Hemphill Aims to Put New Orleans Boxing Back on the Map

Sean Hemphill punches Mark Jeffers during their super-middleweight fight (Photo by Ben Roberts Photo/Getty Images)

“Silky” Sean Hemphill — a smooth and increasingly dangerous professional boxer (19-2, 11 KOs) out of New Orleans, Louisiana — knows there’s a target on his back now that he carries the WBA Continental Gold title, an accolade earned with his stunning upset over previously unbeaten British super middleweight Mark Jeffers (20-1) at Barnsley’s Oakwell Stadium.

“I’m not fooling myself,” Hemphill told RG. “I know people want a piece of me now.”

It may have been Hemphill’s first fight in England, but he looked anything but out of place June 7 on foreign soil. While one judge scored the 10-round bout a draw (95-95), the others leaned Hemphill’s way in a majority decision (96-94 and 97-93), effectively derailing Jeffers’ path toward a potential title shot against Callum Simpson. To chase your dreams, sometimes you have to become someone else’s nightmare — which Hemphill did with clean counter shots, steady pressure and a level head under the bright lights that are certain to follow his super middleweight ascension.

“It was an all-out war from the opening bell to the end,” Hemphill said of the Jeffers bout.

“I feel like it was well deserved, and I definitely felt like it was my moment. I had a lot of momentum building to get to this, and I just felt like it was my time to shine.”

From Afterthought to Aftershock

Oddsmakers pegged Hemphill as a long shot, to say the least, with some sportsbooks listing the American as high as +1400 to win by decision. The odds reflected how little confidence the market had in “Silky” outpointing the favored and undefeated Jeffers on his home turf — but for those who saw what the lines didn’t, it paid off.

“Yeah, I was the underdog apparently,” Hemphill laughed.

“When I got back home, a lot of people were sending me their bets that they won. I was just happy to see that they got to cash out. I had heard about the odds, but I didn’t really look into it much. I don’t bet, personally. I gamble in the ring. I wasn’t caught up on all that. I was just focused on the moment.”

This wasn’t much of a gamble, though, when you consider how deep the fighting spirit runs in Hemphill’s blood, rooted in the legacy of his father, Steven “Spyder” Hemphill — a two-time kickboxing world champion known for his lightning-fast kicks that left spectators saying he had eight legs. Sean was dubbed “Spyder Jr.” for years, although the name seemed to limit his own identity. One day, he decided to become “Silky” — inspired by the smooth silk that spiders produce — a fitting reflection of his style and growth. From a six-year-old karate kid forced to train when he didn’t want to, to an adolescent sparring grown men, Hemphill’s path was never easy. For decades now, he has walked the path of relentless grind, committing his life to the sweet science no matter the cost.

Where Culture Meets Combat

The resiliency of New Orleans is woven into the fabric of its people, born from surviving storms, hardship and generations of rebuilding with grit and soul. While the city is globally revered for its food, music and vibrant culture, it also carries a rich but often overlooked legacy in combat sports. That same spirit pulses through fighters like “Silky” Sean Hemphill, who reflects the city’s defiant energy in the ring on his way to becoming one of the few major faces in New Orleans boxing. Hemphill doesn’t ignore what he feels is an added obligation to revive a fighting tradition that mirrors the rhythm and heart of the Big Easy.

“We’re gifted and talented in so many different ways,” Hemphill said. “I feel like if you can make it in New Orleans, you can make it anywhere. We’re so rich in culture and spirit. We’re known for a lot of artists and musicians, even athletes — mostly football, basketball – but boxing? We have a history here, but we also haven’t been back on the map in a long time. I feel like that’s what I’m doing right now, bringing boxing back to the top in New Orleans.”

His unbreakable faith, hardened through repetition and sacrifice, has opened doors most only dream of — placing Hemphill in rooms with some of the sharpest minds and most accomplished fighters on the planet. Most recently, he received a call-up to join Canelo Álvarez and Jaime Munguía during a training camp outside Lake Tahoe, California.

For Hemphill, it wasn’t an opportunity that proved he made it — but that he belongs.

“My manager called and asked if I was able to leave home and go spar with Canelo,” Hemphill said. “I was just like, ‘Canelo? Hell yeah, I’m on my way.’ I packed my stuff and left. I was nervous at first, of course, because it’s Canelo.

He’s arguably the best fighter in the world right now. There was a lot of anticipation, but once I got there and settled in, I saw that it was exactly what I needed.

I felt like I measured up pretty well. It just showed me that I have what it takes to be the best. To become a champion, you have to beat the champion. Not saying I beat them, but I competed with them for sure, and I competed with them for five weeks straight. It just let me know that I belong with the best and that I belong at the top.”

A Name to Watch at Super Middleweight

Behind growing momentum, Hemphill has elevated himself to a notable position in the super middleweight rankings: No. 6 in the United States (out of 276 active super middleweights), No. 18 in North America (out of 509), and No. 43 in the world (out of 1,775), per BoxRec. Names like Caleb Plant and Jermall Charlo fill the few spots above him within the U.S. — names Hemphill once watched on TV, dreaming of the day he’d be spoken of in the same breath.

Without question, that day has come.

What tomorrow holds is unwritten, but if Hemphill’s journey so far is any indication, he won’t be mentioned alongside those names for long — he’ll be hunting them down.

“I’m excited for what’s next,” Hemphill said. “I know something big is on the way. I’m just trying to stay focused. Something’s brewing. There were a lot of people that saw me on that platform. It was a great performance. I fought my heart out, and people respect that in the sport of boxing and in combat sports, period. There’s much more to come.”