Joseph Hadley is a retired boxer from Jackson, Tennessee, who competed in middleweight division in the 1970s, one of a few trained by Cus D'Amato, and also one of the first documented U.S. mixed martial artists. He was selected a member of the All-American AAU boxing team for 1973, and was named the top middleweight amateur boxer in the nation by the National AAU Boxing Committee in 1973. Hadley drew attention of the press and public by carrying a Bible into the ring, hence his nickname "Preacher," which reflects he actually was a minister. For that reason Hadley refused to pose for a picture with Muhammad Ali, "because Mr. Ali does not live tip to my principles according to the Bible."
Joey Hadley took up boxing in 1966 while still living in Tennessee. 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 also gained fame in 1976 for having fought one of the earliest mixed martial arts bouts in history against Arkansas Karate champion David Valovich. He used D'Amato's style prominently in these fights.
Mid-South Golden Gloves, novices (147 lbs), Union University Gymnasium, Jackson, Tennessee, February 1967:
Tennessee Championships (156 lbs), Fairgrounds Coliseum, Nashville, Tennessee, NovemberâÂÂDecember 1968:
National Golden Gloves (165 lbs), Las Vegas, Nevada, March 1970:
National Championships (165 lbs), New Orleans, Louisiana, AprilâÂÂMay 1971:
North American Championships (165 lbs), Colonie Coliseum, Latham, New York, May 1971:
Pan Am Trials (165 lbs), Chicago, Illinois, May 1971:
Mid-South Golden Gloves (165 lbs), February 1972:
National Golden Gloves (165 lbs), Minneapolis, Minnesota, March 1972:
Olympic Trials (165 lbs), Fort Collins, Colorado, June 1972:
USAâÂÂEngland Duals (165 lbs), Felt Forum, New York City, January 1973:
USAâÂÂUSSR Duals (165 lbs), Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada, January 1973:
Midstate Golden Gloves (165 lbs), Nashville, Tennessee, FebruaryâÂÂMarch 1973:
National Golden Gloves (165 lbs), Memorial Auditorium, Lowell, Massachusetts, March 1973:
Southern Golden Gloves (165 lbs), Nashville, Tennessee, January 1974:
National Championships (165 lbs), Knoxville, Tennessee, June 1974:
International Police Olympics (178 lbs), Nassau Community College, East Garden City, New York, August 1980:
Hadley turned professional under Cus D'Amato and had his first fight on October 29, 1974 in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, beating boxer Gene Orten by knockout in the first round. Hadly would then have his next fight less than a month later on November 25, 1974, beating Pepe Ortiz by first round knockout at the Felt Forum (now known as the Infosys Theater) in Madison Square Garden.
Hadley would go on to win his next five professional fights, winning all of them by knockout. Hadley would have his last professional fight on September 6, 1977 in West Memphis against Earl Thomas, winning by knockout in the second round in Hadley's first and only scheduled eight round fight.
|- |Win |align=center|1âÂÂ0 | David Valovich |TKO (punches) |Mid-South Pro Boxing | |align=center|1 (4) |align=center|1:38 |Memphis Blues Baseball ParkâÂÂFairgrounds, Memphis, Tennessee, United States |Special feature
Hadley's career ended after an eye infection while working in New York.
As a former student of D'Amato, Hadley is one of the few boxing coaches to train people in the peek-a-boo style of boxing.