Telli Swift is making her way in fashion, TV, and gender-neutral fragrance alongside her partner, former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder.
Philippines-born Swift, 35, is a constant with boxing star Wilder when a colossal fight week comes around. However, the icon is also prominent in several of her own fields.
Telli Swift
From fronting the Boxing WAGS Association to appearing on WAGS Atlanta, many don’t know the other side of Telli Swift.
Her 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 on just that.
Beginning with explaining her backstory, Swift has plenty to keep her busy besides being the future wife of a fighter world famous for his knockouts.
“I started modeling and pageantry when I was three years old. I became the first bi-racial Little Miss Philippines,” Swift explained to WBN.
“As an adult, I did reality TV (WAGS: ATL) where my [at the time] boyfriend [Deontay Wilder] proposed on 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.
“Following that, I attended a WAGS Academy. But I realized there wasn’t an association for the women of boxing as there was for other sports like the NFL and NBA. So I founded the Boxing WAGS Association.
“At the Boxing WAGS Association, the women of active and retired boxers can come together to support each other and our surrounding communities.”
Charity work
On staging charity showcases to highlight issues close to their heart, like what oldest daughter, Naieya, was born with – spina bifida, Swift continued: “I started with a breast cancer event. But spina bifida for all of Deontay’s fights and autism.
“I just recently our first male-dominated golf event raising funds and awareness for prostate cancer.
“In the midst of all that, covid arose. So, I created masks for frontline workers who weren’t cohesive with my outfits.
“So I created four one-way masks which currently get sold at Neiman Marcus.”
Asked what the inspiration was for founding the non-profit Boxing Wags Association, Swift answered: “I love doing philanthropic work.
“I’ve always naturally been a nurturing person. I’m blessed to have a platform and want to spread light and raise funds.
“I want to raise awareness in our world of not just one problem but as many as we can possibly help!”
So what are the current projects Telli Swift is working on?
“I’m currently working on a healthy juice line. I pre-launched it at our first annual charity event honoring the Prostate Cancer Foundation on August 29th with a 100% natural, no sugar added, no preservatives, and turmeric-based flavored beverage.
“There’s actually an amazing event on October 1st. It’s here in Los Angeles with the Give-Mentor-Love foundation.
“They help youth and young adults that are victims of sex trafficking get housing, deal with their trauma, provide treatment and therapy,” she concluded.
Deontay Wilder
Swift will again accompany Deontay Wilder next month. The ex-heavyweight ruler attempts to brush off defeats to Tyson Fury by hammering Robert Helenius on October 15th.
The pair will head to Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, for the Premier Boxing Champions PPV to see Tuscaloosa’s finest bid to win a WBC heavyweight title eliminator.
If successful in the bout, fights open up for a shot at the WBC title’s interim belt against Andy Ruiz Jr. or the unified championship versus 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 by his side.
WBN Editor Phil Jay has over ten years of boxing news experience. Follow WBN on Facebook @officialworldboxingnews, Instagram, and Twitter @worldboxingnews.
