Exclusive Interview by James Slater - I called up former Olympic gold medallist and former WBO heavyweight champion Ray Mercer earlier today, primarily to speak with "Merciless," 36-7-1(26) about his upcoming fight with unbeaten Swedish big man Andreas Gustafsson. However, as soon as we began speaking Ray told me that the scheduled fight was no more. Thrown off a bit, I was happy when Ray went ahead and talked with me all the same.

Fans took a great deal of notice when the 48-year-old met and quickly defeated MMA's Tim Sylvia earlier this year. Ray spoke about possible future MMA adventures, as well as possibilities for his continuing pugilistic career..

Here is what the iron-jawed former champ had to say.

James Slater: It's a pleasure to speak with you, Champ, as always. Firstly, is the fight with Andreas Gustafsson a definite for September 4th?

Ray Mercer: No, I'm not taking that fight now. I was supposed to leave yesterday.

J.S: Oh, does that mean you're retired, Ray?

R.M: No, I'm not retired. I was gonna take the fight, but I had a little accident, that's all.

J.S: Sweden, of course, is the site of your last boxing win - when you beat Richel Hersisia (last September). Are you popular over there?

R.M: Oh yeah, I love fighting over there, man. I love it in Sweden.

J.S: So have you anything else in the pipeline - either in boxing or in MMA? People are still talking about the way you iced Tim Sylvia in what was it, nine seconds?

R.M: (laughs) Yeah, I'm willing to take anything that's offered to me, you know. But those MMA guys, they don't seem to want to fight me. I don't get it. I thought they had heart, and yet they won't fight me and I'm nearly 50-years old, man!

J.S: Your 9-second win sure got a lot of hits on You-Tube, and the fight sparked a debate among fans of boxing and MMA. Boxing fans said, "I told you so. No way an MMA guy beats a boxer!"

R.M: Yeah, and I fought him [Sylvia] his way, with his rules.



J.S: Yes, but you never gave him a chance to get his thing going, you slammed him with that right hand to the head so quick!

R.M: That's right. I definitely don't think those guys should be messing around with boxers. We'll KO them because they don't have the heart we do. It kills me how none of those guys want to fight me now. They say they have heart in that sport, but I don't know. They don't wanna do it, with those four ounce gloves on. I thought they were tough. I was supposed to fight a guy after Tim Sylvia, but he turned it down. I'm really surprised none of those guys will take a fight with me, I really am.

J.S: Another interesting thing lately has been the announced comeback plans of a guy you fought in the past, Shannon Briggs. We hear he is in training, wants a fight this month or so and then wants a shot at one of the Klitschkos - who you've also been in with (Wladimir, anyway). Would a rematch with Briggs be of interest to you?

R.M: You know me, I'll fight anybody. It don't matter if I hate them or not, I'll fight anybody. But yeah, I'd love to kick his [Briggs] ass this time! But he had better get off them steroids it looks like he's been taking! You know, he was supposed to be going to this Sweden thing too. Not to fight, but to be a guest or something.

J.S: He hit you in the back of the head when you fought in August of 2005, didn't he?

R.M: Yeah, I'd like to fight him properly this time. You know, they say you have to protect yourself at all times and I never did that like I should have. I'll never turn my back on him again, that's for sure. He's so big, he's got no wind - that's what happens to guys who take steroids. When I fought him I went right to him and I was whupping him good until I missed with a right hand and fell over the ropes, and then he climbed on my back! I'd like to fight him again, of course. But I don't think he'll fight me again, I swear to God. As for Klitschko, he'll kill the guy! Briggs is so big he only throws three punches a round.

J.S: Well, we hope you can get a fight going, Champ - either in boxing or in MMA. It's been great speaking with you.

R.M: Okay, call me up anytime, my man.

maybe he had forgotten what happened in his MMA match with kimbo slice.

maybe he had forgotten what happened in his MMA match with kimbo slice.
Yeah, who's actually turned down a fight offer from him?

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1 high kick, first of the fight from Bojansky.


I don't think Mercer would stand up to a high kick because every single person he'd fight who has pedigree will kick him, or flying knee him right out.

He's a minimal threat to most accomplished HW's IMO also. He might be able to beat up a Lesnar who isn't known for his Karate.....but Lesnar isn't really an accomplished artist either.

He's a wrestler sideshow.

Maybe nobody cares to fight Mercer because it means nothing for the progression of thier career?

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Funny, Boxers really do have much better chins. Hundreds and hundreds of fighters have been KO'd by a kick to the head like that one yet Mercer wasn't even off his feet.


Oh and yeah, Mercer owned mmGAY when he KO'd that big bastard. It was sweet just to see how much it hurt the mmGAY community.

Maybe it's that he can't get cleared in the ACs and the states he fights in are incompetent in safety and judging.

Oh and yeah, Mercer owned mmGAY when he KO'd that big bastard. It was sweet just to see how much it hurt the mmGAY community.

LOL. Yeah right.

It didn't hurt the MMA community at all. It's just shows that if your a fat oaf with crappy striking and you stand with a pro boxer your going to get knocked out. It's common sense. Everyone including his own trainers told him not to take the fight, it's more to do with Tim's stupidity and maybe Monte Cox's management but not the crediblity on MMA.

Nobody likes Timmeh and I for one was laughing when it happened, as were a lot of fans.

Funny, Boxers really do have much better chins. Hundreds and hundreds of fighters have been KO'd by a kick to the head like that one yet Mercer wasn't even off his feet.


Oh and yeah, Mercer owned mmGAY when he KO'd that big bastard. It was sweet just to see how much it hurt the mmGAY community.

yea, and as if the average mma fighter is even half as good at kick boxing as Remy is. Add the fact that Ray is 50 years old as well.

Funny, Boxers really do have much better chins. Hundreds and hundreds of fighters have been KO'd by a kick to the head like that one yet Mercer wasn't even off his feet.


Oh and yeah, Mercer owned mmGAY when he KO'd that big bastard. It was sweet just to see how much it hurt the mmGAY community.

What the hell are you on about?

LOL none of that made any sense whatsoever.

Stop drinking.

yea, and as if the average mma fighter is even half as good at kick boxing as Remy is.

LOL LOL you seriously think it takes a Remy Bojansky to stop that old ****?

You guys need to lay off the booze, and learn to like MMA.

The drunken hate just blinds you.

LOL LOL you seriously think it takes a Remy Bojansky to stop that old ****?

You guys need to lay off the booze, and learn to like MMA.

The drunken hate just blinds you.

MMA is for fricken meatheads and beer drinkers, people who enjoy wathcing 2 fools swing away at eachother. It caters to the meathead generation (aka, energy drinks, supplements, beer)

MMA is for fricken meatheads and beer drinkers, people who enjoy wathcing 2 fools swing away at eachother. It caters to the meathead generation (aka, energy drinks, supplements, beer)

How is that a feasible response to the topic at hand?

But to each his own. I mean seriously though that's pure hatred.

MMA is for fricken meatheads and beer drinkers, people who enjoy wathcing 2 fools swing away at eachother. It caters to the meathead generation (aka, energy drinks, supplements, beer)

Boxers swing at each other. They just doing with more skill and technicality.

There are plenty of wannabe gangbangers, tough guys, ******s, meatheads and beer drinkers who watch boxing and other sports.

If you want to associate beer and energy drinks you can associate that with almost any professional sport like Hockey, Baseball, and Football.

I guess everyone who doesn't watch boxing is an automatic meathead.

Seriously man. I tried to have an intelligent discussion with you on MMA and get you to stop bashing it. But you seem content on bashing it for literally no reason.

If boxing had gone under and MMA and K-1 were all that was left, I could understand you being upset and disgruntled, but boxing is not going anywhere. In fact it hasn't changed at all since MMA came along.

So with the presence of this new combat sport and Boxing still doing what it's been doing for the past 100+ years- What the **** are you mad about?

Oh and last time I checked. I've seen Rockstar Energy Drink Sponsored on some canvas' for Boxing Events AND on some boxers' fight shorts.

The transition between sports is very, very, very, difficult.

Because MMA demands you keep you hands at your sides in order to prevent someone from sprawling..........if you have a high gaurd:

Expect to be on your back, and who knows from there.

Hence the sloppy defense.

But either way It's not worth discussing with total idiots.

Boxers swing at each other. They just doing with more skill and technicality.

There are plenty of wannabe gangbangers, tough guys, ******s, meatheads and beer drinkers who watch boxing and other sports.

If you want to associate beer and energy drinks you can associate that with almost any professional sport like Hockey, Baseball, and Football.

I guess everyone who doesn't watch boxing is an automatic meathead.

Seriously man. I tried to have an intelligent discussion with you on MMA and get you to stop bashing it. But you seem content on bashing it for literally no reason.

If boxing had gone under and MMA and K-1 were all that was left, I could understand you being upset and disgruntled, but boxing is not going anywhere. In fact it hasn't changed at all since MMA came along.

So with the presence of this new combat sport and Boxing still doing what it's been doing for the past 100+ years- What the **** are you mad about?

Oh and last time I checked. I've seen Rockstar Energy Drink Sponsored on some canvas' for Boxing Events AND on some boxers' fight shorts.

Stop typing, you were right before entering this monstrosity of a thread.

Save your fingers.

What the hell are you on about?

LOL none of that made any sense whatsoever.

Stop drinking.

Says the drunk lad who admits the reason he likes mmGAY is because he is one of those drunks. You are starting to like it too much, you may soon best leave to a Sherdog or other mmGAY site.

My point is Boxers have better chins.

Boxers swing at each other. They just doing with more skill and technicality.

There are plenty of wannabe gangbangers, tough guys, ******s, meatheads and beer drinkers who watch boxing and other sports.

If you want to associate beer and energy drinks you can associate that with almost any professional sport like Hockey, Baseball, and Football.

I guess everyone who doesn't watch boxing is an automatic meathead.

Seriously man. I tried to have an intelligent discussion with you on MMA and get you to stop bashing it. But you seem content on bashing it for literally no reason.

If boxing had gone under and MMA and K-1 were all that was left, I could understand you being upset and disgruntled, but boxing is not going anywhere. In fact it hasn't changed at all since MMA came along.

So with the presence of this new combat sport and Boxing still doing what it's been doing for the past 100+ years- What the **** are you mad about?

Oh and last time I checked. I've seen Rockstar Energy Drink Sponsored on some canvas' for Boxing Events AND on some boxers' fight shorts.

Although not as stupid as some MMA fans, you seem to think an MMA fighter will instantly shoot for a takedown to avoid blows to the face, when 90% of them like to stand for a round or 2. On top of that, being an "MMA" fighter yourself, you should know it requires setup and timing. This is why I bash MMA. Aside from the "Brock Lesnar is the most lethal fighting machine on the face of the earth" type threads.

Boxing takes so much skill it's only the rare few that stick around after sparring for their first time, many kids get their ass beat and it requires heart. If not, they usually head to some MMA dojo.

I'm not saying YOU do this, I'm saying the majority of tapout/MMA fans do. Believe it or not I used to like pride back in the day, i looked at it as entertainment. That is untill the meatheads got ahold of it and started saying they were the best fighters in the world. The best fighters in the world don't make 10 grand for a fight.

Although not as stupid as some MMA fans, you seem to think an MMA fighter will instantly shoot for a takedown to avoid blows to the face, when 90% of them like to stand for a round or 2. On top of that, being an "MMA" fighter yourself, you should know it requires setup and timing. This is why I bash MMA. Aside from the "Brock Lesnar is the most lethal fighting machine on the face of the earth" type threads.

If an MMA fighter is in the ring with a superior striker chances are they are not going to want to test the waters standing unless they are stupid and or delusional, which when in a fight with a pro boxer, their first priority is to get it to the ground.

I'm well aware it requires set-ups and timing. But setting it up with strikes is not the only way to achieve a takedown, for instance, using your opponents aggressiveness against them for an easy single or double. Brock Lesnar is not the best fighter on earth so anyone who says that is a troll, or an idiot.



Boxing takes so much skill it's only the rare few that stick around after sparring for their first time, many kids get their ass beat and it requires heart. If not, they usually head to some MMA dojo.

Being a professional and efficient Mixed Martial Artist takes just as much dedication and skill as being a boxer. The fact of the matter is as a mixed martial artist, we don't have the luxury of being able to be as technically proficient in striking as a boxer because that's not the only area that requires our attention.



I'm not saying YOU do this, I'm saying the majority of tapout/MMA fans do. Believe it or not I used to like pride back in the day, i looked at it as entertainment. That is untill the meatheads got ahold of it and started saying they were the best fighters in the world. The best fighters in the world don't make 10 grand for a fight.

Calling some guy a meathead for speaking the truth?

This is the end argument for all MMA-Haters and Hardcore Boxing fans- Money.

Everytime an argument is not in your favor in this type of debate, it's money.

Money does not determine the level of your skills or how great of a fighter you are. The fact that these guys who are on top of their game in MMA don't make a fraction of what a boxer makes and still go into the gym, bust their ass in an effort to get better, doesn't that signify heart and determination even though in another combat sport guys are getting paid more than you and in some cases with high profile fighters- to do significantly less?

Boxers are not "fighters" they are "boxers" they are incomplete combatants. Someone like Georges St. Pierre, or BJ Penn or Anderson Silva or Fedor. Those are complete fighters.