Joe Hadley

Amateur career

Joey Hadley took up boxing in 1966 while still living in Tennessee, stating that he was inspired to box after seeing musician Elvis Presley in the film Kid Galahad. When training with D'Amato, Hadley lived and trained in D'Amato's mansion in Catskill, New York. Hadley won various awards as an amateur boxer, being a six-time Golden Gloves of the Memphis and Mid-South, three-time Southeastern AAU champion, and United States and North American champion. Fighting for the middleweight at the 1971 National Championships, he won seven fights in nine days, all against regional champions, five by knockouts, knocking down every fighter he faced. Hadley also knocked out future world champion Leon Spinks as an amateur in 1973. He used D'Amato's style prominently in these fights. Despite the apparent rule disadvantage, Hadley secured a first-round knockout victory.

Professional boxing record

Mixed martial arts record Win

David Valovich TKO (punches) Mid-South Pro Boxing

Memphis Blues Baseball Park—Fairgrounds, Memphis, Tennessee, United States Special feature

Retirement and later life Hadley's career ended after an eye infection while working in New York.