Former boxer Butterbean was bed-bound for the best part of a year after finding himself immobilised due to his weight, but the American has opened up on one thing that helped him turn his life around
Butterbean has explained believing in himself when the odds were stacked against him was instrumental to overcoming a deep-seated depression. The heavyweight boxer made quite the name for himself in the 1990s and early 2000s, tipping the scales at between 300 and 400lbs for his fights while dispatching of a wealth of big-name opponents through his sheer knockout power.
But after retiring from the fight game in 2013 with a professional record of 77-10-4, Butterbean – whose real name is Eric Esch – saw his weight skyrocket to an all time high in excess of 500lbs.
It led to him needing a wheelchair for mobility and doctors telling him that he would never walk again.
What followed was a cruel depression which left the 58-year-old bed-ridden for the best part of a year, only leaving his room to go to the toilet.
Speaking about his darkest hours in conversation with Mirror Fighting via Lucky Energy, the Atlanta-born bruiser said: “It was horrible. My hips were so bad, I couldn’t walk. And if you can’t walk, you’re going to gain weight. I was way over 500 pounds.”
He added: “A lot of fighters do get depressed. A lot of actors and celebrities, people that are in the public eye a lot do get depressed a lot. People don’t realise that. When you can’t walk and you can’t walk into the store and get something to drink, you do get depressed.
“I was in bed for almost a year, not got out of bed, just to go to the bathroom. And I ate in the bed. I mean, I didn’t even leave the bed.”
So what changed which allowed Butterbean to crawl out of the hole he was trapped in for so long and undergo a remarkable body transformation which has seen him shed down to an all-time low of 285lbs? According to the man himself, it all came down to self-belief.
He explained: “But once I started believing in myself, life is good. I spend more time with my grandkids and I got 10 of them. I got 10 little boogers running around. So life is just really good right now. I’m just blessed.”
Butterbean also credits his incredible weight-loss journey to former WWE star ‘Diamond’ Dallas Page and his stellar yoga programme. He explained: “Guess what? I’m not in a wheelchair no more.
“I went and moved to DDP for a while, did his yoga programme, and I’m in the best shape of my life right now. I feel better now at 50-something than I did when I was in my 20s, which is insane. I can’t explain it, but the Fountain of Youth, I dove in it and I come out so much better.”
It’s not just friends and family that have been left in awe of Butterbean’s accomplishment in shifting weight and flipping poor mental health on its head either. The legend even claimed that he received a letter from a fan who said that he saved their life after they saw his remarkable change of physique.
When asked about his family’s reaction to him gearing up for a potential return to the squared-circle in the near future, he replied: “Well, they know if I set my mind to something, that I’m not changing it. And helping other people…
“I’ve got a letter, one letter really just says, it sets in deep how he watched my recovery and he was about to end his life. And because of my success, he goes, ‘You know what? I do have something to look for. I have people that care about me and I have a life that I can live if I just put a little bit more effort.’
“That meant a lot to me when somebody tells you that just by something you’ve accomplished made them believe in themselves. That made me feel better. It’s like when you cook a really good meal and you get a lot of compliments. It was that same thing.”
Butterbean has made it no secret that he hopes to have one last dance in the squared-circle before calling time on his boxing career for good, with a number of opponents on his mind including Mike Tyson and Tyson Fury. However, nobody has managed to get his blood pumping quite like YouTuber-turned-pugilist Jake Paul.
In a mock-up press conference to promote the launch of his new Butterbean’s Knockout Punch with Lucky Energy, Butterbean is seen abandoning the wheelchair he relied on before taking to the microphone to address reporters. He then says: “Butterbean’s back for one more fight.
“There’s only one fighter out there that wants to fight retired, bald guys. Jake Paul, I’m coming for you. I want to fight Jake Paul because he runs his damn mouth too much.”
Butterbean spoke to Mirror Fighting as part of his collaboration with Lucky Energy. You can find out more about his brand-new Butterbean’s Knockout Punch flavour here.