A rambling of sorts.........Ray Mercer....What are your thoughts?!?!

[DanielTurcotte3]

First off I wanna start with something that's been kinda on me for a lil while now, and I dont really see ppl talking about him very much but I wanted to hear some of your thoughts on Ray Mercer.....

A very tough, and always game fighter who would take on all fighters and always seemed to give the great fighter problems during there bouts...He fought Holyfield to a very disputed UD loss in 1995, where for the first time in his 26 pro fights he tasted the canvas.....(8th round, and a huge left uppercut while Mercer was on his way in shook him and Holyfield pounced forcing Ray to take a knee). Many observers had the fight a lot closer then 2 of judges, 96-93 and 97-92 i believe....Many thought the Mercer was able to confuse Holyfield and won many rounds early on in the fight......Next fight was a title eliminator with Lennox Lewis, in which he fought his ass of and was able to really make Lewis look bad the entire night....He used great footwork in these 2 fights despite the big frame and was able to keep both fighters off balance while shooting straight right hands and outjabbing both men........this was a Lewis MD victory, again highly disputed...@ very very close fights in which Mercer really made a name for himself....He was a tough guy, and a very skilled fighter who fought all comers....His losses all came i feel at least against oppostition that were as skilled and superior to his own....Losses the the 2 mention previously, Jesse Ferguson, a very skilled fighter who's record might not reflect this, note that Mercer avenged his 2nd defeat months later with a SD victory, Ferg's style would have always given Mercer trouble......His first loss was too Larry Holmes....throw in Wlad Klitsckho, Shannon Briggs, and his latest loss Derric Rossy......A fighter who has been Koed by the likes of Fast Eddie Chambers, and Alexander Dimitrenko....Who is going to be a beast in the years to come IMO....

What are some of your thought on the Merciless one?!?! I mean I think that everybody's memory of this guy is going to be 95 and 96 with Holyfield and Lewis respectively, but what kind of fighter do you think he was and did he ever live up to what you thought he really could of during his tenure in his prime....

I always thought Ray would win a World Title, I thought that he had the tools and more importantly the CHIN to do so in the HW division....Ive mentioned earlier his footwork in his 2 biggest fights, and he always possessed great footwork for such a heavy guy...He was always on his toes for the most part and was boxing his way to winning rounds, i think that he got in the most troubkle when he would buckle down and get away from boxing.....When he would start fighting....Whats your thoughts?!?!?!

[Silencers]

He had talent but he came up short in his big fights.

I thought he lost the Holyfield and Lewis fights but he gave them both trouble as you said, especially Lewis, he capitalized on the small ring size to work his way inside on Lewis and not give him any punching room, it was a close fight, the Holyfield fight I thought he lost close but clear.

He was a heavy favorite against Holmes because Holmes was considered old and washed up but he defied the odds to the shock of many and Holmes said he fought with a detached retina in one eye so he couldn't see Mercer clearly which makes his feat even better.

One thing you forgot to mention was that Mercer was an Olympic gold medalist and he possessed a very good jab and had a great chin.

And Jesse Ferguson wasn't that good of a fighter, he was a journeyman who got destroyed by Bowe but as you said, styles make fights, Mercer had long layoffs as well which certainly didn't help him.

[DanielTurcotte3]

He had talent but he came up short in his big fights.

I thought he lost the Holyfield and Lewis fights but he gave them both trouble as you said, especially Lewis, he capitalized on the small ring size to work his way inside on Lewis and not give him any punching room, it was a close fight, the Holyfield fight I thought he lost close but clear.

He was a heavy favorite against Holmes because Holmes was considered old and washed up but he defied the odds to the shock of many and Holmes said he fought with a detached retina in one eye so he couldn't see Mercer clearly which makes his feat even better.

One thing you forgot to mention was that Mercer was an Olympic gold medalist and he possessed a very good jab and had a great chin.

good call with the Olympics.....I totally forgot and disregarded that.....and his jab was always solid, and it always allowed him the oppurtunity to follow it up with his sustained attack....his chin...well thats was one big reason why i thought he could win a World Title in the mid to late 90's......He always had that chin with him, he ould take a punch, and that allowed him to always be there in the fight...His skills are undeniable and i mean lets face it without the chin were not talking about this guys at all on this forum bc he get KOed by a lot of fighters because he always seemed to take big shots during fights....But thats my point, is that with his skills, the solid footwork he had, His Jab, and that goddamn rock of a chin, I thought he would be more then what he turned out to be.....

Was this just wishful thinking or did you guys think a little of the same?!?!?1

[T-97]

He had talent but he came up short in his big fights.

I thought he lost the Holyfield and Lewis fights but he gave them both trouble as you said, especially Lewis, he capitalized on the small ring size to work his way inside on Lewis and not give him any punching room, it was a close fight, the Holyfield fight I thought he lost close but clear.

He was a heavy favorite against Holmes because Holmes was considered old and washed up but he defied the odds to the shock of many and Holmes said he fought with a detached retina in one eye so he couldn't see Mercer clearly which makes his feat even better.

One thing you forgot to mention was that Mercer was an Olympic gold medalist and he possessed a very good jab and had a great chin.

And Jesse Ferguson wasn't that good of a fighter, he was a journeyman who got destroyed by Bowe but as you said, styles make fights, Mercer had long layoffs as well which certainly didn't help him.

Yea, correct me if i'm wrong, but i think he would step in and pump his jab out. He used it to hurt, not just to set things up.

[Silencers]

good call with the Olympics.....I totally forgot and disregarded that.....and his jab was always solid, and it always allowed him the oppurtunity to follow it up with his sustained attack....his chin...well thats was one big reason why i thought he could win a World Title in the mid to late 90's......He always had that chin with him, he ould take a punch, and that allowed him to always be there in the fight...His skills are undeniable and i mean lets face it without the chin were not talking about this guys at all on this forum bc he get KOed by a lot of fighters because he always seemed to take big shots during fights....But thats my point, is that with his skills, the solid footwork he had, His Jab, and that goddamn rock of a chin, I thought he would be more then what he turned out to be.....

Was this just wishful thinking or did you guys think a little of the same?!?!?1

I think he should have won a title but he just came up short when it mattered most which he shouldn't be ashamed about because he lost eliminators to Lewis and Holyfield and gave them very tough fights in the process, in today's division he would no doubt be a titlist and one of the best heavyweights.

Yea, correct me if i'm wrong, but i think he would step in and pump his jab out. He used it to hurt, not just to set things up.

You're correct, he used to step in behind his jab, he could use it to hurt as well as set up his other shots.

[IMDAZED]

Mercer was an excellent heavyweight in his prime - a great jab and a fierce beard. I forgive him for the Ferguson "fight." I thought he lost both to Lewis and Holyfield but the fact that he extended them in that manner speaks volumes. On another note, that version of Lennox who fought Ray KO's Wlad in one round.

Don't know if it was a lack of dedication (and losing his big fights) or what but Mercer never got the acclaim he deserved. He was also a damn good heavyweight at the wrong time. If he was around now (and in his prime), he'd be undisputed.