Ray Mercer announces his retirement...

bennie · Post by **bennie** » 27 May 2004, 08:04

Former Olympic and WBO heavyweight champion "Merciless" Ray Mercer has announced his retirement after a 15-year career.
Mercer is best known for a brutal knockout of Tommy Morrison, but gave Lennox Lewis one of his hardest ever fights in a 10-rounder in 1996.

JimStone · Post by **JimStone** » 27 May 2004, 08:13

Has he looked after his money?

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 27 May 2004, 08:18

Dunno, but this is a bloody smart move on Mercer's part, he was heading for some serious prolonged kickings if he carried on.

Wales · Post by **Wales** » 27 May 2004, 08:24

he's fighting on in K1 though isn't he?

TerribleTerry · Post by **TerribleTerry** » 27 May 2004, 08:34

Mercer liked a pint, which was some wat reflected in his 'beer barrel build'. The night he butchered Morrison, after getting a real pasting for the first three rounds, will live long in the memory.

He was a real warrior and went to hell and back with Bert Cooper early in his career, his face after that contest was a contorted mess.

knockout artist · Post by **knockout artist** » 27 May 2004, 08:36

When he turned pro, he was touted by The Ring as the man who would beat Tyson. They expected Tyson to reign until about 1996.

black panther · Post by **black panther** » 27 May 2004, 08:49

wasnt mercer scheduled to fight davarryl williamson?

bennie · Post by **bennie** » 27 May 2004, 09:04

I think he's on a winning streak at the moment, but has decided he's going nowhere at his age. Not sure whether he's kept his money. He was certainly offering plenty to Jesse Ferguson a few years ago.

dondada · Post by **dondada** » 27 May 2004, 09:08

Mercer was one of the most underrated heavys of his generation. Good luck to him.

bennie · Post by **bennie** » 27 May 2004, 09:17

Ian 'Mr' McNeilly wrote:Mercer was one of the most underrated heavys of his generation. Good luck to him.

Good jab. Good chin. I believe Evander Holyfield and Klitschko are the only two men to have floored him. He actually outjabbed Lewis in their 10-rounder at MSG, and did the same to a streaking Tim Witherspoon in the mid-90's. I remember Witherspoon's trainer telling his man inbetween rounds he was losing the fight, and Witherspoon telling him he didn't know what he was looking at. Mercer got the verdict.
Ray went through a sticky patch in his career after the huge win over Morrison (perhaps he got complacent) and the Holmes loss was humiliating; the Ferguson loss potentially career-ending. But it was still early days in his career and he peaked in the mid-1990's, when he deserved a fight with Bowe.
I actually thought he pipped Lewis. They stuck dark glasses on Lewis even before the decision was announced, he was that banged up.

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 27 May 2004, 09:46

I wish Tyson and Mercer had met early in their careers. My impression was that Tyson and the people around him wanted no part of Mercer whatsoever.

KOJOE90 · Post by **KOJOE90** » 27 May 2004, 10:07

Mercer was indeed one tough dude, I have his Pro debut on tape somewhere.

I recall him winning Gold at the Olympics, people were already talking about a Tyson - Mercer fight back then, unfortunatly as we know it never happened.

Like many of you I recall the way he nearly decapitated Tommy Morrison, that was brutal!

bugs · Post by **bugs** » 27 May 2004, 11:47

Well he is starting fighting K1, and I think he is getting involved in the movies, but what about his fight with DaVarryl Williamson next month?