Veteran boxer Butterbean competed in mixed martial arts (MMA) 28 times.
His MMA career concluded in October 2011 with a record of 17-10-1, after a head-kick knockout loss to a taekwondo instructor who later entered politics.
His most notable MMA victory was against James Thompson at Cage Rage 20 in London in February 2007.
Eric Esch, known as Butterbean, needed only 43 seconds to defeat Thompson, nicknamed `The Colossus`. Standing 6ft 5in, Thompson had a career that included wins over notable figures like referee Marc Goddard, UFC veteran Dan Severn, WWE`s Bobby Lashley, and five-time World`s Strongest Man Mariusz Pudzianowski.
Butterbean Admits He Didn`t Train for His Top MMA Win
Nearly two decades after this significant win, Butterbean shared a surprising detail about his preparation.
The 58-year-old confessed that he didn`t actually train for the fight against Thompson in London.
In a recent interview, Butterbean called Thompson “a really tough dude” and a “really tough challenge.”
He added that at that time, he “had almost started not believing” in himself and “wasn’t training like I should’ve.”
He explicitly stated, “I never even stepped in the gym before my fight with James Thompson.”
According to him, if he had trained, the knockout would have happened even faster.
Possibility of a Comeback
After retiring, Butterbean`s weight increased to 500lbs, leading to several years where he was confined to a wheelchair.
He has since lost 220lbs and is now considering fighting again to show that recovery is possible.
Butterbean stated his desire for one more fight “to prove to people that no matter how down you get, if you believe in yourself… you can accomplish anything.”
He emphasized, “I wanna do it this year. Most definitely this year.”
Potential opponents include Jake Paul and Brock Lesnar.
The opponent for Esch`s potential return, his first since 2013, remains unknown.
