Telli Swift is making her way into gender-neutral fashion, television and fragrance alongside her partner, former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder.
Swift, 35, born in the Philippines, is a constant with boxing star Wilder when a colossal fight week rolls around. However, the icon is also prominent in several of her own fields.
Telly Swift
From fronting the WAGS Boxing Association to appearing at WAGS Atlanta, many don’t know the other side of Telli Swift.
His constant charity work and devotion to giving something back rarely get a mention. In this exclusive interview with World Boxing News, the focus in this first installment is just that.
Starting by explaining her backstory, Swift has a lot to keep her busy aside from being the soon-to-be wife of a world-famous knockout fighter.
“I started modeling and pageantry when I was three years old. I became the first biracial Little Miss Philippines,” Swift explained to WBN.
“As an adult, I did reality shows (WAGS: ATL) where my [at the time] boyfriend [Deontay Wilder] proposed in our season finale.
“Before the show, I was in the medical field and realized I wanted to be my own boss. I used my platform as a model to collaborate with a brand and generate custom jackets that sold out in two months.
“After that, I attended a WAGS Academy. But I realized there wasn’t an association for women in boxing like there was for other sports like the NFL and NBA. So I founded the WAGS Boxing Association.
“In the WAGS Boxing Association, the women of active and retired boxers can come together to support each other and our surrounding communities.”
charity work
On staging charity exhibits to highlight issues close to her heart, like what her eldest daughter Naieya was born with: spina bifida, Swift continued, “I started with a breast cancer event. But spina bifida from all the fighting and Deontay’s autism.
“I recently held our first male-dominated golf event to raise money and awareness for prostate cancer.
“In the midst of all that, covid emerged. So, I created skins for frontline workers who weren’t cohesive with my outfits.
“So I created four one-way masks that are currently sold at Neiman Marcus.”
When asked what the inspiration was for founding the non-profit Boxing Wags Association, Swift responded, “I love doing philanthropic work.
“I have always been naturally a caring person. I am lucky to have a platform and I want to spread the light and raise funds.
“I want to raise awareness in our world of not just one problem, but as many as we can help!”
So what are the current projects Telli Swift is working on?
“I am currently working on a line of healthy juices. I pre-launched it at our first annual benefit honoring the Prostate Cancer Foundation on August 29th with a 100% natural, no added sugar, no preservatives, turmeric flavored drink.
“In fact, there is an amazing event on October 1. He’s here in Los Angeles with the Give-Mentor-Love Foundation.
“They help youth and young adults who are victims of sex trafficking get housing, deal with their trauma, provide treatment and therapy,” she concluded.
Deontay Wilder
Swift will join Deontay Wilder again next month. The former heavyweight leader tries to downplay losses to Tyson Fury by hitting Robert Helenius on October 15.
The pair will head to the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York for the Premier Boxing Champions pay-per-view to see Tuscaloosa’s best bet to win a WBC heavyweight title eliminator.
If he is successful in the fight, the fights open up for a shot at the interim WBC belt against Andy Ruiz Jr. or the unified championship against Oleksandr Usyk in February 2023.
Fans have waited long enough to see the “Bronze Bomber” in action as one of the best heavyweights on the planet.
Trainer Malik Scott is currently preparing Wilder for the main event. As always, Telli will be at his side.
WBN editor Phil Jay has over ten years of boxing news experience. He follows WBN on Facebook @officialworldboxingnews, Instagram and Twitter @worldboxingnews.
