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 on April 4, 1961, is a famous American athlete. He was a professional boxer, kickboxer, and mixed martial artist from 1989 to 2009. He is best known for his boxing career.

Mercer won a gold medal in heavyweight boxing at the 1988 Summer Olympics as an amateur. Later, as a professional, he held the WBO heavyweight title in 1991. He successfully defended his title once against Tommy Morrison. Even though he lost a close fight to former champion Evander Holyfield, he beat two-time heavyweight champion Tim Witherspoon in 1996. Throughout the 1990s, Mercer was known for his strong chin and never lost a boxing match by knockout.

He also competed in kickboxing, fighting against famous athletes like Musashi in 2004. In mixed martial arts, he achieved a quick first-round knockout win over former two-time UFC heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia in 2009.

Ray Mercer's Early Life

Raymond Mercer grew up as a "military brat" because his father was an Army officer. He lived in Fort Benning, Georgia, and later in Hanau, West Germany. He remembered being a bit "hardheaded" as a kid. His father, a mechanic in the military, helped him stay on track.

Mercer enjoyed outdoor activities like fishing and hunting with his father. He played linebacker in high school in Germany. After graduating from Richmond County Military Academy in Augusta, Georgia, he joined the Army.

Military Service and Boxing Beginnings

Mercer served in the U.S. Army in West Germany. His last rank was sergeant. He started boxing at age 23 while in the Army. He had never boxed before joining. Mercer said, "The Army taught me everything I know about boxing."

He began competing in 1983 in West Germany. He quickly won military titles. In 1985, he became the U.S. Army and inter-service heavyweight champion. He turned down an offer to train for the 1988 Olympics at first. He later decided to join the Army team.

Mercer won the 1988 United States amateur heavyweight championship. He was known for his powerful punches.

1988 Olympics Journey

Mercer was one of the most respected American Olympic boxers. Legendary trainer Angelo Dundee believed Mercer would become a world champion as a professional. Mercer was known for hitting so hard that his sparring partners were often knocked out of the ring.

During the Olympics, Mercer and a teammate playfully ran with their flags. Security guards tried to stop them, but Mercer kept going. Soldiers from his unit in Germany cheered him on. They even sent him a large banner with their signatures. Mercer said he was fighting for his country and especially for his unit.

Mercer won the gold medal at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul. He knocked out all four of his opponents. He was the oldest member of the U.S. Olympic Boxing Team at 27. After winning, he signed a contract to become a professional boxer. He left the Army in January 1989 to start his professional career.

Professional Boxing Career

Mercer became a professional boxer in January 1989. He won his first fight by TKO in the third round. He quickly gained a reputation for his powerful knockouts.

In August 1990, he won the NABF title by beating Bert Cooper. In January 1991, he challenged Francesco Damiani for the WBO heavyweight title. Mercer won by knockout in the ninth round. At that time, the WBO title was not as recognized as other major boxing belts.

Later that year, he defeated Tommy Morrison in five rounds. Mercer then gave up his WBO belt to fight the older boxing legend Larry Holmes. This was not a good decision for Mercer. Holmes outsmarted him and won the fight. This loss also cost Mercer a chance to fight heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield.

Mercer had some tough fights, including a draw with Marion Wilson. He also had exciting fights against top boxers. He lost a close fight to Evander Holyfield in May 1995. He then lost a controversial decision to Lennox Lewis in June 1996. However, he won a debated decision against former champion Tim Witherspoon in December 1996.

After a neck injury, Mercer was out of action for 14 months. He returned in 1998 but then got Hepatitis B, which kept him out for another 20 months.

Comeback and Final Fights

In February 2001, at age 39, Mercer made a comeback. He won four fights before facing WBO title holder Wladimir Klitschko. Mercer, known for his strong chin, was knocked down for the first time in his career. He lost in the sixth round.

Mercer returned to boxing in 2005 at age 44. He fought Shannon Briggs in a tough match but lost in the seventh round. After this, Mercer took a break from boxing to try kickboxing and MMA.

He returned to boxing in 2007, winning a first-round knockout. After a loss in 2008, he had his final boxing match at age 47. He won a decision against Dutch boxer Richel Hersisia. Mercer retired from boxing in 2008 with a record of 36 wins, 7 losses, and 1 draw. He had 26 knockouts.

Kickboxing Adventures

Mercer decided to try kickboxing in Japan. On June 6, 2004, he fought Musashi in a K-1 event. Mercer fought well for his age. He landed powerful punches and even knocked Musashi down in the second round. However, he struggled to defend against kicks and lost the fight by decision.

On March 19, 2005, he had another K-1 fight against Remy Bonjasky. Bonjasky landed a strong head kick early in the first round. Mercer was shaken and gave up, losing the fight in just 22 seconds. After this, Mercer decided to focus on boxing again and did not take more kickboxing fights.

Mixed Martial Arts Career

Mercer had thought about trying mixed martial arts (MMA) as early as 2003. However, a planned fight in Japan was canceled.

After some boxing matches fell through, Mercer decided to try MMA. On June 23, 2007, he fought Kimbo Slice in an exhibition match. Slice won the fight with a submission move called a "guillotine choke." Mercer later said he expected Slice to box with him and was not ready for the choke.

Even though he planned to quit MMA, Mercer made a big comeback on June 13, 2009. He fought former UFC Heavyweight Champion Tim Sylvia. Mercer won the fight by knockout in just 9 seconds with a powerful right punch. He was the first person to ever knock out Sylvia.

In 2010, Mercer signed with another MMA organization, but no more fights happened 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