Lou Savarese

Lou Savarese is a former American professional boxer from Greenwood Lake, New York. He began his professional boxing career on April 30, 1989, knocking out James Smith in four rounds at Galveston, Texas. Over the course of his professional career, Savarese had a total of 53 fights with 46 wins, seven losses, and no draws or no-contests. Out of his 46 wins, 38 were knockout wins.

Savarese's fighting style was orthodox, and he fought in the heavyweight weight class. He had an impressive reach of 80 inches (203 cm) and a height of 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m), making him an intimidating opponent in the ring.

Some of Savarese's notable victories include wins over Tim Witherspoon, Buster Mathis Jr., James Douglas, Matt Hicks, Marcus Rhode, and Tom Glesby. During his career, Savarese had seven losses, all of which occurred in non-title bouts. His first loss was against George Foreman via 12 round split-decision on April 26, 1997. The loss ended his 36-fight win streak, but Savarese did not let it break his spirit.

Despite never winning a total title, Savarese won the IBA World Heavyweight title against former Undisputed World Heavyweight Champion Buster Douglas on June 25, 1998. On September 22, 2002, he won the vacant WBO Inter-Continental Heavyweight title by way of a fifth-round TKO against Witherspoon.

Savarese's last professional fight was a non-title bout against former American boxer Evander Holyfield on June 30, 2007. Savarese lost the fight via a 10th round unanimous decision, marking the end of his boxing career. It's been over 14 years since this fight, but Savarese's name still resonates with boxing enthusiasts.

Lou Savarese was born on July 14, 1965, in the Bronx, New York. His professional boxing career spanned over 18 years — from 1989 to 2007, and during this period, he made an impact in the sport.

Savarese won his first eight fights by knockout, and his first win by the first-round knockout came in his second fight against Terrence Roberts on May 25, 1989, at Atlantic City.

Savarese's reputation grew in the early 1990s as he won his next seven fights by knockout. He stemmed his name a household one by creating a Lou Savarese fan club in the mid-1990s. By 1996, the fan club was being advertised on major boxing magazines such as Ring and KO, with free membership to any interested person.

Savarese took on his first relatively known opponent Buster Mathis Jr., in 1996, for the NABF's vacant regional Heavyweight title, which he won by knocking Mathis out in round seven at Indio, California.

After an initial loss, his 36th opponent, former two-time world Heavyweight champion George Foreman, gave him his first major test in boxing, and he lost by a controversial split decision. The loss was not the end for Savarese, as he continued to perform strongly in fights. He won against Jeff Lally by KO and, on June 25, 1998, he won the IBA "World" Heavyweight title, beating Buster Douglas by knockout in the first round.

After his win against Douglas, Savarese fought only twice in 1999, winning a split decision over then-prospect Lance "Mount" Whitaker and losing by ten-round decision against future Lennox Lewis world championship challenger Michael Grant on June 19 at Madison Square Garden in New York. In 2000, Savarese's first fight abroad, he lost to ten-round knockout against Mike Tyson in Glasgow, Scotland.

Savarese remained active and beat Witherspoon by fifth-round knockout in California in 2002. Later, he also fought John Ruiz world title challenger Kirk Johnson for a regional Heavyweight title in 2003, losing by KO in round four due to Johnson's body punches.

Savarese retired from professional boxing in 2007, with a record of 46 wins, seven losses, and no draws or no-contests. He fought with great heart in the ring and left a lasting impression on boxing fans worldwide.

After his retirement from boxing, Savarese has been engaging in other pursuits. He competed in a mixed martial arts bout on June 20, 2013, and won the fight by first-round TKO. He has also been featured in episodes of TV series such as 'The Jury,' 'Guiding Light,' 'The Sopranos,' 'Damages,' and 'Rescue Me,' as well as in the films 'We Own the Night,' 'Nicky's Game,' 'A Matter of Honor,' and 'Knock, Knock.'

Lou Savarese may be retired from boxing, but he has left an enduring legacy as one of the top heavyweight boxers of his time. He may never have won a total title, but the dedication, hard work, and determination he put into his career have earned him a place in boxing history.

Lou Savarese Fight Record