Michael Moorer

Michael Moorer
Data
Birth Name	Michael Lee Moorer
Fight name	Double M
Weight class	Heavyweight
nationality	US-american
birthday	November 12, 1967
place of birth	Brooklyn , New York City
style	Legal display
size	1.89 m
Combat Statistics
Struggles	57
Victories	52
Knockout victories	40
Defeats	4th
draw	1

Manny Pacquiao and Michael Moorer (right)

Michael Lee Moorer (born November 12, 1967 in Brooklyn , New York City ) is a retired American boxer.

Moorer learned to box when he was a child, when his grandfather, himself a boxing trainer, raised him to become a talented teenager. He later received the technical fine-tuning in the renowned Detroit “Kronk” gym from star coach Emanuel Steward .

Beginnings in light heavyweight

So it came about that he got into professional business at the young age of twenty. After a year as a professional and twelve fights, he defeated Ramzi Hassan in December 1988 with a technical knockout in the fifth round, with which he secured the WBO light heavyweight title. He was able to successfully defend this World Cup belt eight times. He was never number 1 in the light heavyweight division on independent rankings, but still had a good reputation as he won all fights by knockout.

Heavyweight

After he resigned the WBO title, he decided to move up to the heavyweight class. There he made his successful debut in April 1991 when he was able to beat Alex Stewart prematurely. The knockdown on the average club fighter Everett "Bigfoot" Martin, however, already gave an idea that he was lacking in taker qualities. After further development struggles he defeated Bert Cooper in May 1992 in a spectacular "shootout" (both were on the ground several times) in the fifth round by knocking out and got the WBO belt. But since he saw this as worthless, he also put down his second title (the new WBO was considered an insignificant world association at the time). For many experts, the Cooper fight is considered his last top performance. Since then he has boxed with mostly great caution and a sophisticated defense. One possible reason for changing his boxing style is the split from trainer Emanuel Steward. From then on he trained under the wing of Teddy Atlas .

After a few more development fights, he was allowed to challenge the then world champion Evander Holyfield for the titles of the IBF and WBA on April 22, 1994 . After Moorer went down on the second lap, he was able to dominate the action for long stretches. With a good physical condition and excellent technique, he managed to score Holyfield after twelve laps. He was thus the first left-handed (southpaw) to make it to the heavyweight throne. However, Holyfield was handicapped by a heart attack from the 2nd round onwards. After the fight, he was diagnosed with a heart defect which led to his temporary resignation (which was later corrected).

Moore's first title defense took place in Las Vegas on November 5th of the same year. His opponent was none other than "Big" George Foreman . The undefeated defending champion was seen as a favorite, as the 45-year-old Foreman seemed to be past his prime and was clearly outscored by Tommy Morrison in his last fight . But Foreman achieved the sensation when he knocked out Moorer in the tenth round, on points once 4: 5 and twice 2: 7 rounds behind, with a left-right combination. It was the first defeat in Moore's career.

His first fight after losing the title against Foreman, he played in May 1995 against Melvin Foster , whom he defeated on points. This victory catapulted him back to the top of the world rankings and enabled another world championship fight. On June 22, 1996, he got the chance to fight for the vacant IBF title against Axel Schulz in Dortmund . Thanks to variable technology, Moorer was able to win the battle (a judge had seen Schulz up front, which caused a lack of understanding) and thus became world champion of the IBF a second time. He defended his world title on November 9, 1996 with a technical knockout victory in the twelfth round against the South African Francois Botha . In his second title defense in March 1997, he scored his compatriot Vaughn Bean .

On November 8, 1997 was the rematch and the unification of the title against WBA title holder Evander Holyfield . It was supposed to be the next big payday for Moorer, but sporty it ended in disaster. Moorer had to go down a total of five times before the fight was stopped in the eighth round. After he lost his title again and received his second defeat, he decided to retire from boxing.

After three years of abstinence from the ring and some conflicts with the law, he returned to the ring in late 2000. After victories against club fighters Terrence Lewis and Robert Davis, he then suffered two defeats, against the powerful David Tua (difficult knockout in the first round) and the unbeaten Eliseo Castillo (point defeat). As a result, he did not get a World Cup chance. He played his last fight in December 2004 against Vasily Schirow , which he, on points behind, by technical knockout. defeated in the ninth round.

Exactly two years after this fight he started another comeback and won against Cliff Couser by knocking out in the first round. Moorer won another 4 fights until he finally resigned from professional boxing after a knockout victory over Sehelby Gross in 2008.

Web links

• Michael Moorer in the BoxRec database

predecessor	Office	successor
-	Light Heavyweight Boxing Champion ( WBO ) December 3, 1988–1991	Leeonzer Barber
Ray Mercer	Heavyweight Boxing Champion ( WBO ) May 15, 1992–2. February 1993	Tommy Morrison
Evander Holyfield	Heavyweight Boxing Champion ( WBA ) April 22, 1994–5. November 1994	George Foreman
George Foreman	Heavyweight Boxing Champion ( IBF ) June 22, 1996–8. November 1997	Evander Holyfield