Ray Mercer facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ray Mercer
Mercer in 1988
Born	Raymond Anthony Mercer (1961-04-04) April 4, 1961 (age 64) Jacksonville, Florida, U.S.
Other names	Merciless
Height	6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Division	Heavyweight
Reach	77 in (196 cm)
Stance	Orthodox
Years active	1989–2008 (boxing) 2004–2005 (kickboxing) 2007, 2009 (MMA)
Professional boxing record
Total	44
Wins	36
By knockout	26
Losses	7
By knockout	2
Draws	1
Kickboxing record
Total	2
Losses	2
By knockout	1
Mixed martial arts record
Total	1
Wins	1
By knockout	1
Losses	0
Children	9
Medal record Men's amateur Boxing Representing  United States Olympic Games Gold 1988 Seoul Heavyweight
last updated on: April 5, 2023

Raymond Anthony Mercer (born April 4, 1961) is a famous American athlete. He was a professional boxer, kickboxer, and mixed martial artist. He competed in these sports from 1989 to 2009.

As an amateur, Ray Mercer won a gold medal in heavyweight boxing at the 1988 Summer Olympics. Later, as a professional, he became the WBO heavyweight champion in 1991. He successfully defended his title against Tommy Morrison. Ray Mercer was known as "Merciless" because of his strong punches and aggressive fighting style.

He also competed in kickboxing, facing top fighters like Musashi in 2004. In mixed martial arts, he achieved a quick knockout win. This was against former UFC champion Tim Sylvia in 2009.

Early Life and Military Service

Growing Up

Ray Mercer grew up in a military family. His father was a mechanic in the Army. They lived in Fort Benning, Georgia, and later in Hanau, West Germany. As a child, Ray was a bit rebellious. His father helped him learn discipline.

Ray enjoyed outdoor activities like fishing and hunting with his dad. He played linebacker in high school. After graduating, he decided to join the Army.

Serving His Country

Mercer joined the U.S. Army. He served in West Germany as an infantry soldier. His highest rank was sergeant. The Army played a big part in his life. It was there that he discovered his talent for boxing.

Ray Mercer's Amateur Boxing Journey

Starting to Box

Ray Mercer began boxing when he was 23 years old. He was serving in the U.S. Army in West Germany. He had never boxed before joining the Army. He said, "The Army taught me everything I know about boxing."

He started competing in 1983. He quickly won several military boxing titles. At first, sparring was tough. He often came back with a bloody nose. But he was determined and never gave up. He learned fast and became a strong fighter.

Road to the Olympics

Mercer won the U.S. Army and inter-service heavyweight championships in 1985. He also won the 1988 United States amateur heavyweight championship. He was considered one of the best American Olympic boxers.

Many experts believed he would become a world champion. His Olympic teammate, Riddick Bowe, even found it hard to spar with him. This was because of Mercer's powerful punches.

Winning Olympic Gold

At the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, Ray Mercer was 27 years old. He was the oldest boxer on the U.S. team. He knocked out all four of his opponents. This earned him the gold medal in the heavyweight division.

After his Olympic win, he signed a contract to become a professional boxer. He was honorably discharged from the Army in January 1989. He was ready to start his professional career.

Ray Mercer's Professional Boxing Career

Early Success and World Title

Ray Mercer started his professional boxing career in January 1989. He won his first fight by knockout. He quickly gained more knockout victories. In 1990, he won the NABF heavyweight title.

In January 1991, he fought Francesco Damiani for the WBO heavyweight title. Mercer won by knockout in the ninth round. He became a world champion. Later that year, he defended his title against Tommy Morrison. He won that fight too.

Big Fights and Challenges

After defending his WBO title, Mercer gave it up. He wanted to fight bigger names. He faced boxing legend Larry Holmes in 1992. Holmes won that fight. Mercer also fought Evander Holyfield in 1995 and Lennox Lewis in 1996. He lost both of these tough fights. However, he showed great courage and skill in these matches.

He later beat former champion Tim Witherspoon in 1996. Ray Mercer faced some health issues that kept him from fighting for a while.

Comeback and Final Fights

In 2001, at 39 years old, Mercer made a comeback. He won several fights. He then faced Wladimir Klitschko for the WBO title in 2002. Klitschko won the fight.

Mercer returned to boxing in 2005. He was 44 years old. He fought Shannon Briggs in an exciting match. Briggs won by knockout. Ray Mercer had his final boxing match in 2008. He won by decision against Richel Hersisia. He retired from boxing with a record of 36 wins, 7 losses, and 1 draw.

Ray Mercer's Kickboxing Career

Trying a New Sport

Ray Mercer decided to try kickboxing in 2004. He traveled to Japan to compete in K-1, a famous kickboxing league. His first opponent was Musashi. Mercer showed his powerful punches. He even knocked Musashi down once. But he struggled to defend against kicks. He lost the fight by decision.

In 2005, he had another K-1 fight against Remy Bonjasky. Bonjasky won with a head kick early in the first round. After this, Mercer decided to focus on boxing again.

Ray Mercer's Mixed Martial Arts Career

Entering the MMA Cage

Ray Mercer also tried MMA. This sport combines different fighting styles. In 2007, he had an exhibition fight against Kimbo Slice. Slice won the fight by submission. After this, Mercer said he would stick to boxing.

A Big MMA Win

However, Mercer made a surprising return to MMA in 2009. He fought former UFC Heavyweight Champion Tim Sylvia. Mercer won the fight by knockout in just 9 seconds! He landed a powerful right punch that knocked Sylvia out. This was a huge win for Mercer.

He later signed with another MMA organization, but no more fights happened. Ray Mercer retired from fighting due to an old injury.

Professional boxing record

Kickboxing record

0 Wins (0 (T) KO's, 0 decision), 2 Losses

Date	Result	Record	Opponent	Event	Method	Round	Time	Location
March 15, 2005	Loss	0–2	Remy Bonjasky	K-1 World Grand Prix 2005 in Seoul	TKO (Right High Kick)	1	0:22	Seoul, South Korea
June 6, 2004	Loss	0–1	Musashi	K-1 World Grand Prix 2004 in Nagoya	Decision (Unanimous)	3	3:00	Nagoya, Japan

Mixed martial arts record

Professional record

Exhibition record

See also

In Spanish: Ray Mercer para niños