BoxRec

Hey guys,
I posted this some time ago on an MMA forum...I thought I would
re-post it here.



I thought I would make a post about merciless Ray Mercer, seeing as most people only know
him from his K-1 losses and the more recent Kimbo loss. Which in my opinion is sad, as he
was a capable and an underappreciated fighter.

1988 wins the Olympic LHW gold medal
1990 beats Bert Cooper in a grueling battle, both men showing a toughness that they will both go onto be famous for.
1991 Wins the WBO version of the HW title by KOing crafty Francesco Damiani in a come behind fashion
1991 KO's the hot favourite Tommy Morrison in brutal highligh reel fashion.
1991 Loses to the comebacking Holmes, who earns a shot at Holyfields title. A good fight, which highlights his limitations.
1993 Loses to regular upset journeyman Jesse Ferguson, pleading and bribing Fergusson during the match.
1993 Struggles to win against Fergusson in the rematch.
1995 Losses a entertaining decision against Holyfield, who was coming of the Moorer loss. Manages to out work and jab Holy at times.
1996 Exposes the weaknesses of Lennox Lewis in a very close fight that many felt Mercer won. His best fight.
1996 Beats the always dangerous Terrible Tim Witherspoon in one of the best fights of the 90s
2002 Is stopped by Wladimir Klitschko in a one sided beating, showing his age. His first stoppage loss.
2005 Losses in the 7th round against former training and sparring partner Shannon Briggs in an entertaining fight.
2008 fights on in a very dangeorus for his health fashion.

Fights K-1 without understanding the nature of leg kicks, past his best he becomes a scalp for the
MMA-kickboxing community to hold high.

Fights YouTube 'hero' Kimbo, is guilotined and submitted early in round one. Many suggest Kimbo wanted
no part of a toe to toe duel with Mercer. In any case, Mercer loses his MMA debut.

In recent times, like so many greats before him who may have looked to the stage, cinema or even
pro wrestling ring, Mercer did his best to stay relevant when his body no longer could keep him on top
inside the ropes where he had once defined himself as a tough and entertaining prize fighter that would
give champions and journeymen alike a tough fight.

Kym

Some high and low points in the career of a great fighter.

Kym

I dont hold it against Mercer really for losing to Slice or failing in K-1. Its the same premise as boxers in the early days later going into professional wrestling when their careers were at its twilight. I also look at it as being a double edged sword; many a mixed martial artist or kick boxer failed in actual boxing. Anyone recall the likes of Rick Roufus gaining the same fame he did in kickboxing that he did when he went into boxing as a Cruiserweight? Hell no. He only had moderate success.

Mercer, also, isnt the first world class boxer to be upset in a cross over competition.

Remember Art Jimmerson? He fought Royce Gracie in the first UFC ppv and lost in the first round rather easily. Remember Trevor Berbick's foray into mma? It was downright an embarassment for a man who once held the WBC title. Remember Ali-Inoki? 15 rounds and it was declared a draw, even though Ali only landed two punches while it was Inoki who caused severe damage to his legs? How about Butterbean? Sure he was even considered a sideshow act in boxing, but his mma record and K-1 record was even more embarassing.

Sure Botha and Briggs had mixed results in that other squared circle, but bottom line is, nine times out of ten, a man coming into rules completely foreign to him is going to more than likely lose. The first "mma" bout in history, may might have been when John L. Sullivan fought William Muldoon in Boston. The result? Sullivan came in fast, but was picked up and easily thrown/slammed by Muldoon. The crowd in Boston went beserk and the fight had to be called off.

Any other fighters who crossed over into MMA/Kickboxing, that you wish to know of, just ask. Any MMA/Kickboxers who went into boxing, just ask. I've known plenty of them. Most recent of these is Sidney, Ohio's Chris Overbey who was one of THE world's best kickboxers, but only came up with an 8-9-0 (3) record when he went into boxing, and that was even under Aaron Pryor's own guidance.

And here is an interesting perspective as an MMA fighter.

I fight MMA because boxing is to hard to even be average
at...

I can fight MMA and be average at many 'pure' sports, or even
below average...the only secret is...making them work for MMA.

If however you get a talented boxer in or around his 'peak' and actually
get him properly trained with MMAers and or MMA minded wrestlers...

You will have yourself a scarey man.

Chris Lytle and Laverne Clark are both boxers that have done well
in MMA.

Travis Fulton has been an active journeyman boxer who has had his
time in MMA during the late 1990s.

Jeremy Williams has done well in boxing and in MMA also.

One Donald Frye had some pro boxing fights before he was an MMA
household name..though he also had good judo and wrestling background.

And off course Vitor Belfort had decent amateur experience...

To be elite in your sport you need to be good at YOUR sport. You may start
out in one and move to the other...say wrestler to MMA etc...
but it is hard to dabble in multiple sports and stay on top...unless you are
one rare and incredible talent...

If he has to keep fighting it's better for Mercers health to go the MMA route. He will lose but it will be quick losses via submission rather than getting beat up over 10 rounds in the boxing ring. Mercer is yet another example of a fighter who didn't plan for the future and now he is paying the price.

I think everyone knew how Mercer was a shadow of his former self when he fought Wlad. Not sure too many would have predicted him still to be fighting 6 years later

Ray Mercer was hard as granite and had a chin as good as they come in the 90s, sad that he is still fighting at his age

Robinson wrote:And here is an interesting perspective as an MMA fighter.

I fight MMA because boxing is to hard to even be average
at...

I can fight MMA and be average at many 'pure' sports, or even
below average...the only secret is...making them work for MMA.

I saw one of your fight videos Kym.
You are very talented.
What jumped at me was how good your balance was.You are hard to take down.

Thanks Pug...

must be that Judo training in my youth ;)

Was indeed a Good Boxer.

exposed Lewis's limitations and had some good wins.

and was rarely in a dull fight...even when he was not in his best form

FYI Mecer was the HEAVYWEIGHT gold medallist in the 88 Olympics, not light-heavy.

Mercer was as dangerous as they come, but he was obviously totally shot in 2002 vs Wlad Klitschko, his subsequent excursions in any form of MMA are irrelevent because its a weary punched out old man in there, not Ray Mercer.

Mercer was a good & capable fighter, & a legitimate contender in his day. Calling him great is a stretch, IMO.

HomicideHenry wrote:Remember Trevor Berbick's foray into mma? It was downright an embarassment for a man who once held the WBC title.

That wasn't mma - it was a pro wrestling match where his opponent double crossed him.