Ray Mercer is a boxer with steel fists and an iron will. Ray Mercer - a boxer with steel fists and an iron will Fight with Jesse Ferguson I

Most likely, no one will argue with the fact that the greatest heavyweight boxers of our time were Mike Tyson, Lennox Lewis. Undoubtedly, these fighters are the epitome of boxing, but one more person can be enlisted in their cohort, whose name is Ray Mercer. His difficult fate will be discussed in this article.

Brief biographical note

The future world boxing champion was born on April 4, 1961 in Florida, USA. The boxer's hometown is Jacksonville. Ray Mercer won gold at the XXIV Olympic Games in the 91 kg category, won the US Amateur Championship in 1987, and also managed to become the North American champion in 1990 and the WBO world professional champion in 1991. In addition, the athlete took part in kickboxing and mixed fights.

First professional fights

Ray made his professional debut in early 1989. Six months later, he was able to knock out Dino Homsi, who was not defeated at that time. A month later, Mercer wins by technical knockout over Eddie Richardson. In November 1989, Ruthless (the sports nickname of our hero) wins again, and once again ahead of schedule. This time Jerry Jones suffered from his fists. December 1989 saw Ray's extremely unconvincing split decision victory over Ossie Ocasio.

Winning the WBO title

In January 1991, Ray Mercer met in the square of the ring with the current belt holder Francesco Damiani.

The fight took place under the confident dictation of the champion. Francesco worked from a long distance and after eight rounds he won on the cards of all the judges. However, at the end of the ninth three-minute period, an event quite rare for boxing matches took place. Ray threw a left uppercut and landed a tangent on Damiani's nose. in itself was not a knockout, but the severe pain that accompanies a broken nose did not allow Francesco to continue the fight. Thus, Mercer won the world champion belt, which once again confirmed that professional boxing - fights are quite tough and not always predictable.

Fight with Morrison

October 1991 was marked for Ray by a meeting with whom he had previously lost to Mercer during the selection for the Seoul Olympics.

From the very beginning, Tommy went ahead and literally pressed the champion. However, subsequently, Morrison's poor stamina came to the fore, and he ran out of steam. Early in the fifth round, Mercer knocked him out with a short punch to the left temple.

Embarrassing defeat

In February 1992, Ray Mercer fought Larry Holmes. The winner of this fight became the mandatory contender for the title of absolute world champion, which was owned at that time by Evander Holyfield. The bookmakers considered Ray to be the favorite. Holmes, who at that time was already 42 years old, was not given a chance. Nevertheless, at the end of the fight, Larry won by unanimous decision.

Confrontation with the British

In May 1996, Ray Mercer, whose biography then already included many difficult fights, fought Opponents fought, not sparing each other and inflicting many blows on the opponent. After ten allotted rounds, the victory was awarded to the representative of Foggy Albion. And not all judges gave the palm to Lennox. This decision was booed by the public, who believed that Ray should be the winner. HBO channel represented by Harold Lederman awarded a draw with a score of 95-95. And the publishing house Associated Press even considered Mercer the winner, showing a score of 97-93.

Continuing a career

In late 1996, Ray boxed with Tim Witherspoon. Despite the fact that Tim was already 39 years old, he was able to interrupt Mercer. Witherspoon hit more often, but the judges gave the victory to Ray. The fight itself took place as part of a show organized by HBO, the main event of which was the duel of Riddick Bowe against

Battle with the Ukrainian giant

In 1997, Mercer was forced to leave boxing for a while. Fights were impossible for him due to a neck injury, which forced the athlete to stay out of the ring for about 14 months.

But Ray is a man with a steel will and therefore returned to the sport. And already in June 2002 he went out to fight Wladimir Klitschko.

The fight was dramatic. Already at the end of the first three-minute period, the Ukrainian hit Mercer with two side hooks in the jaw. After that, Vladimir once again added a side kick, because of which the American's legs became naughty, and he began to fall onto the canvas. Klitschko hit again, and Ray was on the floor. Mercer had the strength to get up and even hold out until the sixth round, but in the end, Klitschko clamped him near the ropes and began methodically beating him with crosses, to which the American had no strength left to answer. The referee stopped the fight and awarded the victory to Vladimir.

Ray Mercer's professional career includes one MMA fight. In June 2009, he managed to defeat the well-known fighter Tim Sylvia, and by knockout already in the ninth second of the fight.

Debuted in February 1989.

In August 1990, Mercer defeated Bert Cooper on points.

In January 1991, he knocked out undefeated WBO heavyweight champion Francesco Damiani in the 9th round.

In October 1991, Mercer knocked out the undefeated Tommy Morrison in the 5th round. After the fight, Mercer relinquished the low-prestigious WBO title.

In February 1992, he lost on points to Larry Holmes.

In May 1995, Mercer lost on points to Evander Holyfield.

May 10, 1996 Ray Mercer - Lennox Lewis

Location: Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, USA
Judges score: George Colon (94-96 Lewis), Luis Rivera (95-96 Lewis), Melvina Lathan (95-95)
Broadcast: HBO
Status: Rating battle
Referee: Arthur Mercante Jr.
Unofficial judge's score: Harold Lederman (95-95)
Weight: Mercer 108.00 kg; Lewis 112.00 kg
Result: Lewis won a 10-round majority decision

In May 1996, Mercer entered the ring against Lennox Lewis. In a 10-round bout, Lewis won a hard-fought majority victory. The reasons for such an unconvincing performance by Lewis were that he underestimated the opponent, as well as the fact that he agreed to enter the reduced size ring.

December 14, 1996 Tim Witherspoon - Ray Mercer

Judges score: Calvin Claxton (93-97), John Potourei (93-97), Paul Venti (91-97) - all in favor of Mercer
Weight: Witherspoon 104.30 kg; Mercer 108.40 kg
Referee: Tony Perez
Location: Convention Center, Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA
Status: Rating battle
Result: Mercer wins by unanimous decision in a 10-round fight
Unofficial judge's score: Harold Lederman (87-84 Witherspoon) - scores after 9th round
Broadcast: HBO TVKO

In December 1996, Ray Mercer entered the ring against Tim Witherspoon. In an equal duel, the judges gave the victory to Mercer by unanimous decision. The fight took place as part of a show organized by HBO, the main event of which was the 2nd fight of Riddick Bow - Andrzej Golota.

June 29, 2002 Wladimir Klitschko - Ray Mercer

Status: WBO heavyweight title fight (Klitschko's 4th defense)
Weight: Klitschko 110.20 kg; Mercer 103.40 kg
Broadcast: HBO bad
Unofficial judge's score: Harold Lederman (50-44 Klitschko)
Referee: Randy Neumann
Result: Klitschko's victory by technical knockout in the 6th round in a 12-round fight
Location: Taj Mahal Hotel and Casino, Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA
Time: 1:08

In June 2002, in the United States, Ray Mercer went into battle against Wladimir Klitschko. At the end of the 1st round, Klitschko threw two left hooks in a row to the jaw. Then he added another powerful left hook there. Mercer's legs buckled and he began to fall. Klitschko followed up with another left hook. Mercer collapsed onto the canvas. He went up to the score of 8. After the resumption of the fight, Klitschko threw out several crosses, some of which hit the target, but Mercer was able to push through to the gong. The entire 6th round, Klitschko hit crosses in the head of the enemy. Mercer barely answered. In the middle of the 6th round, the Ukrainian pressed the opponent to the ropes and began to beat. The referee intervened and stopped the fight. Mercer did not argue with the decision. The American's face was beaten. According to the post-match statistics of the HBO channel, the Ukrainian had a huge advantage in power punches.

2003-2008

In February 2004, Mercer defeated Steve Pennel.

In August 2005, he lost by knockout in the 7th round to Shannon Briggs.

In January 2008, Mercer lost on points to Derrick Rossi.

Ray Mercer(Eng. Ray Mercer; born April 4, 1961, Jacksonville, Florida, USA) is an American professional boxer who performed in the heavyweight category. Olympic champion of the XXIV Summer Olympic Games in heavy weight (up to 91 kg). US Amateur Boxing Champion (1987) WBO World Heavyweight Champion (1991). NABF North American Champion (1990). He also competed in kickboxing and mixed martial arts.

Professional career

Debuted in February 1989.

In September 1989, he knocked out the undefeated Dino Homsi.

In October 1989, he defeated Eddie Richardson by TKO in the 1st round.

In November 1989, he defeated Jerry Jones by unanimous decision.

In December 1989, he met with Ossie Ocasio. Mercer looked unconvincing in this fight, but won by split decision.

1990-1991

In January 1990, he defeated Wesley Watson by TKO in the 5th round.

In March 1990, he defeated Kimmuel Odum by unanimous decision.

In May 1990, he won by technical knockout in the 4th round of Lionel Washington.

Fight with Bert Cooper

In August 1990, Mercer faced Bert Cooper for the NABF title. In the 1st round, Mercer knocked Cooper down and won by unanimous decision.

Fight with Francesco Damiani

In January 1991, Mercer faced undefeated WBO world champion Francesco Damiani. Damiani acted mainly from a long distance and this brought him success. After the eighth round, Francesco confidently led all three side judges on the cards with a score of 79-73, 79-74 and 78-74. But at the end of the 9th round, an extraordinary event occurred, which rarely happens in boxing matches. Mercer's left uppercut went tangentially across the front of Damiani's face. The blow did not hit the chin, but severely broke the Italian's nose. Francesco fell and could no longer continue the fight, not from shock, but from the hellish pain that accompanies such injuries.

Fight with Tommy Morrison

In October 1991, Mercer faced the undefeated Tommy Morrison. Morrisson was the favorite in this fight. Mercer was difficult to take seriously, as he had almost lost two fights on points. Morison tried to quickly knock out Mercer and avenge the defeat in the qualifying round of the Seoul Olympics and quickly ran out of steam. After winning the first two rounds, Morrison seemed close to knocking out the champion in the next. However, Tommy's weak endurance affected, and he did not have the strength left to put the squeeze on Mercer until the end of the third round. At the very beginning of the fifth round, Mercer retreated into a corner, and Morrison ducked with incomprehensible intentions. And then Ray shortly hit his unprotected left temple, knocking out Morrison.

1992-1996

After the fight with Morrison, Mercer was scheduled to fight against mandatory challenger Michael Moorer. But Mercer gave up the low-prestigious WBO title for the fight with Larry Holmes, which he regretted in the future.

Fight with Larry Holmes

In February 1992, Mercer met with Larry Holmes. The winner of this fight was to face Evander Holyfield for the undisputed world title. Mercer was the favorite in this fight, 42-year-old Holmes was given little chance of winning. Holmes, however, was confident of his victory and vowed that he would retire one last time if he lost. For the first 2 rounds, the opponents exchanged blows, but then Holmes spent the rest of the fight in a defensive style, working on counterattacks and outplaying Mercer on points. In the end, Holmes won by unanimous decision.

Fight with Jesse Ferguson I

In February 1993, Mercer met with Jesse Fergusson. This fight took place on the undercard of the fight Riddick Bowe - Michael Dokes and Mercer was supposed to be Bowe's next opponent. Ray Mercer did not come into this fight in the best physical shape, considering Ferguson to be a passing opponent. Instead, Ferguson controlled almost the entire fight. When Mercer felt that he was losing, right in the middle of the fight he offered Ferguson $ 100,000 if he merges the fight. Ferguson refused, won the fight by unanimous decision, earning the right to a title fight, and after the fight, he surrendered Mercer. Only miraculously Mercer escaped from a lengthy disqualification.

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In September 1989, he knocked out the undefeated Dino Homsy.

In October 1989, he won by technical knockout in the 1st round. Eddie Richardson.

In November 1989, he won by unanimous decision. Jerry Jones.

In December 1989, he met with Ossie Ocasio. Mercer looked unconvincing in this fight, but won by split decision.