Ray Mercer - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

"Merciless" Ray Mercer (born April 4, 1961 in Jacksonville, Florida

Jacksonville, Florida

Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...

) is an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

professional boxer, former Olympic Gold Medalist and WBO

World Boxing Organization

The World Boxing Organization is a sanctioning organization currently recognizing professional boxing world champions. The organization is recognized as one of the four major world championship groups by the IBHOF alongside the International Boxing Federation, the World Boxing Council and the...

heavyweight title holder who resides in Fayetteville, North Carolina

Fayetteville, North Carolina

Fayetteville is a city located in Cumberland County, North Carolina, United States. It is the county seat of Cumberland County, and is best known as the home of Fort Bragg, a U.S. Army post located northwest of the city....

. He has also competed in kickboxing

Kickboxing

Kickboxing refers to a group of martial arts and stand-up combat sports based on kicking and punching, historically developed from karate, Muay Thai and western boxing....

and mixed martial arts

Mixed martial arts

Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...

Amateur

Mercer was the 1988 United States Amateur Champion

United States Amateur Champion

The United States National Boxing Championships bestow the title of United States Amateur Champion on amateur boxers for winning the annual national amateur boxing tournament organized by USA Boxing, the national governing body for Olympic boxing and is the United States' member organization of the...

at Heavyweight while in the US Army and compiled an Amateur record of 64-6. He won Gold in the 1988 Olympics

1988 Summer Olympics

The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...

in Seoul

Seoul

Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...

as a heavyweight. In 1989, Mercer fought Barry Flowers (USAF) which contributed to a K.O. win in the 7th round.

Olympic results

1st round bye
Defeated Rudolf Gavenčiak (Czechoslovakia) RSC 3
Defeated Luigi Gaudiano
Luigi Gaudiano
Luigi Gaudiano is a former amateur boxer from Italy. He is best known for winning the bronze medal at the 1987 European Championships in Turin, Italy in the Men's Heavyweight division. He represented his native country at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea.-References:*...

(Italy) KO 1
Defeated Arnold Vanderlyde
Arnold Vanderlyde
Arnold Petrus Maria Vanderlyde is a former boxer from the Netherlands, who participated in three Summer Olympics and won three bronze medals in the heavyweight division , starting in 1984 in Los Angeles, California. He started boxing at age fifteen...

(Netherlands) RSC 2
Defeated Baik Hyun-Man
Baik Hyun-Man
Baik Hyun-Man is a former heavyweight amateur boxer from South Korea, who won the silver medal in his weight division at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea. In the final he was knocked out in the first round by Ray Mercer of the United States.- Results :-External links:*...

(South Korea) KO 1

Professional

Mercer turned pro in 1989 with a 3rd TKO of Jesse Hughes. He scored a series of knockouts and in August 1990 knocked down and outpointed big punching Smokin' Bert Cooper

Bert Cooper

Bertram Cooper , also known as Smokin' Bert Cooper is a heavyweight boxer, most famous for his devastating punching power and several wild brawls in the 1990s.-Pro career:...

in a spectacular 12 round brawl that earned him Cooper's NABF title. In January 1991 he challenged undefeated Francesco Damiani

Francesco Damiani

Francesco Damiani is an Italian former boxer who won the silver medal at the 1982 World Championships and at the 1984 Summer Olympics. As a professional, he was the first WBO heavyweight champion.-Amateur:...

for the WBO heavyweight title, scoring a one punch knockout victory in the 9th when behind on points. Later that year he brutally demolished undefeated puncher Tommy Morrison

Tommy Morrison

Tommy David Morrison is an American heavyweight boxer and a former World Boxing Organization champion. He lost only three out of a total of 52 professional fights. Morrison's nickname, "The Duke," is based on disputed claims that he is a grandnephew of Hollywood star John Wayne...

in five, and with a major world title fight on the horizon vacated his WBO belt and fought 42 year old legend Larry Holmes

Larry Holmes

Larry Holmes is a former professional boxer. He grew up in Easton, Pennsylvania, which gave birth to his boxing nickname, The Easton Assassin....

rather than mandatory challenger Michael Moorer

Michael Moorer

Michael Lee Moorer is a retired American boxer who is a former light heavyweight and heavyweight World Champion.-Biography:Moorer is a native of Monessen, Pennsylvania, which is in Southwestern Pennsylvania.-Professional career:...

. It proved an unwise decision, as the crafty Holmes conned Mercer out of the fight, outjabbing the puzzled youngster and gaining both the points decision, and Mercer's world title fight with heavyweight king Evander Holyfield

Evander Holyfield

Evander Holyfield is a professional boxer from the United States. He is a former undisputed world champion in both the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions, earning him the nickname "The Real Deal"...

.

Having split fights with dangerous veteran Jesse Ferguson

Jesse Ferguson

Jesse "Boogieman" Ferguson is a retired American boxer who fought in several noteworthy boxing matches in the 1980s and 1990s...

, laboured when overweight to a draw with trialhorse Marion Wilson

Marion Wilson

Marion Wilson, born October 19, 1956 in Florence, SC, is a heavyweight boxer. Marion, despite having faced a who's who list of heavyweight elite, has never been knocked out. He was once stopped, by Derek Isaman in 1991, which was due to a cut...

, and seen a proposed 1994 bout in Hong Kong with Frank Bruno

Frank Bruno

Franklin Roy Bruno MBE is an English former boxer whose career highlight was winning the WBC Heavyweight championship in 1995. Altogether, he won 40 of his 45 contests...

fall through, Mercer enjoyed an unexpected run of form in major fights, losing on points in a thrilling brawl with Holyfield in May 1995, losing a controversial decision in another wild punch up, this time with Lennox Lewis

Lennox Lewis

Lennox Claudius Lewis, CM, CBE is a retired boxer and the most recent British undisputed world heavyweight champion. He holds dual British and Canadian citizenship...

, in June 1996, and scoring a controversial points win over ex-champ Tim Witherspoon

Tim Witherspoon

"Terrible" Tim Witherspoon is an American boxer who was twice world heavyweight champion.-Early career:Witherspoon had eight and a half amateur bouts, losing one to Marvis Frazier on decision after getting knocked down....

in yet another high action bout in December 1996. In the frame for a bout with Andrew Golota in 1997, Mercer suffered a neck injury and was out of action for 14 months. He returned February 1998 with a 2 round kayo of Leo Loiacono, but contracted Hepititis B and was again inactive, this time for 20 months.

Comeback

In February 2001 a 42 year old Mercer launched a final comeback, knocking out four journeymen before being matched with WBO title holder Wladimir Klitschko

Wladimir Klitschko

Wladimir Klitschko is a Ukrainian heavyweight boxer. Klitschko is the WBA , IBF, WBO Super, IBO & Ring Magazine Champion. His older brother Vitali Klitschko is the current WBC champion...

in a high profile bout on HBO. Once famed for his incredible iron chin, Mercer looked his age and was knocked down in the first and stopped in the 6th. A brief dalliance in the mixed martial arts nixed a 2004 bout with DaVarryl Williamson

DaVarryl Williamson

DaVarryl Williamson is an American boxer originally from Washington, D.C., but later a resident of Aurora, Colorado. His ring nickname is "Touch of Sleep". He has a current professional record of 26-6, 22KO...

, however he did return to boxing in 2005, now aged 44, but was stopped in seven by Shannon Briggs

Shannon Briggs

Shannon "The Cannon" Briggs is an American heavyweight boxer and actor. He is the former Lineal and WBO heavyweight champion.-Early life:...

Kickboxing career

Continuing to seek a fighting career, Mercer opted to travel to Japan and challenged Musashi

Musashi (kickboxer)

is a retired professional Japanese Heavyweight karateka and kickboxer. He is 4 time K-1 Japan tournament champion, a former WAKO Heavyweight Muay Thai champion and two time K-1 World Grand Prix finalist...

in the kickboxing combat sport K-1

K-1

K-1 is a defunct world-wide kickboxing promotion based in Tokyo, Japan founded by Kazuyoshi Ishii, a formerKyokushin karate practitioner. K-1 combines stand up techniques from Muay Thai, Karate, Taekwondo, Savate, San Shou, kickboxing, western-style boxing, and other martial arts...

on June 6, 2004. He was knocked down in the first round and went on to lose via unanimous decision. On March 19, 2005, he had one more K-1

K-1

bout against Remy Bonjasky

Remy Bonjasky

Remy "The Flying Gentleman" Bonjasky is a Dutch super heavyweight kickboxer of Surinamese descent. He is a three-time K-1 World Grand Prix champion, who has won the title in 2003, 2004, and 2008...

, to whom he lost via verbal submission, the first and only strike of the night, a head kick, would land on the square on the head of Mercer. It wasn't your typical fight; Mercer took one head kick and then quit in what was one of the most bizarre fights of all time as the kick didn't even seem to hurt him. As Mercer put it, "I got the shit kicked out of me". http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/story/7339625p-7236086c.html

Mixed martial arts career

After a series of scheduled boxing matchups fell through (including a proposed bout against former champion Hasim Rahman

Hasim Rahman

Hasim Sharif Rahman is an American professional boxer. Rahman is the former Lineal, WBC, IBO, & IBF heavyweight champion...

), Mercer decided to try mixed martial arts (MMA)

Mixed martial arts

and approached Felix Martinez, co-founder of Cage Fury Fighting Championships

Cage Fury Fighting Championships

Cage Fury Fighting Championships was an American mixed martial arts promotion. Founded by Felix & Amy Martinez, the promotion promoted in Atlantic City, NJ, having just held five events. The last minute cancellation of its sixth event signalled its demise...

, about working with the promotion. On March 21, 2007, Cage Fury announced that Mercer had signed to face underground street fighter and Internet legend Kimbo Slice

Kimbo Slice

Kevin Ferguson , better known as Kimbo Slice, is a Bahamian-American boxer, mixed martial artist and occasional actor...

at Atlantic City's Boardwalk Hall on June 23, 2007, as part of Cage Fury Fighting Championship 5. The bout was a non-sanctioned exhibition under the New Jersey Unified MMA rules.

Kimbo Slice

Kimbo Slice

Kevin Ferguson , better known as Kimbo Slice, is a Bahamian-American boxer, mixed martial artist and occasional actor...

won the fight in the first round with a guillotine choke

Guillotine choke

The guillotine choke is a chokehold in martial arts and wrestling applied from in front of the opponent. The choke involves using the arms to encircle the opponent's neck in a fashion similar to a guillotine. The technique is either a type of tracheal compression restraint that prevents air flow...

submission.

Mercer later stated in the press conference at Adrenaline III: Bragging Rights when he was scheduled to fight Tim Sylvia

Tim Sylvia

Timothy Deane Sylvia is an American professional mixed martial arts fighter, professional wrestler, and former Ultimate Fighting Championship Heavyweight Champion. He trains as a member of the Miletich Fighting Systems camp and is part of their MFSE group...

under MMA rules instead of Boxing rules that he had expected Kimbo Slice

Kimbo Slice

Kevin Ferguson , better known as Kimbo Slice, is a Bahamian-American boxer, mixed martial artist and occasional actor...

to box with him and said that he did not really train in any other aspect of MMA

Mixed martial arts

and was unprepared for the guillotine choke

Guillotine choke

.

On June 13, 2009, Mercer made a big splash when he defeated former UFC Heavyweight Champion Tim Sylvia

Tim Sylvia

at Adrenaline III: Bragging Rights. He won the fight via knockout in 9 seconds with a huge right hand to the chin, becoming the first man to ever defeat Sylvia by knockout. He then called out Eric Esch

Eric Esch

Eric Scott Esch is an American heavyweight boxer, kick-boxer, professional wrestler, and mixed martial artist commonly referred to as Butterbean....

after the fight.

In March 2010, it was announced that Mercer had signed with the King of the Cage

King of the Cage

King of the Cage, also known as KOTC, is a mixed martial arts promotion based in Southern California, USA.-History:KOTC was founded in 1998 by Terry Trebilcock. KOTC features up and coming MMA stars as well as experienced combat fighters....

organization.

Professional boxing record

Richel Hersisia

Richel Hersisia is a heavyweight boxer. He is referred to as "The Dutch Sonny Liston" by his fans...

|MD
|6
|05/09/2008
|align=left|

Derric Rossy

Derric Rossy is a professional American heavyweight boxer of Puerto Rican and Italian descent and the former defensive end at Boston College. He enrolled in the Lynch School of Education with a major in human development....

|UD
|12
|26/01/2008
|align=left|

Mikael Lindblad
|KO
|1
|15/09/2005
|align=left|

Shannon Briggs

Shannon "The Cannon" Briggs is an American heavyweight boxer and actor. He is the former Lineal and WBO heavyweight champion.-Early life:...

|KO
|7
|26/08/2005
|align=left|

Darroll Wilson

Darroll Lamont Wilson is a professional boxer. He is a journeyman heavyweight best known for his performances against more notable contenders.-Pro Boxing Career:...

|UD
|10
|24/06/2005
|align=left|

Steve Pannell
|TKO
|3
|28/02/2004
|align=left|

Shawn Robinson
|TKO
|3
|11/11/2003
|align=left|

Mario Cawley
|KO
|3
|23/08/2003
|align=left|

Wladimir Klitschko

Wladimir Klitschko is a Ukrainian heavyweight boxer. Klitschko is the WBA , IBF, WBO Super, IBO & Ring Magazine Champion. His older brother Vitali Klitschko is the current WBC champion...

|TKO
|6
|29/06/2002
|align=left|

Troy Weida
|KO
|1
|23/02/2002
|align=left|

Brian Scott
|KO
|2
|13/10/2001
|align=left|

Don Steele
|KO
|5
|17/03/2001
|align=left|

Jeff Pegues
|TKO
|2
|11/02/2001
|align=left|

Jimmy Haynes
|KO
|1
|18/12/1999
|align=left|

Leo Loiacono
|KO
|2
|21/02/1998
|align=left|

Tim Witherspoon

|UD
|10
|14/12/1996
|align=left|

Lennox Lewis

Lennox Claudius Lewis, CM, CBE is a retired boxer and the most recent British undisputed world heavyweight champion. He holds dual British and Canadian citizenship...

|MD
|10
|10/05/1996
|align=left|

Evander Holyfield

|UD
|10
|20/05/1995
|align=left|

Marion Wilson

|SD
|10
|28/07/1994
|align=left|

Jesse Ferguson

Jesse "Boogieman" Ferguson is a retired American boxer who fought in several noteworthy boxing matches in the 1980s and 1990s...

|SD
|10
|19/11/1993
|align=left|

Mark Wills
|UD
|10
|06/10/1993
|align=left|

Tony Willis
|KO
|1
|12/08/1993
|align=left|

Jesse Ferguson

Jesse "Boogieman" Ferguson is a retired American boxer who fought in several noteworthy boxing matches in the 1980s and 1990s...

|UD
|10
|06/02/1993
|align=left|

Jerry Halstead

Jerry "Wimpy" Halstead was a professional boxer in the heavyweight division from 1985 until 1997. Along the way Halstead fought such prominent pugilists as Greg Page, Tony Tubbs, Buster Douglas, Pierre Coetzer, Tommy Morrison, Ray Mercer, Alex Stewart, Herbie Hide, Brian Nielsen, Jeremy Williams,...

|RTD
|2
|10/12/1992
|align=left|

Mike Dixon
|TKO
|7
|07/10/1992
|align=left|

Larry Holmes

Larry Holmes is a former professional boxer. He grew up in Easton, Pennsylvania, which gave birth to his boxing nickname, The Easton Assassin....

|UD
|12
|07/02/1992
|align=left|

Tommy Morrison

|TKO
|5
|18/10/1991
|align=left|

Francesco Damiani

|KO
|9
|11/01/1991
|align=left|

Bert Cooper

Bertram Cooper , also known as Smokin' Bert Cooper is a heavyweight boxer, most famous for his devastating punching power and several wild brawls in the 1990s.-Pro career:...

|UD
|12
|05/08/1990
|align=left|

Lionel Washington
|TKO
|4
|31/05/1990
|align=left|

Kimmuel Odum
|UD
|12
|02/03/1990
|align=left|

Wesley Watson

Warren Thompson is a former heavyweight boxer best known for his successful amateur boxing career.-Professional career:...

|TKO
|5
|15/01/1990
|align=left|

Ossie Ocasio

Osvaldo Ocasio, , better known as Ossie Ocasio and nicknamed Jaws, is a Puerto Rican who was a boxer and world Cruiserweight champion. He got his peculiar nickname after accidentally biting another boxer during a sparring session...

|SD
|8
|07/12/1989
|align=left|

Jerry Jones
|UD
|8
|14/11/1989
|align=left|

Eddie Richardson
|TKO
|1
|17/10/1989
|align=left|

Arthel Lawhorne
|TKO
|2
|19/09/1989
|align=left|

Dino Homsey
|TKO
|1
|05/09/1989
|align=left|

Tracy Thomas
|KO
|1
|15/08/1989
|align=left|

Al Evans
|KO
|1
|15/07/1989
|align=left|

Ken Crosby
|KO
|1
|12/06/1989
|align=left|

David Hopkins
|KO
|1
|16/05/1989
|align=left|

Garing Lane
|UD
|4
|28/03/1989
|align=left|

Luis Walford
|KO
|1
|04/03/1989
|align=left|

Jesse McGhee
|TKO
|3
|24/02/1989
|align=left|

|align=left|
|-align=center

Kickboxing record

{| class="wikitable" style="margin:0.5em auto; font-size:85%"
|-
|style="text-align: center" colspan=8|0 Wins (0 (T) KO's, 0 decision), 2 Losses
|-
| align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #f0f0f0"|Date
| align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #f0f0f0"|Result
| align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #f0f0f0"|Record
| align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #f0f0f0"|Opponent
| align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #f0f0f0"|Event
| align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #f0f0f0"|Method
| align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #f0f0f0"|Round
| align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #f0f0f0"|Time
| align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #f0f0f0"|Location
|-
| March 15, 2005
|Loss
| 0–2
|

Remy Bonjasky

Remy "The Flying Gentleman" Bonjasky is a Dutch super heavyweight kickboxer of Surinamese descent. He is a three-time K-1 World Grand Prix champion, who has won the title in 2003, 2004, and 2008...

| K-1 World Grand Prix 2005 in Seoul
| TKO (Right High Kick)
| 1
| 0:22
|

Seoul

, South Korea

South Korea

The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...

|-
| June 6, 2004
|Loss
| 0–1
|

Musashi

Musashi (kickboxer)

| K-1 World Grand Prix 2004 in Nagoya
| Decision (Unanimous)
| 3
| 3:00
|

Nagoya, Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

Mixed martial arts record

|-
|Win
|align=center|1–0
|

Tim Sylvia

|KO (punch)
|Adrenaline MMA 3: Bragging Rights

Adrenaline MMA 3: Bragging Rights

Adrenaline MMA 3: Bragging Rights, was a mixed martial arts event held by Adrenaline MMA on June 13, 2009, at the BJCC Arena in Birmingham, Alabama. The main event was between former UFC Heavyweight Champion Tim Sylvia and former WBO heavyweight boxing champion Ray Mercer...

Birmingham, Alabama

Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...

, USA
|

Mixed martial arts exhibition match record

|-
|Loss
|align=center|0–1
|

Kimbo Slice

Kevin Ferguson , better known as Kimbo Slice, is a Bahamian-American boxer, mixed martial artist and occasional actor...

Atlantic City, New Jersey

Atlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, and a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the American version of the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is located on Absecon Island on the coast...

, USA
|

Boxing accomplishments

External links

K-1 record

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