Boxing icon Butterbean got his nickname when a joke stuck.
The heavyweight knockout artist – real name Eric Esch – became a fan favorite as people flocked to his fights during the 1990s and 2000s.
Butterbean competed in 126 fights across three combat sports – but he was most known as the 5ft 11in, 400lb boxer, who dropped a referee and would only sign up for four-round fights
It’s been so long since the 58-year-old became known as Butterbean that people have forgotten what he’s actually called.
How did Butterbean get his nickname?
In August 2023, Esch revealed how he ended up going by the name Butterbean.
It all started as a joke with friends frustrated by his diet-induced flatulence problem.
“I went on a butterbean diet, which is BS,” he told Chris Van Vliet
“I used to get gas, and the guys would be like, ‘You’ve been eating butterbean’. ‘Right, okay, you got me’.
“They started chanting Butterbean at the fight because they knew it would p*** me off.”
“It stuck. Big time…. It’s been a long time [since someone called me Eric].”
Before he went by Butterbean, the fight legend was known by a different nickname.
The 77-10-4 pro earned an equally odd sobriquet when he showed off his incredible strength before becoming a boxer.
Butterbean added: “They used to call me John because I was like a John Deere tractor.
“We’d build mobile homes. If a motor home would fall off, you’re talking about an 80-foot frame. Instead of calling a forklift, we’d pick it up.”
Butterbean wants comeback fight in 2025
Butterbean walked away from all forms of fighting in 2013.
During his time on the sidelines, Butterbean’s weight ballooned up to 515lbs.
The American was worried that it could become a fatal issue, so he underwent a dramatic body transformation that saw him lose over 200lbs in weight
Today he tips the scales at around 300lbs, which is what he weighed during his peak years as a fighter.
“It changed my life, it really did,” Butterbean said about his body transformation.
“Honestly, I thought I had a couple of years left to live. I’m not bulls*******.
“I really forgot who I was, and I pretty much gave up on life.
“Now I believe in myself again. Butterbean is back for one more fight.”
In the past, Butterbean making a comeback would’ve been almost impossible. However, Mike Tyson is the same age as him and his recent fight with Jake Paulc attracted 60 million people to Netflix.
Now it’s just a matter of finding the right opponent for Butterbean’s last hurrah.