Do you think Ray Mercer is an underachiever?

First, great post.

But Mercer did get his props after the Holyfield fight. Then he didn't fight for a year. He got his props again after losing an oh-so-close fight to Lewis. Then he waited seven months before taking on Witherspoon. This time he won an oh-so-close fight. And he didn't fight again for over a year.

I can understand and forgive Mercer for being discouraged and having a lapse in dedication after the Holmes fight.

I have less sympathy for him blowing an almost guaranteed shot at Riddick Bowe by not being prepared against Jesse Ferguson, who definitely wasn't setting the world on fire at that point in his career. Especially after Mercer and his manager trash talked Bowe and claimed to want to get him into the ring.

I have far less sympathy for his inactivity in 1995, 96, and 97. He'd taken on three of the best heavyweights in the world, looked good against them, regained respect, and didn't follow up on that momentum. That's where he underachieved, was managed poorly, or who knows...

 

I am also curious about that particular stage of his life. It doesn't make sense to get out of shape and inactive when there's a title shot on the line.

Some guys fight to the level of their opponents. Ali and Holyfield were guilty of this too. Mercer turned it on and fired on all cylinders against some opponents, then kind of just went through the motions against others. Just compare the mercer who walked through a storm of blows against Cooper and Morrison (where I'm sure his head had to have been ringing from so many deadly power punches), then look at less spirited efforts vs damiani, Holmes, and Ferguson. It's like night and day.

 

Damiani was better than Morrison and Cooper at that stage, at least. That was a solid win.

Mercer also faded out in the late 90s due to hepatitis. It would've been nice to have seen him in the mix with Ibeabuchi, Grant, Tua, Byrd and those guys.

 

I wasn't suggesting the Damiani win was "bad", just that he looked a little lethargic and unenthusiastic for much of the bout before turning things around.

I agree bouts with the late 90's sluggers would have been exciting.