Boxing legend Butterbean ventured into mixed martial arts, competing in the cage 28 times.
He concluded his MMA career in October 2011 with a record of 17-10-1, following a head-kick knockout loss to a taekwondo instructor who later pursued politics.
Butterbean`s most significant MMA victory took place in February 2007 at Cage Rage 20 in London, England, where he faced James Thompson.
It took Eric Esch, widely known as Butterbean, just 43 seconds to knock out `The Colossus`. Thompson, standing 6ft 5in, had notable wins against figures such as referee Marc Goddard, UFC veteran Dan Severn, WWE superstar Bobby Lashley, and five-time World`s Strongest Man Mariusz Pudzianowski during his career.
Untrained Victory Confession
Almost two decades after securing this memorable MMA win, Butterbean has revealed a surprising detail about his preparation.
The 58-year-old confessed that he did not engage in any meaningful training before traveling across the Atlantic to secure the knockout victory over Thompson.
“James Thompson was a genuinely tough opponent,” Butterbean stated in a recent interview. “It posed a very difficult challenge for me.”
He added, “The strange part is, at that stage of my life, I was beginning to doubt myself and wasn`t training as I should have been.”
“I never even set foot in the gym before my fight with James Thompson.”
“If I had actually trained for that fight, it would have concluded even quicker than the first round.”
Planning a Return to Fighting
Following his retirement, Butterbean faced health challenges, including several years where he required a wheelchair after his weight increased significantly.
He has since lost a substantial amount of weight and aims to return to fighting to demonstrate resilience and prove recovery is possible.
“I want to have one more fight to prove to people that no matter how low you get, if you believe in yourself as I do, you can accomplish anything,” Butterbean explained regarding his intentions for a comeback.
“I definitely want to do it this year.”
While Jake Paul is a top contender on Butterbean`s desired opponent list, he has also expressed interest in a bout with Brock Lesnar.
The identity of Esch`s opponent for his first fight since 2013 remains to be seen.
