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The Toughman Contest, founded in 1979 in Bay City,
Michigan Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and t ...
by late
boxing Boxing (also known as "Western boxing" or "pugilism") is a combat sport in which two people, usually wearing protective gloves and other protective equipment such as hand wraps and mouthguards, throw punches at each other for a predetermined ...
promoter Art Dore (1936-2022), is a chance for the novice
amateur An amateur () is generally considered a person who pursues an avocation independent from their source of income. Amateurs and their pursuits are also described as popular, informal, self-taught, user-generated, DIY, and hobbyist. History ...
boxers (those with no more than five sanctioned wins in the past five years) to test themselves in the ring.


Format

Toughman Contest formats vary from state to state and are configured to each particular state’s rules and regulations. The most common format prescribes the use of standard amateur boxing rules, 16 ounces for each glove, protective headgear, and bouts made of 3 rounds of boxing. Each round is 2 minute with a 60-second rest period or interval for men and 1 minute rounds with 1 minute or 45-second intervals for women. The Original Toughman Contest plays across the US in between 75 and 100 cities each year and culminates with the World Championship. Toughman Contest tournaments feature the local residents of a particular city (generally, participants must live within 100–150 mile radius of where the event is to be held). Contestants must be at least 18 years of age, pass a standard boxing physical, and meet any other requirements of the state's boxing commission's regulations, and also sign a waiver freeing the parent company from liability. Some states, like Florida and Missouri, do not sanction the Toughman Contest and other amateur boxing contests unless it is under the rules and regulations of the USAAB.


History

The Toughman Contest was started in 1979 by Art Dore and Dean Oswald in
Bay City, Michigan Bay City is a city and county seat of Bay County in the U.S. state of Michigan, located near the base of the Saginaw Bay on Lake Huron. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 34,932, and it is the principal city of the Bay City Met ...
. Dore and Oswald wanted to prove how tough they were and opened it up to their friends determine who was the toughest. The Toughman Contest spread quickly. In its heyday, Toughman Contests were held at Las Vegas Casinos and broadcast live on multiple networks. Fox and the FX aired weekly Toughman Contest shows from 2000 to 2004 featuring
Matt Vasgersian Matt Vasgersian ( '; born 1967) is an American sportscaster and television host. Vasgersian is a play-by-play announcer for the Los Angeles Angels, as well as a studio host for MLB Network and FOX Sports. In the past, he has served as an an ...
and
Lawrence Taylor Lawrence Julius Taylor (born February 4, 1959), nicknamed "L.T.", is an American former professional football player who spent his entire career as an outside linebacker for the New York Giants ( 1981–1993) in the National Football League ( ...
as commentators. At its peak, 135 Toughman shows were conducted around the US in 2001. After 2001 Toughman was revived in West Virginia by Jerry Thomas. Toughman Contest is the most widely attended boxing series in the United States in the last three decades. Dozens of Toughman contests continue be held as annual events in West Virginia, Ohio, and Oklahoma.


In culture

The 1983 film '' Tough Enough'', starring
Dennis Quaid Dennis William Quaid (born April 9, 1954) is an American actor known for a wide variety of dramatic and comedic roles. First gaining widespread attention in the late 1970s, some of his notable credits include '' Breaking Away'' (1979), '' The ...
, features a Toughman Contest. Dore served as a technical advisor and inspired the character played by
Warren Oates Warren Mercer Oates (July 5, 1928 – April 3, 1982) was an American actor best known for his performances in several films directed by Sam Peckinpah, including ''The Wild Bunch'' (1969) and ''Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia'' (1974). A ...
. In 1995, Toughman licensed a video game for the
Sega Genesis The Sega Genesis, known as the outside North America, is a 16-bit Fourth generation of video game consoles, fourth generation home video game console developed and sold by Sega. It was Sega's third console and the successor to the Master Syst ...
called Toughman Contest.


Deaths and controversy

In 2003, Toughman faced public scrutiny following the death of Stacy Young in a "Toughwoman" bout staged as part of a Toughman competition in Sarasota, Florida. Young was a last-minute entry and faced Sara Kobie in the ring. Kobie's hits on Young led to Young's death from brain injuries. Young's family sued the Toughman company. The following year, Florida enacted the Stacy Young Act into law, requiring such competitions be sanctioned by the Florida State Boxing Commission. A 2007 review of boxing deaths documented six fatalities in "Original Toughman" competitions since 1979, and another ten in "Toughman-style" bouts.


Notable competitors

* Eric Ostergren (1st annual winner 1979 - Bay City) * David Richardson *
Grady Brewer Grady Lamont Brewer (born December 22, 1970) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1999 to 2015. A former IBA and International Boxing Council (IBC) Light Middleweight titleholder, he is the 2006 winner of the ESPN reality s ...
* Eric "Butterbean" Esch *
Shad Gaspard Shad Javier Gaspard (January 13, 1981 – May 17, 2020) was an American professional wrestler and actor. He was best known for his time with WWE, where he performed under his real name, or mononymously as Shad. Gaspard signed with World Wrestli ...
* Chris Greeley * Forrest Griffin * Hardbody Harrison *
Lavar Johnson Lavar F. Johnson (born June 11, 1977) is an American bare-knuckle boxer and former Heavyweight mixed martial artist. A professional from 2004 until 2014, he competed for the UFC, the WEC, Strikeforce and Bellator MMA. Background Johnson is fr ...
* Mighty Mo *
Matt Mitrione Matthew Steven Mitrione (born July 15, 1978) is an American mixed martial artist and former American football player, who competed for both the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), and most recently for Bellator MMA. Prior to embarking on an M ...
* Tommy Morrison *
Sean O'Haire Sean Christopher Haire (February 25, 1971 – September 8, 2014) was an American professional wrestler, mixed martial artist and kickboxer, better known by his ring name Sean O'Haire. Haire was best known for his appearances with the profession ...
* Brett Rogers * Joe Schilling *
Matt Serra Matthew John Serra (born June 2, 1974) is an American former professional mixed martial artist and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner who competed for the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He is the co-star of Dana White: Lookin' for a Fight and co ...
* Mr. T *
Ken Shamrock Kenneth Wayne Shamrock (''né'' Kilpatrick; born February 11, 1964) is an American bare-knuckle boxing promoter and semi-retired professional wrestler, mixed martial artist, and kickboxer. He is best known for his time in Ultimate Fighting Cha ...
* Phil Barone * Chad Beverly Michael Henderson * Arnold Dean Mackey Toughman Heavyweight Champion Jackson, MI. April 11, 1981


See also

* Tough Guy Contest


References

{{Reflist Amateur boxing
Toughman The Toughman Contest, founded in 1979 in Bay City, Michigan by late boxing promoter Art Dore (1936-2022), is a chance for the novice amateur boxers (those with no more than five sanctioned wins in the past five years) to test themselves in the ...
1979 establishments in Michigan Boxing in Michigan