Joppy Also Says He Busted Up Lacy In The Gym!

Former WBA middleweight champion William Joppy told Boxingtalk.com, "This year has been horrible for me Greg, but after all the shit I've been through, I'm going to end the year in a way that's going to make it a good year. I'm going to close this year with a bang! I've been going through so much shit and getting charged with cases that should have never been mine. From first degree assault to traffic tickets, I've been through all that junk this year."

GL: Can you tell us what you know about Jermain Taylor?

William Joppy: "I don't really know too much about him. I've seen him fight a few times. From what I've seen all he's got is a pretty good jab and a right hand. He likes to throw the jab and come with the right hand. He's basic.

GL: You're the first true middleweight Taylor is facing, does that wind up being an advantage for you?

WJ: "It's like this, I know he's an up and coming middleweight. You know the business Greg, after my losses to Felix Trinidad and Bernard Hopkins they feel like I'm ready to go. But naw, I'm not ready to go. I had to look at the man in the mirror. In the past I played a lot outside of the ring and it cost me. I had to rip a page from Bernard Hopkins book, I got on that discipline tip.

"I don't hang out and I don't do nothing. When I'm on the right track can't none of these guys touch me. I know I'm the first full fledged middleweight he's seeing and I'm going to take this young boy to school. He's been fed nothing but junior middleweights and he's going to be in big trouble with me. I'm going out there and have fun, I'm going to box the hell out of him and take him to school.


GL: Most people view this a do or die fight as far as your boxing career goes. How do you feel about that?

WJ: "Well it is. You know what it is. It's a last opportunity to see if I can stay in the thick of things. If I don't get past this I'm done. I'm not going to fight for $5,000 or $10,000. I'd stop before I do that. This guy can't touch me. He's got a good jab but there's so much stuff I'm going to show him.

"But I'm going to do him just like I used to do his Olympic partner Jeff Lacy!

GL: How did you do Jeff Lacy?

WJ: "I beat the helll out of him. It got kind of personal with Jeff Lacy. We were in the gym together in Big Bear California and I was sparring with Shane Mosley. He came up in the gym and tried to make a reputation off of me and I hate when guys do that. When I come in the gym, I'm not there to show off, I'm there to learn. But the bottom line is I'm going to do him like I did Jeff Lacy, I'm going to beat the hell out of him so bad his trainer's going to stop it!

"I will say this though, Jeff Lacy looked strong as hell in his last fight. He looked like he hadn't had sex in ten years!

"This fight with Taylor is so important because the fight that I want is the Trinidad rematch and winning this fight will help me get that shot at revenge. Trinidad is what I want the most, but I'm not in the position to call him out yet, I'm going to look impressive with Taylor and then we're going to have a lot of shit to talk about Trinidad.

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