Joe Hipp
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Joe Hipp is a professional boxer. Born in Browning, MT, United States, on December 7, 1962, Hipp fought out of Yakima, Washington. The 6' 1 southpaw became the first man of Native-American ancestry to challenge for the world heavyweight championship of boxing on August 19, 1995 when he fought WBA champion Bruce Seldon at the MGM Grand Las Vegas.
Joe Hipp began his professional career with a 4-round decision victory 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 up 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 secure a first round stoppage of his overwhelmed foe. 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 continued his winning ways (including a brutal third round knockout of Katoa in their third and final meeting) before facing Bert Cooper in the bout Cooper fought in before facing Evander Holyfield for the world title one month later. Cooper matched Hipp's penchant for slugging with a flurry of punches of his own en route to a fifth round stoppage by referee Joe Cortez and a victory before his fight with Holyfield.
Hipp again rebounded by winning 3 consecutive contests before facing Tommy Morrison on June 27, 1992 in Reno, Nevada. In an all-out slugfest that saw Morrison break his jaw and both of his hands, Hipp lost via 9th round stoppage after he, in turn, suffered a complete shattering of his cheekbones. Afterwards, Hipp fought once in 1993 scoring a ten round decision victory over Kevin Ford, in a rematch with the fringe contender he'd scored a decision over just two fights prior to the Morrison fight.
Hipp came roaring back in 1994 with a set of victories that saw him earn and defend the NABF Heavyweight title. He began the following year by continuing his winning ways over Phillip Brown, a journeyman fighter who quickly retired after Hipp easily punched his way to a third round stoppage victory over him. This would lead to Hipp's most important fight, the fight that would land him in the history books as the first Native-American to challenge for the Heavyweight Championship of the World.
On August 19, 1995 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on the undercard to 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. The fight was stopped in the tenth round of the contest by referee Richard Steele after Hipp experienced massive swelling and bleeding on his face. 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 the desperate Puritty as he suffered his first defeat by a clean knockout (as opposed to referee stoppage). He racked up 3 consecutive victories after the Puritty fight but then blew out his knee against human punching bag Jeff Pegues on December 9, 1999. He attempted a comeback 4 years later, but that proved ill-fated 2 fights into it as he dropped a 6 round decision to journeyman Billy Zumbrun on November 14, 2003.
Hipp did win a version of the fragmented world championship when he riegned as WBF champ.
In 2004, Rocky Mountain Community College and the Billings Writer's Voice sponsored a poetry reading held by various Native American groups in tribute to him.
Hipp, referred to as "The Boss" by his loyal fans, then returned from another extended hiatus on August 13, 2005 to win a 6 round decision over no-named Ted Reiter. Though well past his prime, Hipp remains a popular draw in his native Northwestern region of the United States. The rampant discord and ennui that characterizes the life of boxers after their peak years has proven too much for Hipp as he continues to fight past middle age. It serves as a stark example of the sad epilogue to the story of most professional prize fighters.
