Eric Scott Esch is an American retired professional boxer, kickboxer, mixed martial artist, and professional wrestler. He made his professional boxing debut on October 15, 1994, beating Tim Daniels by decision in Birmingham, Alabama. In 2003 he ventured into the sport of kickboxing and was recruited by K-1. He has also appeared in a number of reality TV shows, including ‘The Biggest Loser’ and ‘Dancing with the Stars’
About Eric Esch in brief
Eric Scott Esch is an American retired professional boxer, kickboxer, mixed martial artist, and professional wrestler who competed in the heavyweight division. He is also a television personality, having appeared in several programs and been referenced by many others. Esch began his fighting career on the Toughman Contest scene in Texarkana, Arkansas in the early 1990s and went on to become a five-time World Toughman Heavyweight Champion with a record of 56–5 with 36 knockouts. He made his professional boxing debut on October 15, 1994, beating Tim Daniels by decision in Birmingham, Alabama. In 2003 he ventured into the sport of kickboxing and was recruited by K-1. He was floored twice with high kicks in the first round before being finished with a high kick in the second round. In his first mixed martial arts match, he faced Mike Bernardo in a non-tournament bout at the K1 Survival Grand Prix Grand Prix Final in Yokohama, Japan on September 21, 2003. His combined fight record is 97–24-5 with 65 knockouts and 9 submissions. He has also appeared in a number of reality TV shows, including ‘The Biggest Loser’ and ‘Dancing with the Stars’. He won the World Athletic Association heavyweight and IBA Super heavyweight championships, also losing to a 52-year-old Larry Holmes in his first fight lasting more than four rounds. His mother died when he was eight, and he was frequently bullied at school for being overweight.
He received the nickname ‘Butterbean’ after he was forced to go on a diet in order to meet the toughman 400 pound weight limit under the new age trainer Prozay Buell “the better Bueller”. His second pro fight was televised, it was on a Jed Hearns undercard. Then a couple more fights and I’m on TV again, and every fight since then was televised. I’ve probably had more televised fights than any world champion out there. He made five successful title defences before relinquishing his championship in 2000. After his five-year winning streak was brought to an end with a majority decision defeat by heavyweight Billy Zumbrun in August 2001, he fought his first ten rounder against former world heavyweight champion Larry Holmes at the Norfolk Scope in Norfolk, Virginia on July 27, 2002. While Holmes won a unanimous decision, Esch was credited with a controversial knockdown in the final round, which was later shown in filmed replays as not being a knockdown, no punch having landed, and it was a slip; and Holmes only reeled against the ropes. This was one of only three fights in his career that was scheduled for more than 109 rounds. Butterbean went on the road, around the United States, winning 51 consecutive matches, including against Peter McNeeley. In 2003, he debuted with a first-round knockout of Yusuke Fujimoto at K1 Beast II in Saitama, Tokyo, Japan.
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