There's an unsanctioned fight Saturday night in Alabama between over-the-hill boxer Ray Mercer and former UFC heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia, the kind of ridiculous fight that gives combat sports a bad name. But the fight just got even more ridiculous, because just two days beforehand, the promoters have changed it from a boxing match to an MMA fight.
The fight was scheduled to be a boxing match in Alabama because Alabama doesn't have an athletic commission, and no state that does have an athletic commission would sanction it. But promoter Monte Cox tells Sherdog that he just found out that he can get in trouble for trying to circumvent state commissions:
"I got a call from the Pennsylvania commissioner saying that the boxing match is illegal because we weren't getting regulated by a U.S. commission," said Cox on Thursday.So now the fight will go on, but under MMA rules instead of boxing rules. That makes me fear for Mercer's safety, because Mercer's only MMA experience is a loss to Kimbo Slice.
About the only person who comes out of this looking good is ref Big John McCarthy, who told Sherdog, "As soon as it became apparent that that would not happen, I pulled out." I wish Sylvia, Mercer and Cox would do the wise thing and pull out, too.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
6-12-2009 @ 9:46PM
scrambledeggs said...
Boxing or MMA rules really don't affect this fight much.
Does anyone really think this fight is going to the ground?
And people are really getting carried away bashing this fight. I'm no Sylvia fan by any means, but I mean there are so many guys at smaller MMA shows around the country who have absolutely no business getting into a ring or cage to fight and I rarely see athletic commissions step in and put a stop to these events.
Both Sylvia and Mercer have a lot of experience in combat sports as opposed to the endless number of out of shape slobs who I've seen get to fight at a variety of MMA events (professional & amateur) that aren't talked about but happen all the time and no one cares about the safety of these poor pathetic souls, but people get in an uproar about Sylvia vs. Mercer simply because Mercer is 47 or 48 years old. So what the guy can clearly fight and defend himself. This guy is a professionally trained fighter.
If people want to do some research about truly ridiculous fights dig a little deeper into MMA around the country and I'm sure you'll find something to get truly appalled about. This isn't one of them.
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6-12-2009 @ 11:16AM
chilly16 said...
Its fitting that this takes place in Alabama.Que the dueling banjos... The promo reminds me of some some shit warehouse retail company thats having a going out of business sale! What a joke.
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6-14-2009 @ 2:40AM
mnsonfrkofworld said...
There's only one legitimate place I've found to watch it, the rest seem like scams :-/ You can see it over here though: http://vostuu.com/watch28015.html
They make you do a little survey but after that it's good to go :)
6-12-2009 @ 11:18PM
Jean said...
I don't know any thing about Sylivia, but I do know alot about Mercer and the guy that is pimping him!!!!!!!
1. Ray will not train to fight any one.
2. He didnt even train to fight Lennox Lewis
3. Ray is fatter then ever
4. Ray is never ever going to be able to box again
Now as for Monte Cox and his Pimp, they sould be banned for even trying to pull this off.
Ray Mercer should STOP!!! fighting before he gets killed in the ring or cage. Ray should relize people like Cox and Howard are useing him to put butts in the seats. What a shame that Mercer @ his age has to still fight to pay the bills.
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6-14-2009 @ 1:24PM
wil6b said...
Good call there Jean......whoops!!!
7-05-2009 @ 9:16AM
big5lack said...
lmao@"Good call there Jean...whoops!!!" ... it's funny how Ray Mercer was hated on and doubted... yet and still, he knocks out Tim Sylvia with a quick hook... See, you people need to stop under estimating others... Jean, how does it feel to be completely wrong? Huh?... You listed all the so called "facts" ... and it turns out.... you didn't know what the hell you were talking about... How about you worry about yourself... "Jean".. you critic...
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