Get to Know the Lovely Michelle Joy Phelps:
It’s not often you get to meet people who have mastered multiple careers. How about a beautiful woman from the pages and spreads of Maxim and FHM, to the frontlines of the boxing media, serving as a busy correspondent and reporter? Say hello to Michelle Joy Phelps, and check out our quick Q&A session with the model and upcoming media mogul, along with our collection of some of the best, sexiest photos of her out there. Take a look.
Michelle Joy Phelps Photos
–> For more of Michelle and her boxing coverage, check out her new website.
From the outside looking in, somebody might wonder how you go from model to boxing reporter. Tell us a little about that transition and how it came about.
Honestly it’s a funny story. I started off making viral videos from my living room and posting them on Youtube. I just enjoyed talking and debating the sport. One thing led to another and I had a sports website ask me to contribute for their site, so I agreed. I then asked Kid Chocolate (Peter Quillin) who is a friend of mine to do a on camera interview and we did. It then caught the attention of Knockoutdigest.com and I began working for them as the west coast contributor, attending all the press conferences and so forth. It just grew from there, sparking an interest to start my own site. I also saw leverage because there are hardly any women in boxing.
Are you still modeling, or what do you do full-time these days?
Yes I still model. In fact I’m set for three photo shoots when I return to Los Angeles next week. I’m currently in Atlantic City covering the Matthysse vs Peterson fight. I now run my website full time and I’ve walked away from acting all together. I just didn’t love acting the way I love covering boxing. There’s no comparison.
How did you originally become a boxing fan?
I grew up watching Oscar de la Hoya and Evander Holyfield. I asked my dad if I could box and he said no, that he refused to have a daughter with two broken noses before I was 18. I was really bummed but my dad was smart. I’d rather be doing what I’m doing now than having boxed.
You’ve been in magazines such as FHM and Maxim, you’ve also been in a handful of movies. What has been the highlight of your career thus far?
Probably seeing my face grace magazines internationally. It’s so unreal to me how I can be in a magazine and knowing thousands of people are reading my interviews and looking at my photos. When I got my first hard copy, I stared at it for a while because it was so strange. It was fun.
You just launched your new website, Behind the Gloves. Tell us about it and what fans and readers can expect.
I’ve been really blessed to have the backing and support I have. I’ve recently gone into business with my investor and we created Behindthegloves.com together. I also work with Lodger Films based out of Silverlake, California. We’re creating three episodes of what I can’t really tell you too much about. Let’s just say its original and needed in the boxing world. But the readers can expect fun, original content. Whether it’s me asking a boxer random questions like “boxers or briefs” to “what do you find sexy on a woman.” My team and I like creating solid pieces with interview and footage, sort of 24/7 style if I had to compare it to something.
Do you feel like your background as a model has helped or hurt your endeavors into boxing?
Both. I’m being welcomed with arms wide open. I think the boxing community is ready for women, much like the NFL Network started doing, although I have to prove myself that much more. I’m not some host hired to ask questions. I’m genuinely passionate about boxing and don’t want to be doing anything else. I’d turn down a job at E! Network if they asked me to cover entertainment. It’s not about a “job”… boxing is my passion. The pitfall so far is being judged. Yes, I come from a history of glamour modeling and I’m proud of my work. But I have had issues with the women in the boxers’ lives, the girlfriends. I’ve received threatening emails and all I do is ignore them. I know the truth and I know I’m not interested in dating anyof these guys. I take my job seriously and I refuse to entertain unnecessary drama. That stuff is irrelevant to my life in boxing. I work damn hard and I won’t have petty threats stop me from getting an interview.
What are your goals with the new site and your boxing coverage?
I plan to be very successful in the boxing community. In fact, I plan on developing several concepts related to boxing and pitching them to networks. I love to develop projects and watching them come into existence. I have all the resources to do so so why wouldn’t I?
What has been your favorite boxing moment as a reporter – a particular fighter you’ve interviewed, fight you’ve attended, or…?
I’d say interviewing Oscar de la Hoya since I grew up watching him. It was an honor to say that I not only met him but I interviewed him several times. But I’d also say interviewing Andre Ward. He’s such a class act and so well spoken. He’s someone great to interview and have a good chat with. Another person would be Floyd Mayweather because he’s hard to get to but he gave me a chance to ask him several questions. I’ve had several people in his camp say he notices my work and professionalism so that means a lot. After all, he is Mr. Boxing himself.
Boxing… modeling… what are your ultimate career goals, and where do you see yourself a few years down the road?
I see myself on a major network with Behind The Gloves. That’s the priority. Having my show be successful would make me happy and left feeling fulfilled. But other goals of mine are to create content the fans want to see. Original, fun content. I guess I have an entrepreneurial mind. As far as modeling is concerned, it can walk hand in hand with what I’m doing because whenever you’re involved in entertainment, it requires that you do photo shoots for publicity reasons. I feel like my history in modeling can only help what I’m doing now.
You can follow Michelle’s work at her new website, BehindtheGloves.com. You can also follow her on Twitter, @MichellePhelps.
