Heavyweight Future May Be The Past?

By Steve Trellert

09.02 - With the open house sign nailed into the front lawn, and the owner patiently waiting for the new occupant to arrive at the front door, everything initially seemed fine. But now something seems amiss. The owner's once broad smile has become more of a nervous grin and a sense of uncertainty seems to prevail about the prospects of a new renter. Sure some in the past had visited intending to stay, but they have turned out to be unreliable. Golota panicked and fled. Grant tripped on the stairs. Tua was struck by some Byrd droppings at the picnic table and sent home to clean up. Rahman made his way inside the door but rudely forgot to wipe his feet at the mat and was sent away. Wladimir Klitschko had his picture taken with the house but has not entered proper, while the last prospective tenant was caught vandalizing the property and was picked up by security. With an impatient rolling of the eyes while taking the latest front door roll call, the owner suddenly became startled by a hard knocking at the frequently forgotten back door. Opening the door he found standing there, to his shock, grinning from ear to ear, the almost forgotten former heavyweight champion of the world, Michael Moorer.

The last we saw of Michael Moorer on the big stage was his dramatic loss to Evander Holyfield in November 1997. After a close first four rounds, Holyfield exacted his revenge for an earlier defeat by knocking down Moorer five times on route to a victory at the end of the Eighth round. For Holyfield it was the peak of his athletic ability before decline. For Moorer it was a disaster for more than his career. It was the beginning of a personal downward spiral into depths for many, no recovery is found.

Moorer let himself go in totality. His passion for Boxing evaporated. His weight ballooned. He began to have serious substance abuse problems and run ins with the law. Things were looking bleak and for many boxing fans, seeing Moorer boxing again was the last of their concerns. Priority was Moorer the Human Being. But as he had in the ring so many times before, Moorer found that inner strength to pull himself together and get back on track. He cleaned himself up substance wise and began training again. The weight came off and he rekindled the spark within. Back into the ring he came.

After an initial warm up fight he found himself in the squared circle against the tricky journeyman Terrance Lewis. A rusty Moorer was wobbled in the first but came back to dispose of Lewis convincingly in the second. Moorer looked even better in the next fight against a similar Dale Crowe. His punches were once again crisp and straight down the pipe as if he was getting ready to do a "Drano" commercial. The fight was unfortunately stopped in the fifth round due to an accidental headbut, but one thing was certain, Moorer looked like the Moorer of old. After a fourth successful return fight, Moorer now faces this Saturday another opponent that will take him back to the gateway of the elite of the division. Robert Davis

Robert Davis is an agile, quick-footed Heavyweight very reminiscent of the once popular Shannon Briggs. He is very athletic and throws quick fluid punches. He also has a dangerous left hook. But similarly he also has Briggs' problem of having poor ring intelligence. When Davis fought "Goofi" Whitaker, he was caught in 'Rhino Time' as the same overhand right repeatedly caught him and cost him the fight. An inability to adapt in the ring is his major weakness that Moorer will most certainly exploit.

If Moorer wins this fight as he should, his journeyman stage will most certainly end for three reasons. One is that he has improved to such an extent that ring rust is no longer an issue. The second is that he has beaten many of the usual suspects, or gatekeepers, in the division and is primed for a leap forward. Thirdly, Moorer is no spring chicken at 34 years and likely only has around three years left in him and must make a move for the top. He has been there before and has the championship experience that many of the new prospects lack. Could it be that the heavyweight future resides in the past? Instead of the front door, we may find ourselves opening the back door and taking down the open house sign to welcome in the Double M.