BoxRec

Please help me, I would like to know how good is former WBA Heavyweight Champion Mike Weaver?

Weaver was a late bloomer, but a pretty solid fighter imo. Larry Holmes said Weaver was one of the best fighters he ever fought. He had one-punch KO power in either hand and had more pure boxing skills than he was given credit for. The story goes he would give Ken Norton a very hard time in sparring sessions during the 1970s.
His best wins were against John Tate, Gerrie Coetzee, James Tillis and Carl Williams. All of these guys were in their prime when Weaver beat them.

Bernardo Mercado, Scott Le Doux and Bert Cooper were also good wins, as were several other over rising prospects like Johnny DuPlooy and James Pritchard.

Keep in mind that the first fight against Michael Dokes was a very early stoppage and many felt Weaver deserved the verdict in their second fight (a draw).

I'd say that Mike Weaver is probably a top 20 heavyweight of the last 25 years.

Alister

How much does Mike Weaver's weight is the lowest and highest in his career? Please help me with this question I'm asking.

kovit wrote:How much does Mike Weaver's weight is the lowest and highest in his career? Please help me with this question I'm asking.

Mike Weaver 6'1 Lowest Weight 193 lbs, Highest weight 220lbs

mike was quite the buffed-out dude. i heard ken norton named him "hercules" because of his rock hard build. mike went in against larry holmes for the title with what was basically a record of an "opponent" and did everything but take the title away, one of holmes toughest fights. mike was 6-8-1 4 KO's against undefeated fighters during his career, the "undefeateds" had a combined record (when facing mike) of
261-0-5.

Actually Knockout Artist, Weaver's heaviest weight is 221 1/4 lbs against Pinklon Thomas for Thomas' WBC Heavyweight Title defense in 1985.

Heavily muscled Mike Weaver finished his career after 60 fights, 41 wins (28 kos) - 18 losses and 1 draw.

He had a dubious chin getting stopped in 12 of his 18 defeats. Six of these stoppage defeats came in 3 rounds or less, yet he managed to take noted puncher Donovan 'Razor' Ruddock the distance !!

Controversial wrote:He had a dubious chin getting stopped in 12 of his 18 defeats. Six of these stoppage defeats came in 3 rounds or less, yet he managed to take noted puncher Donovan 'Razor' Ruddock the distance !!

I've never seen the Ruddock V Weaver fight, but I have heard that at that time Ruddock was much more of a boxer as opposed to the more agressive slugger he later became. Also when he fought the much more experienced Weaver Ruddock was a mere novice Pro.

Apparently one of Mike Weavers hobbies is playing the Organ in his local church.

What happened in Weaver's fight with Carl the Truth Williams? Was it a complete blowout for Weaver?

jont wrote:What happened in Weaver's fight with Carl the Truth Williams? Was it a complete blowout for Weaver?

I've never seen the Weaver V Williams fight but I've heard Wiliams say it was stopped too soon, but Boxers always say that.

I think it may have been stopped on the 3 knockdown rule, but I may be wrong.

KOJOE90 wrote:

Controversial wrote:He had a dubious chin getting stopped in 12 of his 18 defeats. Six of these stoppage defeats came in 3 rounds or less, yet he managed to take noted puncher Donovan 'Razor' Ruddock the distance !!

I've never seen the Ruddock V Weaver fight, but I have heard that at that time Ruddock was much more of a boxer as opposed to the more agressive slugger he later became. Also when he fought the much more experienced Weaver Ruddock was a mere novice Pro.

Apparently one of Mike Weavers hobbies is playing the Organ in his local church.

Weaver caught Ruddock with a nice shot in the later rounds, actually hurt him, but lost the decision.

The Ruddock fight was very late in his caareer. Against Williams, Weaver was taking shots on the ropes and nailed The Truth with a hook, then two more for 3 kds and a tko. He is a very nice guy; 3 or 4 years ago I sat next to him through 11 fights at an amateur tournament, and had a great time talking with him.

KOJOE90 wrote:

jont wrote:What happened in Weaver's fight with Carl the Truth Williams? Was it a complete blowout for Weaver?

I've never seen the Weaver V Williams fight but I've heard Wiliams say it was stopped too soon, but Boxers always say that.

I think it may have been stopped on the 3 knockdown rule, but I may be wrong.

Williams dominated Weaver the 1st round, and in 2nd was on his way on knocking out Weaver when Weaver out of the blue just swung his hardest left hook just to get Williams of him....the left hook hit Williams flush on the chin. Williams got up but was so stunned by that hook that Weaver floored him twice more with glancing blows and won the fight,

Weaver stretched "the truth".

one thing I remember about Mike Weaver was that he had a very good powerful left Jab and that he hit hard with either hand

I haven't seen Weaver-Williams since the day it happened, but I seem to remember it just as Tycoon described it. Carl The Truth Williams was an outstanding boxer with a glass jaw, who Weaver suddenly caught with a monster hook.

Against Dokes, Weaver was victimized twice. In the first fight he suffered a flash knockdown, and appeared to be ok when Joey Curtis surprisingly stopped the fight. In the rematch he was unlucky to get a majority decision draw, as it appeared that only Jerry Roth who had it 145-141 Weaver was actually watching the fight. Never liked Dynamite Dokes and his annoying habit of loudly yelling "Huuh Huuh" every time he threw a jab.

I thought Weaver beat Dokes in the rematch, just.

Weaver was a very good fighter, a tremendous puncher and had pretty good stamina. His main weakness was that he was a slow starter and this was why he was stopped early a few times... but I wouldn't say he had a glass chin... he took the bombs of Gerrie Coetzee and koed him in the later rounds in what may have been his best performance.
I'd say Weaver on the whole is underrated.... he was one of those rare punchers who had good stamina and could ko an opponent late in a fight.
He should have been given the verdict in the Dokes rematch imo.

Weaver was a ferocious puncher who used to start slow and was caught cold in a few of his fights....his come from behind stoppages of Tate and Coetzee were his best performances.
Beaten by Holmes who was one of the greatest of all time.
Despite the 80's being legendary for having Kings fat and lazy boxers that decade did have some great fighters and great fights...and Weaver was an exciting figure in those days.

Weaver vs Berbick could have been a thriller.

Nile4000 wrote:Weaver vs Berbick could have been a thriller.

Very nearly happened in the early 90's as I recall. I think it was almost a done deal but fell apart at the last moment for reasons I can't recall.

A good friend of mine worked out at the same health club as did Weaver and he told me of this incident, which happened in the months after Weaver lost to Holmes:
One of the people that worked at the club was a young guy in his late teens to early 20s, kind of a cocky kid always running hisa mouth and wisecracking trying to be funny. Weaver became the target for numerous comments based around "Larry Holmes kicked your ass." Now, Weaver is a very devout man, takes his religion to heart so he put up with a ton and this dragged on for two or more months.
Finally, it was late and the club was officially closed. My friend and Weaver were in the locker room- my friend finishing his workout while Weaver customarily came in late to use the upstairs track to do roadwork. So my friend is at his locker dressing Weaver is at his putting on his exercise gear and the wise guy is in fine form. But tonight he went one too far; my friend said that Weaver very gently coerced the guy upn against the wall and explained to his antagonist that yes Larry did knock him out but that didfn't mean that everybody could knock him out because Larry Holmes was a fine champion and it took him over half an hour of hard fighting to turn the trick. Thereafter Weaver was left alone.

silkov wrote:Weaver was a very good fighter, a tremendous puncher and had pretty good stamina. His main weakness was that he was a slow starter and this was why he was stopped early a few times... but I wouldn't say he had a glass chin... he took the bombs of Gerrie Coetzee and koed him in the later rounds in what may have been his best performance.
I'd say Weaver on the whole is underrated.... he was one of those rare punchers who had good stamina and could ko an opponent late in a fight.
He should have been given the verdict in the Dokes rematch imo.

The Weaver - Coetzee fight was one of the best fights of the 80's. Full of action with Coetzee dominating the first 9 rounds frequently getting his right into Weaver and nearly knocking him out in the 8th. But as we know Coetzee hasnt got the best stamina and he got tired and constantly leaning on Weaver for rest.On about 4 occaisons Weaver was hanging out of the ring as Coetzee was leaning on him putting his whole body weight on him. Weaver picked up the pace and knocked out an exhasted Coetzee in the 13th.

Both fighters showed tremendous heart and both showed the will to win in maybe undoubtely the best 80's heavyweight title fight ever.

knockout artist wrote:

kovit wrote:How much does Mike Weaver's weight is the lowest and highest in his career? Please help me with this question I'm asking.

Mike Weaver 6'1 Lowest Weight 193 lbs, Highest weight 220lbs

You are using my old user name. I am KO artist, how have you stolen my user details?

Being on the receiving end of a first round knockout at the hands of James Boncrusher Smith is defintaly a blackmark on Weaver's career. Remember that the Bonecrusher was the same fighter who backed up for ten rounds against light hitting Marvis Frazier.