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Mickey Rourke wins on return to boxing ring at age of 62 | |
(about 17 hours later) | |
The Hollywood actor Mickey Rourke returned to the boxing ring on Friday at the age of 62, defeating a fighter less than half his age in an exhibition bout. | The Hollywood actor Mickey Rourke returned to the boxing ring on Friday at the age of 62, defeating a fighter less than half his age in an exhibition bout. |
Rourke sent 29-year-old Pasadena native Elliot Seymour to the canvas twice in the second round before the referee stopped the fight. | Rourke sent 29-year-old Pasadena native Elliot Seymour to the canvas twice in the second round before the referee stopped the fight. |
The bout at a Moscow concert hall was Rourke’s first fight in 20 years. He took a break from acting in the early 1990s, finishing a three-year pro boxing career with six wins and two draws. He hinted that the return to the ring has helped him cope with unspecified personal issues. | The bout at a Moscow concert hall was Rourke’s first fight in 20 years. He took a break from acting in the early 1990s, finishing a three-year pro boxing career with six wins and two draws. He hinted that the return to the ring has helped him cope with unspecified personal issues. |
“I’ve got some things going on in my life so that [boxing has] sort of saved me from myself,” Rourke told Russian TV. “And for a man like me, it’s better to live in fear than go on in shame.” | “I’ve got some things going on in my life so that [boxing has] sort of saved me from myself,” Rourke told Russian TV. “And for a man like me, it’s better to live in fear than go on in shame.” |
He has said he plans to hold another four fights in Russia. | He has said he plans to hold another four fights in Russia. |
Rourke prepared in a dressing room in front of a shrine featuring candles, images of saints, and photographs of his dogs. Rourke said he had been in mourning for his recently-deceased Chihuahua. He took to the ring in a Stetson hat, a red-and-gold robe and shiny gold gloves, repeatedly crossing himself. | Rourke prepared in a dressing room in front of a shrine featuring candles, images of saints, and photographs of his dogs. Rourke said he had been in mourning for his recently-deceased Chihuahua. He took to the ring in a Stetson hat, a red-and-gold robe and shiny gold gloves, repeatedly crossing himself. |
Rourke, who had said he lost 35lbs to prepare for the fight, was much thinner than in his best-known cinematic fighting persona, when he bulked up to play the title character in The Wrestler (2008). His shorts bore his ring nickname from the 1990s, Marielito, with a Spanish-language message reading “always handsome”. | Rourke, who had said he lost 35lbs to prepare for the fight, was much thinner than in his best-known cinematic fighting persona, when he bulked up to play the title character in The Wrestler (2008). His shorts bore his ring nickname from the 1990s, Marielito, with a Spanish-language message reading “always handsome”. |
The fight was held at a pedestrian pace, with both Rourke and Seymour frequently backing away from one another and letting down their guard. | The fight was held at a pedestrian pace, with both Rourke and Seymour frequently backing away from one another and letting down their guard. |
Several of Rourke’s punches appeared illegal. His final punch struck the stumbling Seymour on the buttocks and the 29-year-old went down on all fours until the referee stopped the contest. The Russian crowd chanted “Misha”, a short form of the Russian name Mikhail, in Rourke’s honor. | Several of Rourke’s punches appeared illegal. His final punch struck the stumbling Seymour on the buttocks and the 29-year-old went down on all fours until the referee stopped the contest. The Russian crowd chanted “Misha”, a short form of the Russian name Mikhail, in Rourke’s honor. |
Seymour, a former California Golden Gloves champion with a 1-9 pro record, did not land any significant blows on Rourke, whose previous boxing career left him with injuries that he has previously said necessitated extensive plastic surgery to his face. | Seymour, a former California Golden Gloves champion with a 1-9 pro record, did not land any significant blows on Rourke, whose previous boxing career left him with injuries that he has previously said necessitated extensive plastic surgery to his face. |
Following the fight, the crowd was treated to a concert by Grigory Leps, a Russian rock singer who has been barred from entering the US due to alleged mafia connections. | Following the fight, the crowd was treated to a concert by Grigory Leps, a Russian rock singer who has been barred from entering the US due to alleged mafia connections. |
On the undercard, Olympic light-heavyweight champion Egor Mekhontsev continued his unbeaten start to his professional career, moving to a 7-0 record with a win over Ugandan fighter Joey Vegas. Russia’s Eduard Troyanovsky knocked out Jose Agustin Feria of Colombia in the first round for the WBA intercontinental lightweight title, moving to a 20-0 record. | On the undercard, Olympic light-heavyweight champion Egor Mekhontsev continued his unbeaten start to his professional career, moving to a 7-0 record with a win over Ugandan fighter Joey Vegas. Russia’s Eduard Troyanovsky knocked out Jose Agustin Feria of Colombia in the first round for the WBA intercontinental lightweight title, moving to a 20-0 record. |
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