Editing Ray Mercer (section)

===Highlights===
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USAREUR Boxing Championships (heavyweight), [[Darmstadt|Darmstadt, West Germany]], May 1985:
*Finals: Defeated Gregory Ellerbee
USA–USSR Duals (heavyweight), [[Troy, New York]], October 1985:
* Defeated Renat Trishev (Soviet Union) by split decision, 2–1
{{gold1}} United States Armed Forces Championships (heavyweight), [[Camp Lejeune, North Carolina]], November 1985:
* (no data available)
{{silver2}} Stockholm Box Open (heavyweight), [[Stockholm, Sweden]], January 1986:
*Finals: Lost to [[Magne Havnå]] (Norway) by split decision, 2–3
USA–FRG Duals (heavyweight), [[West Berlin, West Germany]], July 1987:
* Defeated Andre Hoth (West Germany) RSC 2
USA–FRG Duals (heavyweight), [[Peissenberg]], [[West Germany]], July 1987:
* Defeated Andre Hoth (West Germany) by unanimous decision, 3–0
USA–FRG & Austria Duals (heavyweight), [[Neuhausen (Enz)|Neuhausen, West Germany]], July 1987:
* Defeated Peter Neyer (Austria) by decision {{small|(Neyer was given a standing eight count twice in the 2nd rd)}}
{{silver2}} Copenhagen Cup (heavyweight), [[Copenhagen, Denmark]], December 1987:
*Finals: Lost to [[Maik Heydeck]] (East Germany) by unanimous decision, 0–5
{{gold1}} United States Armed Forces Championships (heavyweight), [[Naval Air Station San Diego]], [[San Diego, California]], March 1988:
* Defeated Leonard Conway RSCH 1 {{small|(1:57)}}
{{gold1}} [[United States National Boxing Championships|United States National Championships]] (heavyweight), [[Colorado Springs, Colorado]], March–April 1988:
*1/16: Defeated Mike Sharp KO
*1/8: Defeated Lyle McDowell RSC 2 {{small|(2:51)}}
*1/4: Defeated Ike Padilla RSC 2 {{small|(2:19)}}
*1/2: Defeated Carlton Hollis RSCH 1 {{small|(2:52)}}
*Finals: Defeated Jerry Goff by unanimous decision, 5–0
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USA–Cuba Duals (heavyweight), [[Caesars Atlantic City]], [[Atlantic City, New Jersey]], April 1988:
* Lost to [[Félix Savón]] (Cuba) by split decision, 1–2
USA–Europe Duals (heavyweight), [[Las Vegas Convention Center]], [[Las Vegas, Nevada]], June 1988:
* Defeated [[Željko Mavrović]] (Yugoslavia) RSC 1 {{small|(2:00)}}
Olympic Trials (heavyweight), [[Concord Pavilion]], [[Concord, California]], July 1988:
*1/4: Defeated [[Tommy Morrison]] by unanimous decision, 5–0 {{small|(one point deducted from Morrison twice in the 2nd rd for holding)}}
*1/2: Defeated Carlton Hollis by unanimous decision, 5–0
*Finals: Defeated [[Michael Bentt]] by unanimous decision, 5–0 {{small|(Bentt was given a standing eight count at 2:39 of the 2nd rd; one point deducted from Bentt in the 2nd rd for low blows, and in the 3rd rd for hitting after the break)}}
Olympic Box-offs (heavyweight), [[Caesars Palace]], [[Las Vegas, Nevada]], July 1988:
*Day 1: Defeated [[Michael Bentt]] by split decision, 3–2 {{small|(Bentt had his mouthpiece knocked off at 1:54 of the 1st rd; took 0:15 to replace)}}
USA–Canada Duals (heavyweight), [[Charlotte Coliseum]], [[Charlotte, North Carolina]], August 1988:
* Defeated Wayne Bernard (Canada) RET 2 {{small|(Bernard was given a standing eight count at 1:07 of the 1st rd; the bout was halted by referee at 2:46 of the 1st rd due to Bernard's allegedly damaged headgear, which took 1:16 to replace; Bernard was given a standing eight count at 0:22 of the 2nd rd; Bernard's corner threw the towel at 0:36 of the 2nd rd)}}
{{gold1}} Summer Olympics (heavyweight), [[Seoul, South Korea]], September–October 1988:
*1/8: Defeated [[Rudolf Gavenčiak]] (Czechoslovakia) RSCH 3 {{small|(0:35)}}
*1/4: Defeated [[Luigi Gaudiano]] (Italy) KO 1 {{small|(2:55)}}
*1/2: Defeated [[Arnold Vanderlyde]] (Netherlands) RSCH 2 {{small|(2:15)}}
*Finals: Defeated [[Baik Hyun-Man]] (South Korea) KO 1 {{small|(2:16)}}
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Mercer had a total of 70 fights as an amateur, competing all his amateur career in the 201-pound class, and compiling an amateur record of 64 wins, 6 losses (no stoppages.) Upon winning the Olympic Gold Medal, Mercer was approached by boxing promoter [[Bob Arum]], with whom he signed a contract to turn professional. Under the deal, he was to be trained in Las Vegas, Nevada, under Hank Johnson of Fort Bragg, who was the All-Army Coach, and the assistant Olympic coach. Also under the deal, Arum got the rights to promote a certain number of televised bouts, leaving the boxer free to fight for others.<ref>{{cite news |last= AP|date= October 16, 1988|title= Theories on Boxing|url= https://www.nytimes.com/1988/10/16/sports/sports-people-theories-on-boxing.html|work= The New York Times|page= 10|access-date= 2019-06-17}}</ref>

Upon winning the 1988 Olympics, he was named [[United States Armed Forces Athlete of the Year]] in November 1988 (which was quite an achievement, considering that the Army branch alone produced 19 Olympians in 1988.<ref>{{cite journal |last= Schad|first= Dave|date= January 1989|title= Army Olympic Athletes|url= https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uiug.30112098031427&view=1up&seq=25|journal= Soldiers|volume= 44|issue= 1|page= 21|issn= 0093-8440|access-date= 2019-06-18}}</ref>) In January 1989, being [[honorably discharge]]d, Mercer left the Army to pursue a professional boxing career.<ref>{{cite journal |last= Armed Forces Sports Office|date= February 1989|title= Ray Mercer Named Athlete of Year|url= https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uiug.30112098031427&view=1up&seq=67|journal= Soldiers|volume= 44|issue= 2|page= 3|issn= 0093-8440|access-date= 2019-06-18}}</ref>