Michael Moorer

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

Even as a child learned Moorer, boxing, as, heranzog him his grandfather, even boxing trainer to a talented youth. Later he received the technical fine-tuning in the renowned Detroit " Kronk " Gym Star coach Emanuel Steward.

Beginnings in the light heavyweight

So it was that he got the young age of twenty years into the professional business. After only one year as a pro and twelve battles he defeated in December 1988, Ramzi Hassan by technical knockout in the fifth round, which he the WBO title at light heavyweight secured. This championship belt he defended eight times successfully. He was never in independent rankings, the number one light heavyweight, but still had a good reputation, as he won all bouts by knockout.

Heavyweight

After he laid down the WBO title, he decided to climb into the heavyweight class. There he gave in April 1991 successfully made ​​his debut when he beat Alex Stewart prematurely. However, the rainfall against the average club fighter Everett " Bigfoot " Martin was already then guess that it lacked the rugged qualities. After further development battles he defeated in May 1992 Bert Cooper in a spectacular " Shootout" ( both were repeatedly on the ground) in the fifth round by knockout and won the WBO belt. But as he looked at it as worthless, he put his second title down (the new WBO was at that time as an insignificant World Association ). For many experts, the Cooper fight will be deemed his last top performance. Since then, he boxed with mostly great caution and a sophisticated defense readiness. One possible reason for the change in his boxing style is the separation of trainer Emanuel Steward. Henceforth, he trained under the tutelage of Teddy Atlas.

After a few more battles building he could challenge the then- linear world champion Evander Holyfield for the title of the IBF and WBA on 22 April 1994. After Moorer went in the second round to the ground, he was able to dominate the action over long distances. With a good condition and excellent technique, he managed auszupunkten Holyfield after twelve rounds. He was thus the first left-handed ( southpaw ), who made ​​it to the throne in the heavyweight division. However, Holyfield was handicapped by its own account from the second round due to a heart attack. After the fight, a heart defect was diagnosed in him led to his temporary resignation ( was fixed later ).

Moorers first title defense took place on November 5th of that year in Las Vegas. His opponent was none other than "Big" George Foreman. They saw the undefeated defending as favorites because of the 45 -year-old Foreman seemed to have his best time behind itself and was clearly ausgepunktet in his last fight Tommy Morrison. But Foreman succeeded sensation when he Moorer in the tenth round, on points once with 4:5 and twice with 2:7 rounds laid back, with a single right hand KO suggested. It was the first defeat in Moorers career.

His first fight after the title loss to Foreman, he played in May 1995 against Melvin Foster, whom he defeated on points. This victory catapulted him into the world rankings ahead again and allowed a new world title fight. On 22 June 1996 he received then the chance in Dortmund to box for the vacant IBF title against Axel Schulz. Moorer was the battle thanks to variable technique to decide for himself (a point Judge Schulz had seen the front, which made ​​for a lack of understanding ) and may therefore a second time world champion of the IBF. He defended his world title on November 9, 1996, by a technical knockout win in the twelfth round against the South African Francois Botha. In his second title defense in March 1997, he scored from his compatriot Vaughn Bean.

On 8 November 1997, the rematch and the title unification against WBA titleholder Evander Holyfield was in order. It should be the next big payday for Moorer, athletic but it ended disastrously. A total of five times had Moorer to the ground before the fight was stopped in the eighth round. After losing his title again and collected his second defeat, he decided to retire from boxing.

After three years of abstinence ring and some conflict with the law, he returned in late 2000 back into the ring. After victories against the Club Fighter Terrence Lewis and Robert Davis, he had then but two defeats, against the hard-hitting David Tua (heavy knockout in the first round) and the undefeated Eliseo Castillo ( point defeat ) accept. He no longer received a world title chance consequently. His last fight he initially denied in December 2004 against Vasily Shirov, he, on points laid back, by technical knockout defeated in the ninth round.

Exactly two years after this fight he launched a comeback again and won against Cliff Couser by KO in the first round. On 16 March 2007 he defeated the Club Fighter Sedreck Fields on points. Five months later, on 16 March 2007, he could (but consistently against weak opponents ) defeated Rich Boruff, who could have a record of 17-0-1, by TKO in the first round. His last fight until then denied Moorer on October 31, 2007, in which he ( Willis 93:96 97:93, 96:94 in favor of Moorer, ) suggested Roderick Willis by a split point decision.