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While although the worlds of boxing and WWE seem rather distant to each other at times, they are also closer than you might think and with a number of pugilists stepping into the squared circle, many a knockout punch has been placed on the chins of Vince McMahon’s superstars.
Whether it from the position of active participant, special enforcer or high-profile guest referee, the boxing fraternity has played a rather substantial role in the circus known as the WWE and here are eight men who have swapped the boxing glove for the wrestling ring.
Once labelled as the baddest man on the planet, Mike Tyson’s first foray into the world of the WWE or WWF as it was known back then, was during the build up to Wrestlemania 14, as he joined the legendary stable D-Generation X.
After being announced as the special enforcer for that year’s Wrestlemania main event, Tyson was installed to help champion Shawn Michaels keep his belt. However, a double cross from Iron Mike meant that Stone Cold Steve Austin would leave the city of Chicago as the WWF’S new king.
One of two men on our list to have beaten Mike Tyson, is Evander Holyfield and with the former heavyweight champion being a big fan of pro-wrestling himself, he got to live out a lifelong dream back in 2007.
Acting as a replacement for MVP, Holyfield would go up against Matt Hardy in a boxing clash on Saturday Night’s Main Event and with one of the Hardy Boys getting a knockout for his troubles, Holyfield showed that no matter the ring, he will be ready to hand out the crushing blows.
After getting the better of Ricky Hatton, Floyd Mayweather needed another challenge in his combative life and when it comes to big challenges, they do not get any bigger than squaring up against the Big Show.
Billed as ‘The Money’ vs ‘The Giant’, Mayweather was certainly against the odds and although the betting odds were not in his favour, it is amazing how a pair of brass knuckles can even them. Then again, they did more than that, as their use floored the Big Show and earned a rather sneaky win.
Perhaps better known for his stint in the A-Team, Mr.T played a huge part in the first ever main event of Wrestlemania and after teaming up with the legendary Hulk Hogan, the pair would get the better of Rowdy Roddy Piper and Bob Orndorff.
While the feud between Piper and Mr. T would simmer over into Wrestlemania 2 and with a boxing match on the cards, it would be the man who also played the villain in Rocky 3, that would eventually win after a disqualification to ‘Hot Rod’.
Arguably the greatest boxer of all-time, it would not be a list of boxers who have said hello to the WWE(F) without mentioning Muhammed Ali and with his participation at Wrestlemania 1, he begun the link between pro-wrestling and boxing.
Then again, it could be argued that Ali’s link with pro-wrestling goes further back than that and although his 1976 fight with Antonio Inoki was something of an anti-climax, it was also a precursor for MMA as we know it today.
It would not be unfair to say that Eric ‘Butterbean’ Esch’s career has had something of a freak show element to it and with the super-heavyweight being known for his punching power, this was on display during Wrestlemania 15.
Bought into fight Bart Gunn, after his victory in the infamous ‘Brawl For All’ tournament, the former tag-team champion was sent packing in the first round of their shoot boxing clash and the defeat, all but did for the real named Michael Polchlopek and his WWF career as a whole.
The second man to get the better of Mike Tyson was Buster Douglas and after stunning the world in Japan, that victory also scuppered the use of the now disposed heavyweight champion in the main event of Wrestlemania 5.
With Tyson earmarked as the special referee for the title clash between Hulk Hogan and Macho Man Randy Savage, the role was pivoted to Douglas himself and all he had to do was count to three, as Hogan finally won back the WWF Championship after losing it nearly 14 months prior.
The most recent of our boxing list to enter the confines of the WWE is none other than Tyson Fury and although he recently made headlines after beating Deontay Wilder once again, his efforts in Saudi Arabia are still ones that live in the memory.
That’s because the Gypsy King was entered into a feud with none other than Braun Strowman and with the current WBC heavyweight champion winning by count-out at the Crown Jewel event, he can call on a perfect record when it comes to entering the squared circle.
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