Jeremy Bates (born January 12, 1974) is an American
professional boxer
Professional boxing, or prizefighting, is regulated, sanctioned boxing. Professional boxing bouts are fought for a purse that is divided between the boxers as determined by contract. Most professional fights are supervised by a regulatory auth ...
. Nicknamed "The Beast", Bates was a moderately successful fighter who fought several other journeyman fighters of his era. Bates has become something of a "comeback" opponent for veteran fighters such as Holyfield, Golota, and Meehan.
Professional boxing career
Early career
Bates turned professional in 1999 and fought mainly journeyman fighters, losing to prospect
Andre Purlette in 2001. Bates later lost to Sedreck Fields,
Kirk Johnson,
Leo Nolan,
Brian Minto, and
Ray Austin before his first retirement.
The Evander Holyfield fight
Bates was persuaded to postpone his retirement when he was given an opportunity to fight four-time heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield. On August 18, 2006, in a 10-round bout at the American Airlines Center in
Dallas, Texas
Dallas () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of Texas metropolitan areas, most populous metropolitan area in Texas and the Metropolitan statistical area, fourth-most ...
, 44-year-old Holyfield dominated the fight which was stopped in the second round after he landed around 20 consecutive punches on Bates. The events prior to, and the fight itself, are documented in Evander Holyfield's book 'Becoming Holyfield'.
Retirement from boxing
Bates retired with a record of 21 wins, 13 losses and 1 draw, with 18 wins by knockout. Post boxing, Bates began a successful career as a full-time insurance sales professional. Bates is currently employed at the United States Enrichment Corporation. (USEC) is a Uranium gaseous diffusion plant in Portsmouth OH.
Coming out of retirement
Bates would come out of retirement to face
Guillermo Jones,
Andrew Golota, Odlanier Solis, Kevin Rainey, and most recently Kali Meehan. All of those fights, with the exception of Bates' bout with Kevin Rainey, would be losses. Currently, Bates' record stands at 23 wins, 17 losses and 1 draw, with 19 wins by knockout.
Professional boxing record
Professional wrestling
Bates made his
professional wrestling
Professional wrestling, often shortened to either pro wrestling or wrestling,The term "wrestling" is most often widely used to specifically refer to modern scripted professional wrestling, though it is also used to refer to Real life, real- ...
debut on November 15, 2008, in
Ashland, Kentucky
Ashland is a List of cities in Kentucky, home rule-class city in Boyd County, Kentucky, United States. The most populous city in Boyd County, Ashland is located upon the southern bank of the Ohio River at the state border with Ohio and near West ...
, at Ohio Championship Wrestling's ''November Reign'', where he defeated Vinnie Viagra. He defeated "The Driller" Eddie Browning on December 13 at OCW's ''Season's Beatings''.
Bates got his third victory at OCW on January 10, 2009, at the ''New Year's Bash'' by defeating NWA All-Star Wrestling Heavyweight Champion "Pretty Boy" Stan Lee. Bates made his wrestling debut at an arena where he is undefeated in the boxing ranks, the
Veterans Memorial Fieldhouse
The Veterans Memorial Fieldhouse was an 8,500-seat (6,500 for basketball) multi-purpose arena in Huntington, West Virginia. It was built in 1950. Prior to the completion of the Huntington Civic Center (now known as Marshall Health Network Arena ...
in
Huntington, West Virginia
Huntington is a city in Cabell County, West Virginia, Cabell and Wayne County, West Virginia, Wayne counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia. The County seat, seat of Cabell County, the city is located at the confluence of the Ohio River, O ...
, at 304 Wrestling's ''Battlefront''. He defeated Vinnie Viagra in that outing.
Bates is now in training to fight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. His progress is being documented in a YouTube series called "Being the Beast".
References
External links
*
ESPN Article on Bates
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bates, Jeremy
1974 births
Living people
Boxers from Kentucky
Heavyweight boxers
American male boxers
20th-century American sportsmen