With Seldon well ahead on all scorecards, the fight was stopped in the tenth round by referee Richard Steele after Hipp experienced massive swelling and bleeding on his face.

Career Decline

Hipp's career was rather undistinguished afterwards. He fired off a series of victories over third-rate competition before being knocked out by hard-hitting journeyman Ross Puritty on June 15, 1997. Hipp had secured a comfortable lead on the scorecards before Puritty came out swinging for the tenth and final round of their bout. An exhausted Hipp was no match for Puritty in the last round and he suffered another KO defeat. Hipp racked up three consecutive victories against nondescript competition after the Puritty fight, but then blew out his knee against Jeff Pegues in a fifth-round TKO loss on December 9, 1999.

He attempted a comeback four years later, but that came to an abrupt end in his second fight as he dropped a six-round decision to journeyman Billy Zumbrun on November 14, 2003.

Hipp, referred to as "The Boss" by his loyal fans, returned from another extended layoff to win a six-round decision over Ted Reiter on August 13, 2005, in what was his final fight.

Professional boxing record

43 Wins (29 knockouts, 14 decisions), 7 Losses (6 knockouts, 1 decision) [1]
ResultRecordOpponentTypeRoundDateLocationNotes
Win43–7 Flag of the United States.svg Ted ReiterMD613/08/2005 Flag of the United States.svg Lewiston, Idaho, U.S.
Loss42–7 Flag of the United States.svg Billy ZumbrunMD614/11/2003 Flag of the United States.svg Seattle, Washington, U.S.
Win42–6 Flag of the United States.svg Chris BrownKO222/08/2003 Flag of the United States.svg Spokane, Washington, U.S.Brown knocked out at 2:37 of the second round.
Loss41–6 Flag of the United States.svg Jeff PeguesTKO509/12/1999 Flag of the United States.svg Mount Pleasant, Michigan, U.S.Hipp suffered a severe knee injury during the fight causing a stoppage.
Win41–5 Flag of the United States.svg Everett MartinUD1225/06/1999 Flag of the United States.svg Saint Charles, Missouri, U.S.WBF World heavyweight title.
Win40–5 Flag of the United States.svg Jack BastingUD1027/03/1998 Flag of the United States.svg Tacoma, Washington, U.S.
Win39–5 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg George McFallTKO211/02/1998 Flag of the United States.svg Yakima, Washington, U.S.
Loss38–5 Flag of the United States.svg Ross Puritty KO1015/06/1997 Flag of the United States.svg Biloxi, Mississippi, U.S.
Win38–4 Flag of the United States.svg Marcus RhodeTKO129/03/1997 Flag of the United States.svg Bellevue, Washington, U.S.
Win37–4 Flag of the United States.svg Lorenzo BoydKO110/03/1997 Flag of the United States.svg Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.Boyd knocked out at 2:45 of the first round.
Win36–4 Flag of the United States.svg Will HintonTKO113/12/1996 Flag of the United States.svg Tacoma, Washington, U.S.Referee stopped the bout at 1:30 of the first round.
Win35–4 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Troy RobertsKO205/10/1996 Flag of the United States.svg Yakima, Washington, U.S.
Win34–4 Flag of the United States.svg Fred HoupeTKO123/09/1996 Flag of the United States.svg Bellevue, Washington, U.S.Referee stopped the bout at 1:55 of the first round.
Win33–4 Flag of the United States.svg Bill CorriganKO104/08/1996 Flag of the United States.svg Sequim, Washington, U.S.Corrigan knocked out at 1:39 of the first round.
Win32–4 Flag of the United States.svg Anthony MooreTKO517/07/1996 Flag of the United States.svg Worley, Idaho, U.S.Western States heavyweight title.
Win31–4 Flag of Mexico.svg Martin JacquesTKO115/12/1995 Flag of the United States.svg Yakima, Washington, U.S.
Loss30–4 Flag of the United States.svg Bruce Seldon TKO10 19/08/1995 Flag of the United States.svg Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. WBA World heavyweight title. Referee stopped the bout at 1:47 of the tenth round.
Win30–3 Flag of the United States.svg Philipp BrownTKO317/04/1995 Flag of the United States.svg Moline, Illinois, U.S.
Win29–3 Flag of Puerto Rico.svg Rodolfo MarinSD1001/11/1994 Flag of the United States.svg Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
Win28–3 Flag of Cuba.svg José Ribalta KO210/05/1994 Flag of the United States.svg Mashantucket, Connecticut, U.S. NABF heavyweight title. Ribalta knocked out at 1:53 of the second round.
Win27–3 Flag of the United States.svg Alex Garcia UD1201/03/1994 Flag of the United States.svg Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.NABF heavyweight title.
Win26–3 Flag of the United States.svg Keith McMurrayKO414/01/1994 Flag of the United States.svg Saint George, Utah, U.S.McMurray knocked out at 2:52 of the fourth round.
Win25–3 Flag of the United States.svg Kevin Ford UD1003/04/1993 Flag of the United States.svg Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
Loss24–3 Flag of the United States.svg Tommy Morrison TKO927/06/1992 Flag of the United States.svg Reno, Nevada, U.S.Referee stopped the bout at 2:47 of the ninth round.
Win24–2 Flag of the United States.svg Jesse ShelbyUD1028/02/1992 Flag of the United States.svg Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
Win23–2 Flag of the United States.svg Kevin Ford UD801/02/1992 Flag of the United States.svg Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
Win22–2 Flag of the United States.svg John MortonKO305/01/1992 Flag of the United States.svg Reno, Nevada, U.S.Morton knocked out at 3:00 of the third round.
Loss21–2 Flag of the United States.svg Bert Cooper TKO5 Oct 18, 1991 Flag of the United States.svg Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.Referee stopped the bout at 1:01 of the fifth round.
Win21–1 Flag of the United States.svg Cleveland WoodsKO115/07/1991 Flag of the United States.svg Irvine, California, U.S.Woods knocked out at 0:27 of the first round.
Win20–1 Flag of the United States.svg Bill DuncanKO102/07/1991 Flag of the United States.svg Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.
Win19–1 Flag of the United States.svg David Bey TKO726/02/1991 Flag of the United States.svg Birmingham, Alabama, U.S.Referee stopped the bout at 1:07 of the seventh round.
Win18–1 Flag of the United States.svg Mike CohenKO414/01/1991 Flag of the United States.svg Fife, Washington, U.S.World Boxing Foundation (WBFo) Intercontinental heavyweight title. Cohen knocked out at 2:30 of the fourth round.
Win17–1 Flag of the United States.svg Richard CadeKO216/11/1990 Flag of the United States.svg Fort Lewis, Washington, U.S.Cade knocked out at 0:52 of the second round.
Win16–1 Flag of the United States.svg Harry TerrellKO211/09/1990 Flag of the United States.svg Fife, Washington, U.S.Terrell knocked out at 2:14 of the second round.
Win15–1 Flag of Mexico.svg Gerardo ValeroKO126/07/1990 Flag of the United States.svg Yakima, Washington, U.S.Valero knocked out at 3:04 of the first round.
Win14–1 Flag of the United States.svg Tracy ThomasUD1012/06/1990 Flag of the United States.svg Yakima, Washington, U.S.
Win13–1 Flag of the United States.svg Danny WoffordPTS624/04/1990 Flag of the United States.svg Reseda, California, U.S.
Win12–1 Flag of the United States.svg Veti KatoaKO316/03/1990 Flag of the United States.svg Butte, Montana, U.S.
Win11–1 Flag of the United States.svg Dan RossKO112/02/1990 Flag of the United States.svg Butte, Montana, U.S.Ross knocked out at 2:09 of the first round.
Win10–1 Flag of the United States.svg Marvin Camel TKO602/12/1989 Flag of the United States.svg Lacey, Washington, U.S.
Win9–1 Flag of the United States.svg Sean McClainTKO426/09/1989 Flag of the United States.svg Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
Win8–1 Flag of the United States.svg Shaun AyersUD1026/08/1989 Flag of the United States.svg Eugene, Oregon, U.S.
Win7–1 Flag of the United States.svg Cleveland WoodsUD418/07/1989 Flag of the United States.svg Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
Win6–1 Flag of the United States.svg Andrew MatthewsTKO104/07/1989 Flag of the United States.svg Gardnerville, Nevada, U.S.Referee stopped the bout at 0:34 of the first round.
Win5–1 Flag of the United States.svg Veti KotoaUD502/07/1988 Flag of the United States.svg Gardnerville, Nevada, U.S.
Win4–1 Flag of the United States.svg Steve CortezTKO118/06/1988 Flag of the United States.svg Vancouver, Washington, U.S.
Win3–1 Flag of the United States.svg Paul BradshawTKO104/06/1988 Flag of the United States.svg Albany, Oregon, U.S.
Win2–1 Flag of the United States.svg John ElkinsTKO102/06/1988 Flag of the United States.svg Portland, Oregon, U.S.
Loss1–1 Flag of the United States.svg Veti KatoaTKO324/10/1987 Flag of the United States.svg Carson City, Nevada, U.S.
Win1–0 Flag of the United States.svg Steve CortezUD429/08/1987 Flag of the United States.svg Eugene, Oregon, U.S.

Outside the Ring

In 2004, Rocky Mountain College and the Billings Writer's Voice sponsored a poetry reading held by various Native American groups in tribute to Hipp.

In December 2005, Hipp was a FEMA worker for the Hurricane Katrina disaster. Responding to the call, he joined his fellow Blackfeet members who were called upon due to their experience in wildfires and search and rescue missions.

By 2007 Hipp was working for his former manager Ray Frye at a Seattle area sweeping company. He also co-owned a small construction company.

References

  1. "BoxRec - Joe Hipp".