Joe Mesi's Father and uncles, were boxers, but Joe didn't start boxing until he was 21, over the objections of his mother who wanted him to be a Lawyer. Joe's father is his Trainer/Manager, and his mother despite her reluctance was his strongest supporter, until her passing just a few years ago.

Joe is 6'1", well built, handsome, has character, is charming, modest, and articulate.

Keep your eyes open for him. He needs polishing, but he also shows great promise.
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"BABY" JOE MESI
(28-0, 26 KOs)
Heavyweight Contender
Buffalo, New York

At first look, he’s an Italian-American heavyweight from a tough, northeastern city who might make you think of Rocky Balboa. But this Italian Stallion is no long-shot underdog. In fact, if there’s a Rocky that Joe Mesi wants to make you think of, it’s his lifelong idol, Rocky Marciano. After all, "The Rock" was the Heavyweight Champion of the world. And that is exactly Joe Mesi’s goal.

Marciano has the boxing record of most career wins (50) without a loss. Joe Mesi
is over half way there. He’s a perfect 28-0, and a staggering 92% of his fights have ended by knockout! He was on a streak of 19 straight wins by KO. He’s knocked out Bert Cooper, who gave then heavyweight champ Evander Holyfield fits in the ring. He’s KO’d Nigerian David Izon, who was one left hook away from beating David Tua. Like his hero Marciano, Mesi never takes a step back. He keeps driving forward, pressing the attack, swarming his prey.

Baby Joe’s walloped his opponents in 2003. In March, Jason Curry hit the deck three times before the referee stopped the fight at 2:40 of the second round. In June, in front of his hometown Buffalo fans, Mesi put on another high voltage display. He immediately rocked Robert Davis with a left-right-left combination. Davis got back to his feet, but was driven to the canvas again by a right hook. Mesi finished him with a left to the chin, and the fight was stopped only one and a half minutes into the first round. In both fights, Joe Mesi was simply too powerful for his opponents to handle.

With his sights firmly set on the top of the division, Joe is took another step forward, to fight a higher level of heavyweight. He was featured in the Main Event of HBO’s "Night of the Young Heavyweights" on September 27, when Mesi went to war against DaVarryl “Touch Of Sleep” Williamson (18-1,16 KOs), and Mesi put Williamson to sleep in the 1st round.

[ “Baby” Joe Mesi ran over DaVarryl Williamson like a Mack Truck before a sold out house in Buffalo N.Y.The fight started with Mesi charging forward, throwing bunches of punches that proved too much for the unsuspecting Williamson, who was caught several times before being dropped to the canvas in a fight that lasted 97 seconds.]
[On December  6, Mesi went up against well regarded Monte Barrett 26-2, and after dominating the first part of the fight, and knocking down Barrett, Mesi had to fight off a late surge by Barrett,who knocked Mesi down for the first time in his professional carreer, and closed Mesi's left eye, but lost the decision to Mesi.Mesi, said it was an important learning experience, that will make him a much better fighter. Mesi admitted that the clever Barrett, who fought Klitschko, was his first real test.]

What does the future hold? Mesi likes his chances. He knows the older guys—Lennox Lewis, Mike Tyson, and Evander Holyfield—are nearing retirement. Which leaves the younger guard—Kirk Johnson, the Klitschkos, Chris Byrd—to assume their positions. "Looking ahead, I am confident I can beat any of these fighters," Mesi said, "I believe in a year and a half or so, we’ll be knocking on the door of a title."

Sounds like Joe Mesi is a very confident, undefeated fighter. Marciano would be proud.

HBO PPV.com | Up and Coming | Baby Joe Mesi
http://www.hboppv.com/up_and_coming/mesi.shtml
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PROFILE of JOE MESI:

Status: Heavyweight contender.
Ht: 6-1 Wt: 220
Born On: November 27, 1973 In: Buffalo, N.Y.

World-class boxers inevitably fall into one of two categories—good guys and bad guys. There are the guys you love to pull for, and the guys you love to hate. Recently ranked as the number 8 contender by the WBC, Joe Mesi certainly is one of young fighters about whom fight fans get excited—he’s one of the good guys. Joe is a good athlete and talented boxer who obviously takes a great deal of pride in his craft. He is confident in his skills, but he is not cocky and does not flaunt his success.

Joe Mesi is unique in boxing today because fans are able to relate to him. He hails from a family and region that have undying support for him and he will always do his best to exceed their lofty expectations. The fact that Joe Mesi is such a talented fighter inside the ring and such a gentleman outside of it says something important about him—he’s a very intelligent guy. In and out of the ring, he is calculating and always in control. His skills inside the ring and temperament outside of it are the formula for a long and successful career in boxing and a happy, healthy life when his fighting days are over. In the interview that follows.

Joe gains a great deal of respect because he constantly and unintentionally illustrates that he is handling his career, skills, and life with pride and care. People first think Joe is a good boxer and a very nice guy who has a shot to become a champion. After they get better acquanted with him,they are convinced that he is a talented, mature athlete who will live up to every bit of potential he possesses.

Childhood Heroes: "When you talk about the sport of boxing, I've always been a boxing fan. I go way back to guys like Joe Louis, of course Muhammad Ali and even more so, Rocky Marciano. For obvious reasons - the undefeated record. For things these guys did inside and outside the ring is what I respect more. In our day, I respect different guys for different reasons. Obviously, Holyfield's a warrior. And Tyson - for some of the things he's done during his reign. None of the guys from today are the all around package, to respect them inside and outside the ring - like they did back then, like Louis, Marciano."

Hobbies/Interests: "Well, actually I'm a student, off and on. So that keeps me pretty busy. I just graduated from a community college up in Buffalo - Erie Community College. Now I'm going to continue to get my Bachelor's degree. Because of all the demands of boxing, all the training, all the traveling, if I can sneak in a course or two here and there, I do that. I'm very avid about doing that. I've always wanted to be a school teacher. So besides my boxing and going to school, I like to do my recreational activities like skiing, swimming, and things like that."

Favorite Movies: "Favorite sports movie - Rudy. Of course, Rocky - that's kind of cliched. Pulp Fiction."

Musical Tastes: "If you saw my music collection, you'd probably laugh. I go from Garth Brooks to Tupac, country, a little rap and hip-hop, I got the J-Lo CD's. And I have Hootie & The Blowfish, Counting Crows and Moby. So, you name it and I got the CD."

Early Boxing Memory: "My first amateur fight. One of my fondest and earliest memories. 1993. We fought a kid - The Raging Bull Thompson and I was the underdog. A kid that had a little more experience than me. The Raging Bull they called him...I was nearly crapping myself [smiles]. And I stopped him. And I knew nothing about the sport. If you saw the film you'd probably laugh. But I did enough to get the job done."

Favorite Meal: "Anything Italian."

Pre-Fight Feeling: "Very relaxed. I have the nerves, butterflies and jitters like everyone else. But I'm a pretty mellow person. It takes a lot to get me excited. I'm relaxed and level-headed. I keep a very peaceful mind. I listen to some relaxing music - I have some gospel music I listen to. I stay very focused and imagine what I'm going to do in the ring. Imagine myself in there boxing against my opponent. Very calm. Always look at my opponent. Just to send a message out. Keep eye contact. Let them know I'm not trying to look away or afraid of anything."

Greatest Sports Moment: "A couple. Recently I won the NABF title (KO 1 Robert Davis in 2003). That's probably my greatest professional win. As an amateur, becoming the Olympic alternate in '96, beating - my first win against Lawrence Clay-Bey. And also I got to run the Olympic torch in the year 2001. I was the last person to carry it, right up until midnight when it changed from 2001 to 2002. It was a real big deal in Buffalo."

Joe Mesi -DaVarryl Williamson: Baby Joe Steals The Show
http://www.eastsideboxing.com/boxing-news/mesi-williamson-result.php
An Interview with Baby Joe Mesi - East Side Boxing
http://www.eastsideboxing.com/news.php?p=108&more=1