On a weekend meant to honor legends, Wendy Toussaint (17-3) gate-crashed the party and ruined a prospect’s perfect record. In front of a packed house at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, NY, Toussaint bullied and outworked previously unbeaten Joseph Hicks Jr. (12-1) to snatch the USBA junior-middleweight title and steal the spotlight during International Boxing Hall of Fame Weekend, live on DAZN.
While the judges called it a majority decision, fans ringside had no doubts — this was a clear statement win by a fighter everyone had written off.
Toussaint walked him down — Hicks never found his legs
Toussaint fought with a chip on his shoulder and a motor that didn’t stop. He walked Hicks down early, kept the pressure up, and shut down the rising star’s rhythm before it ever got started. Hicks had the flashier résumé, the fresher buzz—but none of that helped once the fight turned rugged.
Scores came in at 97-93, 96-94, and a bizarre 95-95 from Don Ackerman, who must have been watching the undercard. Everyone else saw what this was: Toussaint’s best night, and Hicks’ worst.
How can people still act like Hicks is a top guy after this? He looked lost out there while Wendy kept coming forward and never stopped punching. That’s how you take a title!
Everyone acting shocked but that’s what happens when you underestimate fighters like Wendy. He went in there to win, not just dance around like Hicks did. That’s real boxing 💥🔥.
This is why I say records don’t matter if you ain’t fought nobody real before. Hicks had a pretty record but Toussaint came with heart and that’s what wins fights, not stats.
They say Hicks got talent but he didn’t look like it in this fight. You can have a nice record and still get whooped if you ain’t ready for war like Toussaint was 🥊.
That one judge must be blind or something because everyone saw Toussaint won easy. Hicks didn’t land nothing good and was backing up all night. Judges always messing stuff up 😤.
People always hype up these young boxers like Hicks just cause they undefeated, but that don’t mean nothing when you in the ring with someone hungry like Toussaint. He wanted it more 💪.
I don’t care what the judges said, Hicks got beat plain and simple. Toussaint was chasing him all over the ring. Ain’t no way that was even close, Hicks didn’t show up at all.