If you were sitting around the coffee table in October of 1972 suggesting that Mike Weaver would win a Heavyweight championship belt, you might have been laughed at.
In September of 1972 Mike Weaver made his professional debut was knocked out in the third round by Howard Smith at the historic Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles, California. Just a month and a half later on Halloween night, Weaver had his chance at revenge as he once again took on Smith. Weaver was on the short end again, this time losing a decision. This was certainly not the way a future champion usually starts his career.
It didn’t get any better for the man dubbed “Hercules” by another Heavyweight champion, Kenny Norton. In the early seventies, Ken Norton was one of the top Heavyweights in the world and Weaver worked as his sparring partner during those early years.
Weaver, who was quite the physical specimen throughout his career, was given the nickname “Hercules” by Norton after he had a look at Mike’s muscular build. The name stuck for the rest of Weaver’s career and beyond.
Following his first two professional fights, Weaver took fights on short notice and was quite frequently thrown in as an opponent before he was ready. After his first twelve bouts, “Hercules” had a 6-6 record and had been knocked out four times. His twelfth bout was against an undefeated Duane Bobick, who knocked out Weaver in seven rounds in a contest that took place in 1974.
After the loss to Duane Bobick, the sleeping “Hercules” awoke and went on an eight fight win streak. He had an impressive victory over contender Jody Ballard by ten round decision in 1976 and a decision win over then undefeated, Bill Sharkey in 1977. The young Weaver was coming into his own and people started to take note.
In January of 1978, Weaver received his first opportunity at a Championship belt. The California State Championship belt was on the line in Sacramento, California and Stan Ward was the opponent in what would be the first of three bouts between the two men.
Unfortunately for Weaver, he lost a unanimous decision to Ward. As was the trend for throughout Weaver’s entire career, he was inconsistent. The up and down career of Mike Weaver was down again, but not for long.
In his next fight, following the loss to Ward, Weaver received yet another shot at a belt against the undefeated and dangerous Leroy Jones for the NABF Heavyweight crown that had been vacated by George Foreman. Weaver came up short again, losing a unanimous decision to Jones, but his skills were improving with each fight.
Following the Jones fight, it was “up” time again “Hercules”. Weaver put together five straight knockout victories with the biggest being an upset victory over highly regarded contender, Bernardo Mercado. The hard hitting Mercardo had Weaver down in the fourth round, but Weaver recovered quickly and knocked out Mercado in the very next round. During the five bout win streak, Weaver got his revenge against his old foe, Stan Ward. Weaver knocked out Ward in the ninth round of their return bout and by doing so, he was awarded the USBA Heavyweight championship belt.
Weaver’s win streak caught the eye of the Heavyweight Champion of World, Larry Holmes who was searching for an opponent for his third title defense of the crown he won in the classic bout against Kenny Norton in 1978. Truth be told, the “Easton Assassin” was probably looking for an easy night for his upcoming defense that was scheduled to be broadcast on HBO.
Mike “Hercules” Weaver would indeed get his shot and Larry Holmes would get the surprise of his career to date.
On June 22nd, 1979 Larry Holmes was set to defend his WBC title against Weaver. Coming into the bout, the champ was 30-0 and Weaver came in with a very modest 19-8 mark. The Holmes camp still considered Weaver an unknown and had plans to showcase Holmes that night against what they felt was an overmatched challenger.
After that night in the legendary Madison Square Garden, Mike Weaver would never be called an unknown again.
Weaver gave Holmes all he wanted and then some. The chiseled challenger knocked down the champion in the fourth round and had the great Larry Holmes stunned throughout the bout. Larry Holmes wasn’t the champ for nothing and would prove his championship heart. Holmes outlasted the valiant challenge of Weaver and in the eleventh round Holmes landed a vicious uppercut that put Weaver down hard. Weaver made it out of the round, but Holmes finished off Weaver in the very next round. Weaver finished the fight on his feet but referee, Harold Valon stopped the contest at 0:44 of the twelfth round.
Larry Holmes retained his title and now Mike Weaver was a legitimate contender for the Heavyweight Championship of the World.
“Hercules” put together two more victories in 1979 over Harry Terrell and Scott LeDoux that would lead to him getting a second shot at the greatest prize on Earth.
Undefeated WBA Heavyweight champion, “Big” John Tate was set to defend the crown he won just five months earlier in South Africa when he defeated Gerrie Coetzee by fifteen round decision.
John Tate was being touted as the next great Heavyweight and was expected to win easily as he went to defend his crown against Weaver.
For fourteen rounds and two minutes, Tate was winning easily and it appeared that this would be another title challenge that would fall short for Weaver. Unfortunately for “Big” John, “Hercules” let loose with one of the most devastating left hooks in Heavyweight Championship history. The Weaver hook landed brutally at 2:15 of the fifteenth and final round. Tate was counted out and Mike Weaver shocked the world and was now the WBA Heavyweight Champion of the World.
Weaver went from a 6-6 start in his career to Heavyweight champ. What an accomplishment for the former member of the United States Marine Corps and Vietnam veteran. Weaver was a member of the Marine Corps from 1968-1971 and went to Vietnam. It was actually during this time that Weaver started Boxing.
While in the service, Weaver had a little scuffle by the juke box in a bar. As his antagonist lay on the floor, the officers came to question Weaver. The officer asked Mike if he was a fighter and at the time, Weaver was not and answered accordingly.
“Well, you just knocked out the Boxing Champion of the Marine Corps” said the officer. Shortly after the incident, Weaver got involved with Boxing.
Following his title victory over Tate, Weaver traveled to South Africa to defend against Gerrie Coetzee and once again he won by devastating knockout. Coetzee fell victim to the “Hercules” power and was knocked out in the thirteenth round.
“I have never been hit so hard in my life”, said Coetzee after the bout.
In October of 1981, Weaver stepped into the ring against James “Quick” Tillis to defend his title for a second time. Weaver was able to come away with a fifteen round decision victory over the very talented Tillis.
Mike Weaver was on top of the world. He was WBA Heavyweight Champion of the World with two title defenses and he was exciting to watch.
Next up for the champ was rising superstar, Michael “Dynamite” Dokes in what would turn out to be the most controversial contests of Weaver’s career. The fight against the undefeated Dokes took place on December 10th, 1982 and “Dynamite” Dokes would get an early Christmas gift from referee, Joey Curtis.
In the first 30 seconds of round one, Dokes put Weaver down. Weaver got up and seemed ok to continue. Surprisingly, in a move that would make even Richard Steele cringe, referee, Joey Curtis waved the bout off at 1:03 of round one.
Some say the tragic death of Duek Koo Kim following his fight with Ray Mancini just one moth earlier may have helped with Curtis having an itchy trigger finger. Others contend the fix was in and a certain short guy with a bow tie might have had money down on the fight not getting out of round one.
We will never know what really happened, but as it stands that was one of the worst stoppages in the history of the Heavyweight championship, especially knowing Weaver’s history as a slow starter.
Mike Weaver was now a former champion. The Weaver team protested the fight and an immediate rematch was made just five months later in May of 1983. In a surprise bit of irony, Richard Steele was appointed as referee for the rematch against Dokes but thankfully played no part in the outcome. Weaver and Dokes slugged it out for fifteen hard rounds and when the cards were read, Dokes retained his title with a draw. Harold Lederman and Larry Hazzard scored the bout even, (143-143 and 144-144) and Judge Jerry Roth had it for Dokes, 145-141.
Most observers felt Weaver won the fight, as did I.
Mike Weaver would never hold a Heavyweight Championship again.
Following the disappointment of the Dokes rematch, Weaver continued his roller coaster ride of a career and put together three straight victories, one being a victory over longtime nemesis, Stan Ward. Weaver again knocked out Ward in the ninth round of their rubber match, just as he did in their second contest.
Weaver again would fight for the title in 1985, this time taking on the reigning WBC Heavyweight Champion, Pinklon Thomas. Thomas won his version of the title a year earlier when he won a twelve round decision over “Terrible” Tim Witherspoon.
“Pinky” was 25-0-1 coming into his defense and at his peak. From the outset, Weaver was sluggish and couldn’t seem to get into the fight. Weaver was knocked down a couple times early and lost his bid for a second Championship when Thomas landed a straight right hand that put Mike down and out at 1:42 of the eighth round.
That fight seemed to be the end of the days of Mike Weaver being a top Heavyweight in the division. He would never challenge for a Heavyweight belt again.
He did however, go on to thrill fans with more surprise endings and stunning knockout victories.
After the Thomas bout, Weaver was tagged as a trial horse and given a bout with budding superstar, Carl “The Truth” Williams. Carl Williams was a hot commodity in the division at the time. He was coming off a very controversial decision loss to Heavyweight great, Larry Holmes. Many people felt the aging Holmes was given a gift that night against “The Truth”
So why not showcase the young and talented Williams against a former Champion on national television? The fight was televised on ABC’s Wide World of Sports on February 16th, 1986.
It looked like business as usual for Williams as he landed a right hand that sent Weaver back to the ropes. When Williams moved in for the kill, Weaver uncorked a similar devastating hook to the one that put John Tate to sleep six years earlier and “The Truth” crumbled to the canvas. He made the count but was out on his feet. Weaver followed with a barrage of shots and put Williams out for good at 2:37 of the second round.
Just as soon as it seemed Weaver was done as a contender, he was back in the picture again for another shot at the title. Unfortunately, his inconsistency would come back to haunt him and he lost his next two fights to James “Bonecrusher” Smith and Donovan “Razor” Ruddock.
Weaver was labeled an opponent from here on in but he did have one more surprise for us.
On August 24th, 1987 in a bout that was aired on the famed USA Network Tuesday Night Fights series, Mike Weaver the trial horse squared off yet again against another up and coming superstar in the undefeated James Pritchard. Weaver stunned Prichard and everyone watching as he overpowered the young upstart and knocked him out in six rounds. Weaver followed up the victory with a big knockout victory over Johnny DuPlooy but lost a rematch to DuPlooy just six months later.
Following the rematch loss to DuPlooy, Weaver continued fighting until the 2000, but never again regained his championship form.
Mike did get one last chance at upsetting a young gun on July 12th, 1991 when he stepped into the ring against a future Heavyweight superstar, Lennox Lewis.
Lewis came in 15-0 and dominated the former champion and knocked out Weaver in six rounds.
Weaver fought eight more times after the Lewis fight with the last being a return bout against Larry Holmes 21 years after their first fight in 1979. Weaver was 48 years old when he fought the rematch with Holmes.
The bout against Holmes was part of the “Legends of Boxing Series” that I quite honestly I could have gone the rest of my life without seeing.
Larry Holmes knocked out the former champ in the sixth round, thus ending the exciting career of Mike “Hercules” Weaver.
Mike Weaver will not go down as one of the greatest Heavyweight Champions of all time, but he will be remembered as a man who worked hard and earned everything he received from Boxing. He was and still is a man of very high character and class.
From a personal standpoint, Mike Weaver thrilled me as much or more than any fighter I have ever watched. When he stepped into that ring, you just knew something exciting was soon to follow.
Heavyweight Champion of the World, Mike Weaver!! In 1972, who would have guessed?
Thank you for the memories, “Hercules”
Mike Weaver finished his career with a record of 41-18-1 (29KO)
Weaver currently resides in Moreno Valley, California. He is retired from the United States Postal Service and enjoys time with his daughters, three grandchildren and one great grandchild.
You can find Mike daily at the Crossroads Gym in Ontario, California. He volunteers his time and trains young kids and as he says, “it keeps me young”.
Weaver is currently training one pro fighter. Lightweight, John Delperdang is 3-0 with 3 knockouts. We will keep an eye on young Delperdang.
Keep Punching.
Mike Weaver recently appeared on Ringnews24, listen here:
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