Photo by Loyd McIntosh
Joe Webb trains at Round 1 Boxing in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, June 24, 2023.
Round 1 Boxing owner, operator and trainer Dave Godber shouts instructions to his newest pupil, former UAB quarterback and NFL veteran Joe Webb. It’s a Saturday, mid-morning, and while it’s unseasonably cool outdoors, the temperature is rising in the Hoover gym — metaphorically speaking, of course.
Godber is working on Webb’s footwork and spacing in preparation for Webb’s professional boxing debut later this summer. Godber sees a lot of potential in the former professional football player but needs to get him into fighting shape while breaking Webb of some bad habits before they start.
“He understands how to stand in that pocket. That’s the way he’s built,” said Godber. “He wants to get in that pocket and just beat you to death. We’ve had to dial down, let’s call it his enthusiasm.”
“My first day coming in, he made me do a thousand push-ups,” said Webb with a laugh. “So I was swolled from day one.”
Webb is scheduled to make his professional boxing debut on Saturday, Aug. 5 at Bartow Arena. It will also be the debut for Godber and Round 1 Boxing in the professional ranks after decades as one of the premier amateur boxing trainers in the Southeast.
While there are still many details to be worked out — contracts to sign, down card bouts to arrange and other requirements from the Alabama Boxing Commission — the focus today is getting Webb to step into the ring as a professional heavyweight in less than two months.
“He’s strong, he’s fast, and he’s very quick on his feet,” said Godber. “Of course, boxing is a little different because it requires impact repetitively.”
A product of Wenonah High School, Webb played quarterback at UAB from 2006 through 2009 and was picked in the ninth round by the Minnesota Vikings in the 2010 NFL Draft. During his professional football career, Webb played on several teams at quarterback, wide receiver and kick returner, including the 2016 Carolina Panthers team that lost to the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XL.
Webb retired from the NFL after being waived by the New York Giants in 2021 and returned to Birmingham to start his post-football life. He founded Blue Print Properties, a real estate investment company focused on redeveloping underserved areas such as North Birmingham and Ensley.
Later that year, Webb started taking boxing classes at a gym in the Irondale/Eastwood community before being referred to Godber and Round 1 Boxing. Soon thereafter, the pair discussed competitive boxing, and Webb joined Godber in the Alabama Golden Gloves amateur boxing circuit. During his short amateur career, Webb amassed a record of five wins and one loss as he proved to be a ferocious and dominant heavyweight.
“Joe is probably the fastest guy I’ve ever gotten to national Golden Gloves in my entire career,” explained Godber. “I maneuvered him through the ranks very quickly.”
Now at age 36, Webb has aged out of competitive boxing and decided to leap into the professional ranks. While naturally competitive and still in fantastic physical shape, Webb understands the seriousness of his decision and isn’t taking it lightly.
“I’ve been doing it for two years, and I’ve been training hard and honing my skills,” said Webb. “I want to do this the right way, the way it should be done because I respect the sport. Boxing is a dangerous sport just like football. In football, you have to work your way into it, and it’s the same way I’m coming into boxing.”
Godber said the way they are going about Webb’s debut is more complicated than the normal route. Typically, a new professional boxer would fight in smaller competitions, usually on the road, building a name and a record. However, Webb and Godber hope to build on the success former WBC Heavyweight champion and Tuscaloosa native Deontay Wilder achieved fighting in Birmingham between 2015 and 2017.
“We have a lot of boxing fans in Birmingham, but we’ve never had a consistent boxing show here,” said Webb. “So that’s one of the reasons why I wanted to get started with it here — to bring some excitement to Birmingham.”
The event will also provide the opportunity for other Round 1 Boxing fighters to get some experience in front of a home crowd, including light heavyweight Steve Motley in his professional debut, cruiserweight Anthony Stewart and Marsellos Wilder, brother of Deontay Wilder. Tickets start at $25 for general admission seats and $50 for select ringside seats. Godber said he hopes boxing fans will come out to see Webb in his debut as he looks to rebuild the boxing scene in Birmingham.
“We really have no expectations because boxing has not been in Birmingham since Deonte Wilder in 2017,” Godber said. “We’re going to give it a whack, and we hope there might be some boxing fans that want to come check it out.”
Tickets are $25 for general admission seats, $50 ringside seats and $100 for premium ringside seats. Doors open at 6 p.m. with preliminary fights beginning at 7 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online at uabsports.evenue.net.
Round 1 Boxing is at 1580 Montgomery Highway, Suite 13, in Hoover. Learn more at round1goldengloves.com.
