Mike Weaver

This article is about the boxer. For the hockey player, see Mike Weaver (hockey); for the politician, see Mike Weaver (politician).

Michael Dwayne Weaver (born July 7, 1952, in Gatesville, Texas) is a former boxer who is better known in the boxing world simply as Mike Weaver.

Marines

Weaver was a member of the United States Marine Corps from 1968 to 71, and went to Vietnam, and during this time got into amateur boxing and training. He notably fought Duane Bobick, a future amateur star out of the Navy. In a fight where both men were down, Weaver was outpointed.

Early pro career

By 1972 Weaver was living and training in California, and took up professional boxing. In his early career, Weaver was considered a journeyman opponent. He was frequently brought in on short notice and overmatched against more experienced and developed contenders, and used as a sparring partner for Muhammad Ali and Ken Norton, who famously nicknamed him "Hercules". However after a few losses early on to tough fringe contenders like Howard Smith and Larry Frazier, Weaver showed signs of improvement. He fought both Bobick brothers, losing a debatable 10 round decicison to Rodney, and being stopped on a cut in the 7th to old amateur rival Duane. In 1976 Weaver beat well regarded veteran Jody Ballard, and in 1978 lost two close decisions to Stan Ward for the California State Heavyweight title, and the rotund Leroy Jones for the NABF Heavyweight title.

Contender

In late 1978 Weaver got a new team and manager and reeled off five straight knockouts,, two of which came over top ranked opponents. In October 1978 he came off the floor to knock out hard hitting Columbian Bernardo Mercado in 5, and in January 1979 knocked out old foe Stan Ward in 9 to win the USBA Heavyweight title. These wins got him a high profile World title fight with reigning and undefeated WBC champion Larry Holmes in New York's Madison Square Garden in June 1979. New cable channel HBO bought the rights to the fight as Weaver was so lowly-regarded the fight was seen as a mismatch and the networks didn't want anything to do with it (Weaver was 20-8 to Holmes' 30-0). In a Rocky-esque turn of events, the huge underdog rocked Holmes numerous times with his punching power, and busted his ear drum in what became a hellish struggle for the defending champion and a thrilling war for millions of viewers. However a desperate Holmes would rally, knocking Weaver down with an uppercut in the 11th, and stopping him on his feet in the 12th. Although Weaver had lost, his surprise showing had made him a high profile name. Later in the year he was back, retaining his USBA belt with a 12 round decision over popular white contender Scott LeDoux. In March 1980 he was selected as a "safe" opponent to challenge John Tate for his newly won WBA title, in his backyard of Knoxville, Tennessee. Tate was an amateur star from the 1976 Olympic team, as a pro he had put together a 20-0 record, and won the vacant WBA title impressively by outpointing hard hitting white South African Gerrie Coetzee, in front of 86, 000 hostile fans in Pretoria, South Africa. Returning to the US Tate was a star, and for his first defense boxed impressively, recovering from heavy shots and dominating Weaver for the vast majority of 14 rounds. A mile behind on points and with 40 seconds left in the 15th and final round, Weaver produced another "Rocky" performance, freezing Tate on the ropes with a right to the body, and following up with a devastating left hook square on the jaw that dropped the 240lb giant face first to the canvas for the full count. Weaver's come-from-behind World title win has since become part of boxing lore. In October 1980 Weaver made his first defense, traveling to Sun City, South Africa to fight Gerrie Coetzee. Weaver was criticised for fighting as a black man in South Africa in the midst of Apartheid, to which he wryly stated that he was "a boxer, not a politician" and that "there is racism in the United States anyway". In an entertaining brawl, Weaver once again displayed his punch power as he knocked Coetzee out for the full count in the 13th round. Coetzee had never previously been down, amateur or pro. In 1981 a big money fight with popular hard hitting white contender Gerry Cooney was blocked by the WBA who demanded Weaver first fight #1 contender James "Quick" Tillis. After a slow start, Weaver outpointed the flashy Tillis over 15 rounds in Chicago, October 1981, to retain his title after a year's inactivity. After another year's inactivity where a defense against Randall "Tex" Cobb failed to transpire, Weaver took on highly regarded Michael Dokes in Las Vegas, December 10, 1982. The fight took place four weeks after the fatal Mancini-Kim bout, and referee Joey Curtis was told by the Nevada State Athletic Commission to beware of a fighter's health during the match, in light of the aforementioned incident. Dokes came out fast and dropped Weaver inside the opening minute. As Weaver covered up on the ropes and Dokes missed a few swings, referee Joey Curtis stopped the fight, awarding the Don King fighter the World title 1:03 into the first round in compliance with the stringent standards on a fighter's health. Because of the reaction by Curtis, clearly caused by the previous month's tragedy, a rematch without Curtis refereeing was ordered. In May 1983 most ringsiders and boxing press judged Dokes to be very lucky to escape with his WBA title, awarded a draw after 15 rounds with Weaver. In September of that year, Weaver met Stan Ward once again, and he beat Ward by a knockout in 9 rounds. In June 1985 Weaver took on Pinklon Thomas, who held the WBC title and was generally recognized as the best in the world at that point. In a lively war, Weaver rocked Thomas but ultimately was the victim of a dramatic one-punch knockout in the 8th round. This would be Weaver's last title challenge.

Later years

In 1986 Weaver, now aged 35, looked to be finished. However in a fight with red hot prospect Carl Williams (whose only loss was a controversial 15 round points loss to Holmes) he surprisingly decked Williams three times in the 2nd round, winning via 2nd round knockout. The success was short lived as equally hard hitting James "Bonecrusher" Smith decked Weaver in the first round of his next fight, scoring a 1st round KO. Later in 1986 Weaver was outpointed by Donovan "Razor" Ruddock. In 1987 Weaver went back to South Africa and beat hot prospect Johnny DuPlooy in 7 rounds, making him quit on his stool. In 1988 Weaver returned for a rematch but was bombed out in 2 rounds. In 1989 Weaver outpointed ex-amateur star Phil Brown, but in 1990 was decked and outpointed over 12 rounds by 'Bonecrusher' and in 1991, aged 40, was knocked out in 6 by a young and fast rising Lennox Lewis (although he did bust Lewis up and give him stitches). In 1993 he did score a surprise 12 round points win over the lethal hitting Smokin' Bert Cooper out in China, winning a meaningless NBA belt, before slowly drifting away from boxing in 1998. He boxed one last fight in 2000, turning up without having trained for a $30,000 payday to fight old foe Holmes. Weaver was stopped in 6 rounds. These days Weaver makes a living for the US Postal service, doing maintenance on various equipment. Weavers boxing record is 41 wins, 18 losses and 1 draw, 28 wins coming by knockout.