Tim Sylvia vs Ray Mercer moved to Alabama to escape sanctioning

by Jesse Holland on Mar 29, 2009 9:55 AM EDT

When in doubt, move the bout.

After the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board (NJSACB) refused to sanction a main event fight between former UFC heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia and former Olympic gold medalist and world heavyweight boxing champion Ray Mercer, promoter Monte Cox has taken his Adrenaline III card and shipped it to the BJCC Arena in Birmingham, Alabama, where no regulatory body exists to oversee the fight, according to Sherdog.com.

Originally scheduled for May 30 at the Taj Mahal Casino in Atlantic City, N.J., the hybrid boxing-mixed martial arts event will go down on June 13.

"The Maine-iac" has agreed to box Mercer — barely one month after "Merciless" turns 48 years of age — not long after calling out Ken Shamroid last December. Sylvia has been on the shelf since getting steamrolled by Fedor Emelianenko at Affliction "Banned" last July and was not expected to fight an MMA match until a planned third event this summer.

From Sylvia:

I didn’t have an MMA fight until July in the Affliction 3 (show), and we really wanted to fight before then. This opportunity came about – and I’ve always wanted to try boxing at a pro level – so we decided to take it and see what happens. I’m jumping in the deep end. I never have (done things half way). Look at the heavyweight (MMA) division; I’ve fought about seven of the Top 10. So I might as well jump right in there and fight a guy that’s ranked in the Top 20 in the world."

Mercer’s last bout was a majority decision win (boxing) over Richel Hersisiar last September in Nojesfabriken, Karlstad, Sweden, but is probably best known in the MMA world for getting choked out in an exhibition bout with Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson in July 2007.

Cox must really want to see Sylvia fight Mercer. The question is, do fans?

What say you?

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Comments

No. And also bj just came out of the closet!!!

by ACanadianPotHead on Mar 29, 2009 10:00 AM EDT reply actions

BJ is a rump ranger??? I KNEW IT!!!! lol

by TJ on Mar 29, 2009 10:17 AM EDT up reply actions

Tim’s next move will be Dancing With The Stars.

by Nokimono on Mar 29, 2009 12:46 PM EDT up reply actions

FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENT***
UFC 101: Brandon Vera vs. Matt Hammil

by john on Mar 29, 2009 7:16 PM EDT up reply actions

Leave it to a canadian pot head to determine if someone is in or out of the closet…

I want to see the Fitch fight televised. I think they need to have some special PPV for 100 and show all the fights.

by Arnold on Mar 29, 2009 9:19 PM EDT up reply actions

they should have a roll call of the old famous mma fighters at ufc 100 and even the crazy manager with the red tux jacket and no shirt. now that was the good old days lol

by fight guy on Apr 14, 2009 12:12 PM EDT up reply actions

mania, i appreciate the constant 24/7 update on MMA news..but you need to stop reposting this one…this one is just sickening! dude sylvia has the boxing ability of a one handed beaten down fighter…and by one handed i mean all he has is his sh*tty jab now! dude this is so gonna look bad if mercer knocks him out. his jaw is about as broken thin glass as andrei arlovski’s

by Santiago69us on Mar 29, 2009 10:01 AM EDT reply actions

NO one wants to see this stupid fight. Props to the state of New Jersey from not allowing this freakshow in their state…Alabama should be ashamed for allowing this crap!

What a joke! Poor Tim Sylvia, look what Fedor did to him! Tim went from being competitive against guys like Couture and Nog…then he fights Fedor, and his life is over! He went from consistently fighting top 10 fighters…to now fighting freakshows…athst what fighting Fedor will do to a man! Fedor dismantles him and Tim starts calling out Ken Shamrock and Ray Mercer…what a JOke!

by john on Mar 29, 2009 10:13 AM EDT up reply actions

This fight needs to happen to show all the idiot mma fighters who think they can just jump into other combat sports just because they are somewhat proficient at the art in MMA. Also i wanna see Sylvia get beat up by an old man.

by NameNotRequired on Mar 29, 2009 2:02 PM EDT up reply actions

man….lol i thought the shamrock thing was a joke…i just looked it up…you maniacs!! you really did it! damn yous….damn yous all to hell!!!

by Santiago69us on Mar 29, 2009 2:41 PM EDT up reply actions

Dude its Alabama; nuff said.

by dandeman on Mar 30, 2009 1:08 AM EDT up reply actions

This isn’t a repost FYI, they are stating that the fight has been moved to June 13th.

by Lucas on Mar 29, 2009 2:44 PM EDT up reply actions

Freak show. WHY is this getting any attention??

by TJ on Mar 29, 2009 10:16 AM EDT reply actions

What say me? I say please god no.

by UK_Chris on Mar 29, 2009 10:19 AM EDT reply actions

Bad move, bad decision.

The only way to move for sylvia within regards to his carreer is down. He will never be taken seriously, notice how i didnt say “never be taken seriously” without the word “again” following? cause i never took timothy seriously ever in any fight.

by MrL!on on Mar 29, 2009 10:28 AM EDT reply actions

Who is this, Ken Shamrock?

by El Mexicutioner, formerly The Mexicutioner on Mar 29, 2009 10:34 AM EDT up reply actions

These guys (Sylvia, Cox, and Mercer) must be hurting for cash and are under the absurd delusion that this is actually going to bring in some money. What a couple of disgraceful sellouts.

by El Mexicutioner, formerly The Mexicutioner on Mar 29, 2009 10:29 AM EDT reply actions

BoxRec has Ray Mercer as a top 109 Heavyweight in the world.

http://www.boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=1620&cat=boxer

by Mr Moustache on Mar 29, 2009 10:29 AM EDT reply actions

i just wanna see tim sylvia on round 2 of dating show so he cann prove even more what a jackass he is

by Jared on Mar 29, 2009 10:37 AM EDT reply actions

i just wanna see tim sylvia on round 2 of dating show so he cann prove even more what a jackass he is

by Jared on Mar 29, 2009 10:37 AM EDT reply actions

Tim Silvia said Ray is a top 20 fighter in the HW Div? He is not in the top 100!!! Silvia is boring and Mercer is old. It would pain me to watch this fight

by iagoof22 on Mar 29, 2009 11:06 AM EDT reply actions

I REFUSE to ever watch this fight…and Its safe to say that only friends and family of these 2 freakshow fighters will ever watch this fight….and NO ONE will fork money out of their pockets to see this crap!

Monte Cox is one of the biggest agents in American MMA and he should be a DAMN SHAMED of himself. I WILL NEVER watch this fight…I mean NEVER!!!!! Mania, you shouldnt even report the results! This crap doesnt deserve air time on this wonderful and legitimate website!!!!!!

Only way I will ever watch the footage of this fight is if I find out before hand that Mercer KNocks Timmeh SEELVIA The F OUT…Then and only then will I go watch the footage. AS a matter of fact…The fight footage should be BANNED from the entire INTERNET!!!

Am i being clear about how much of a joke this “match up” is? lol

by john on Mar 29, 2009 3:22 PM EDT up reply actions