Rocky Lives!

by Finger, David E.

• ISBN13: 9781574889062
• ISBN10: 1574889060
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-09-30
• Publisher: Potomac Books Inc

Summary

Boxing fans love the upset, seeing the underdog surprise the heavy favorite and take the fight to him, winning over the fans and'”perhaps even more important'”the judges. Sylvester Stallone mined that emotion through his long series of Rocky films. Rocky is fiction, however. The men in Rocky Lives!are real. David E. Finger, a writer for top boxing website FightNews.com, presents chronologically seventy-five heavyweight boxing upsets of the 1990s. Some involve boxers still fighting today; others contain a cautionary tale of once-great boxers chasing one last payday. There are also the early-round disasters of wannabes and athletes who switched to boxing in midstream. From the Tyson-Douglas, Foreman-Moorer, and Lewis-McCall top-dollar fights to low-level curiosities like former New York Jet Mark Gastineau getting embarrassed or Eric 'œButterbean' Esch taking to the ring, David Finger presents the best heavyweight upsets the 1990s have to offer. You'll read about crooked promoters drugging opponents, a convicted felon hoping victory in the ring will win him leniency, and a forty-five-year-old preacher looking to exorcise a two-decade-old demon. Rocky Lives! brings all the knockouts and slugfests right into your home.

Table of Contents

List of Photographs	xi
Acknowledgments	xii
Introduction	xiii
CHAPTER ONE: 1990
James "Buster" Douglas KO10 Mike Tyson	1	(8)
Mark Wills KO6 Greg Page	9	(3)
Mike "The Bounty" Hunter Wu10 Pinklon Thomas	12	(4)
John Sargent TKO8 Yuri Vaulin	16	(9)
CHAPTER TWO: 1991
Oliver McCall TKO9 Bruce Seldon	25	(4)
Levi Billups Wu10 James "Bonecrusher" Smith	29	(4)
Nathaniel Fitch TKO1 Terry Davis	33	(4)
CHAPTER THREE: 1992
Larry Holmes Wu12 Ray Mercer	37	(5)
Jerry Arentzen TKO4 Paul Roma	42	(2)
Jerry Jones Wu10 Carl "The Truth" Williams	44	(4)
Lionel Butler WDQ4 David Dixon	48	(3)
Tim "Doc" Anderson Wu5 Mark Gastineau	51	(5)
Jimmy Lee Smith TKO7 Mark Carrier	56	(3)
Everett "Bigfoot" Martin Ws10 Tim Witherspoon	59	(5)
Lionel Butler KO1 Tony Tubbs	64	(3)
Ron Cranmer Wu6 Jerry Quarry	67	(4)
Lennox Lewis TKO2 Donovan "Razor" Ruddock	71	(6)
CHAPTER FOUR: 1993
Mike "The Bounty" Hunter Wu12 Tyrell Biggs	77	(4)
Lawrence "Poncho" Carter TKO7 Pinklon Thomas	81	(3)
Jesse Ferguson Wu10 "Merciless" Ray Mercer	84	(6)
Mike Weaver Wu10 Bert Cooper	90	(6)
Jeremy Williams TKO2 Danell Nicholson	96	(3)
Mike "The Duke" Dixon TKO2 Alex Garcia	99	(3)
Jimmy Ellis KO1 Tony Tubbs	102	(2)
Carl McGrew W6 John "Hogg Man" Sargent	104	(4)
William Morris Wu8 Tim Puller	108	(3)
Ladislao Mijangos TKO1 Jimmy Ellis	111	(2)
Michael Bentt TKO1 Tommy "The Duke" Morrison	113	(5)
Evander Holyfield Wm12 Riddick Bowe	118	(7)
Dan Dancuta Wu3 James "Bonecrusher" Smith	125	(6)
CHAPTER FIVE: 1994
William Morris Ws8 Ray Anis	131	(3)
Stanley Wright TKO8 Peter McNeeley	134	(4)
Ed Donaldson KO2 Quinn Navarre	138	(3)
Michael Moorer Wm12 Evander Holyfield	141	(7)
Nate Tubbs KO2 Corrie Sanders	148	(4)
Craig Payne TKO6 Samson Po'uha	152	(5)
Doug Davis Wu8 Craig Tomlinson	157	(3)
Oliver McCall TKO2 Lennox Lewis	160	(5)
John Carlo TKO1 Leon Spinks	165	(3)
George Foreman KO10 Michael Moorer	168	(9)
Josh Imadiyi TKO2 Tom "The Bomb" Glesby	177	(3)
Bobby Crabtree TKO1 King Ipitan	180	(5)
CHAPTER SIX: 1995
Robert Hawkins Wu4 Jerry Ballard	185	(2)
Franco Wanyama Ws10 James Thunder	187	(5)
Marion Wilson Ws10 Mike "The Bounty" Hunter	192	(3)
Brian "B-52" Yates KO2 Earnie Shavers	195	(4)
Mitch Rose TKO2 Butterbean	199	(6)
CHAPTER SEVEN: 1996
Maurice "Mo" Harris Wu8 David (Izon) Izonritei	205	(3)
Darroll Wilson KO3 Shannon Briggs	208	(6)
James Pritchard TKO4 Greg Suttington	214	(3)
Lou Monaco TKO5 "Hurricane" Peter McNeeley	217	(4)
Jesse Ferguson Wu10 Bobby Joe Harris	221	(4)
Craig Petersen TKO8 Alex Stewart	225	(5)
Peter Hrivnak TKO2 Jukka Jarvinen	230	(2)
Evander Holyfield TKO11 Mike Tyson	232	(8)
Brian Scott KO2 Courage Tshabalala	240	(3)
CHAPTER EIGHT: 1997
John Ruiz Ws12 James Thunder	243	(5)
Bert Cooper TKO1 Richie Melito	248	(3)
Levi Billups KO6 Terrence Lewis	251	(4)
Darroll Wilson KO4 Courage Tshabalala	255	(3)
Ike Ibeabuchi Wu12 David Tua	258	(6)
Lyle McDowell Ws12 Trevor Berbick	264	(3)
Robert Hawkins TKO10 Gary Bell	267	(5)
Paul "Rocky" Ray Phillips KO2 Michael Dokes	272	(5)
CHAPTER NINE: 1998
Michael Murray TKO3 Kevin McBride	277	(3)
Joe Bugner TKO1 James "Bonecrusher" Smith	280	(3)
Terry Verners TKO3 Alonzo Highsmith	283	(3)
Ross Puritty TKO11 Wladimir Klitschko	286	(4)
Jesse Ferguson Ws10 Obed Sullivan	290	(5)
CHAPTER TEN: 1999
Julius Francis TKO3 Pele Reid	295	(3)
Artis Pendergrass Ws10 Greg Page	298	(5)
Israel Cole W10 David Bostice	303	(3)
Dick Ryan TKO10 Brian Nielsen	306	(7)
Maurice Harris Wu10 Jeremy Williams	313	(4)
Jeff Pegues TKO5 Joe Hipp	317	(4)
Epilogue	321	(2)
Bibliography	323	(2)
Index	325	(12)
About the Author	337