Steve Zouski (born August 14, 1954, in Brockton, Massachusetts) is a former American professional heavyweight boxer who fought Mike Tyson in 1986 and George Foreman in 1987.
Zouski achieved an amateur record of 27 wins and 5 losses.[1]
Boxing career
Zouski, an orthodox fighter, made his professional boxing debut in Boston in 1978. His early boxing career saw numerous bouts in the New England region. At the age of 26 and with a 15 (10 KOs)-1 record, Zouski took on undefeated Marvis Frazier (son of Joe Frazier) on May 11, 1981, at Madison Square Garden.[2] During the fight, Zouski hit Frazier with two solid hooks and a right to the jaw in the first round, a hard straight right in the third, and a right uppercut and hook in the fourth. At 2:13 of the sixth round, following referee intervention, Zouski was stopped by the 20-year-old Frazier, who had his father Joe in his corner.[3]
In 1983 in Chicago, Zouski notably fought all ten rounds with Lee Roy Murphy, who was 18-0 and became IBF Cruiserweight Champion shortly after.[4]
In 1986, Zouski, who had 25 wins (14 KOs) - 9 losses, was scheduled for a ten-round bout with a 19 year old Mike Tyson
at Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, New York.[4] Zouski weighed in at 210 pounds. Despite never being knocked down in previous fights, Zouski was defeated by knockout. At 2:49 of the third round on March 10, 1986, a series of uppercuts sent the 31 year old to the canvas. Tyson had sustained a cut on his ear earlier from a fall at a pigeon coop, and Zouski managed to hit the injured area a few times during the first two rounds.[5] His punches caused Tyson's left ear to swell to three times its normal size after their fight.[6] "Zouski is a game guy," said Tyson. "However, this was my worst performance ever. Mentally, I was not prepared."[7]
Following his fight against Tyson, Zouski stepped into the ring with South African heavyweight Johnny du Plooy.[8]
On March 3, 1987, Zouski faced a 267-pound George Foreman in Sacramento, California, during Foreman's comeback after ten years out of the ring.[9] Zouski was stopped by Foreman via a technical knockout at 2:47 of the fourth round.[10]
He rematched Mighty Mike Evans in a ten-round heavyweight bout in February 1988 at the Heights Banquet Hall in Chicago Heights. Zouski opened a cut on Evan's nose in the seventh round, while his left eye nearly closed by the end of the ninth. In the tenth round, a flurry knocked Zouski down for an eight-count, leading to his loss by decision. Evans commented afterward, "He (Zouski) is a tough fighter and he surprised me tonight."[11] The following month, he went up against James Pritchard in Melrose Park, Illinois.
^ abcSentinel, J. (2024, November 15). This Wisconsin boxer fought Mike Tyson in 1986. He says Jake Paul better be ready to take a punch. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved from https://www.jsonline.com
