Sports

Larger-Than-Life Sports Stars Who Towered Over Competition

Darren - December 5, 2019

Sports

Larger-Than-Life Sports Stars Who Towered Over Competition

Darren - December 5, 2019

11. Eric ‘Butterbean’ Esch

‘Butterbean’ is a true combat sports cult hero. This massive individual is a former boxer, kickboxer, and MMA fighter who competed in the heavyweight and super heavyweight divisions. You would not want to be responsible for feeding him. At his heaviest, Esch weighed an enormous 421 lbs. But he definitely wasn’t just a big target.

This larger-than-life fighter gained his nickname after his ridiculous diet for the Toughman competition. ‘Butterbean’ was an IBA Super-Heavyweight champion. Not only that, but he also fought in Japan for the likes of PRIDE and K-1. He was around for a long time, with a ridiculous 136 professional fights in all sports.

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10. Zdeno Chara

Chara is not your typical NHL player. Standing at 6′ 11″, Chara is the tallest person ever to play in the NHL. The Slovak is the team captain of the Boston Bruins, so he’s not half bad either. What is more, is that he’s only the second European captain to win the Stanley Cup. Overall, he’s an inspirational and popular figure.

This larger-than-life man is also a brilliant defensive player. To recap, he won the James Norris Memorial Trophy for his excellent displays in 2011. Chara has also led his country in three Winter Olympics. Finally, the 42-year-old is currently the NHL’s oldest active player. Enjoy him while you can.

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9. Andy Ruiz

On the face of it, Ruiz doesn’t look like an elite athlete. This roly-poly boxer is one larger-than-life figure. However, he is one of the most talented heavyweights on the planet. Furthermore, he is deceptively explosive and fast. Anthony Joshua found this out to his cost because Ruiz knocked him out in 2019. He became a four-belt world champion and also the first Mexican heavyweight champion in history.

There is a misconception that boxers must have incredible physiques, but this isn’t true. Too much muscle can be harmful because it uses more oxygen. Most heavyweights are not built like bodybuilders, but Ruiz takes this to the extreme. Meanwhile, he has an addiction to Snickers’ chocolate bars. He lost his titles after he went off the rails and put on more weight.

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8. John Daly

Believe it or not, the majority of professional golfers will spend a significant amount of time in the gym. Many will focus on moderate strength work alongside mobility training to improve your game. You have to put in extra work if you want to be competitive at an elite level in any sport.

But somebody has obviously forgotten to tell Daly that. The US golfer was brilliant when he broke onto the scene. However, now the heaviest thing he carries is his beer belly around the golf course. In summary, the hard-drinking and smoking PGA tour star doesn’t care what anybody thinks of him. This larger-than-life figure is living the dream.

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7. Yao Ming

At 7′ 7″, Chinese basketball star Ming is outrageously tall. In fact, he was the tallest payer in the NBA at the time of his retirement. He is the only player from outside of the United States to lead the NBA in All-Star votes. The eight-time All-Star made a massive impact for the Houston Rockets.

Ming entered the Hall of Fame at the same time as Shaquille O’Neal. That should show you just how good he was. To sum up, the Rockets loved him so much that they actually retired his No. 11 jersey number following his induction. Furthermore, he has helped change perceptions of China in the Western world.

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6. Bob Sapp

Sapp is the ultimate reminder that bigger doesn’t always mean better. At 6′ 5″ and 350lbs, this is one seriously big man. Originally, he wanted to play in the NFL, but it didn’t work out for him. So he turned to martial arts. Sapp has fought in MMA and kickboxing, mostly competing in Japan.

The US fighter had some early success in kickboxing, most notably beating Ernesto Hoost twice. But unfortunately, he has become a parody figure. After a ridiculous 12-fight losing streak stretching seven years, he finally won an MMA fight in 2018. To sum it up, this super heavyweight typically gasses out very quickly.

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5. Steve McNulty

Now playing for York City, McNulty just doesn’t look like a soccer player. With his hefty frame, broad shoulders, and silver head of hair, you’d guess that he works on a construction site. Although opposition fans love to sing ‘who ate all the pies,’ McNulty is actually a great defender.

In short, he’s a cult hero in the lower echelons of English soccer. McNulty has led six promotions, including a back-to-back pair with Tranmere Rovers. Although he doesn’t look like a lean, mean athlete, he’s actually a very commanding presence at the heart of his team’s defense.

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4. Loek Van Mil

Van Mil was a Dutch professional baseball player. Despite never making it to the major leagues, he still had a decent career. But he’s on this list because he was outrageously tall. Standing at about 7′ 1″, he is one of the tallest players in the history of baseball. First of all, he played as a catcher. But then he actually got too tall for the position and became a pitcher instead.

On the Netherlands national baseball team, he served as the team’s closer in the 2013 World Baseball Classic and the 2015 Premier 12 and appeared in the 2007 Baseball World Cup. We didn’t even know the Netherlands had a national baseball team, but they do. However, he died in 2019 after a fatal hiking accident.

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3. Peter Crouch

The former Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspurs star is one of the most recognizable soccer players in the UK. First of all, his height is ludicrous. Standing at 6′ 7″ tall, he looks more like a basketball player than a Premier League striker. But he’s actually surprisingly mobile. Also, Crouch is famous for his bicycle kicks and robot dance celebrations. A larger-than-life personality, he also has a successful podcast.

Crouch is a former England international and played at two World Cups. Furthermore, he has a very decent scoring record. The FA Cup winner has scored more headed goals than any other player in Premier League history. To be honest, that probably shouldn’t come as a surprise.

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2. Nikolai Valuev

Former WBA Boxing champion Valuev is an outrageously big man. The Russian fought at heavyweight and was one of the most difficult opponents to face in a boxing ring. Standing at seven feet and weighing up to 328 lbs, he was ludicrously imposing. 34 of his wins came by KO. This is a very powerful man.

Valuev was more than just a big man, however. He went 50-2 in his career, including a victory over former undisputed champion Evander Holyfield. However, that was a much older version of the former four-time champion. Valuev’s final loss came against Britain’s David Haye. He struggled with the mobility of the smaller man.

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1. Haftor Julius Bjornssen

This Icelandic strongman has become a cultural icon because of his role in the hit TV series Game of Thrones. After starring as Gregor Clegane AKA ‘The Mountain,’ his fame reached new heights. This enormous man has carried that nickname into the real world. But he is first and foremost a professional strongman.

First, he played basketball, but injuries ended his career. Then, he turned to strongman competitions. In short, it was a brilliant decision. Furthermore, he is the first person to have won the Arnold Strongman Classic, Europe’s Strongest Man, and World’s Strongest Man in the same calendar year. At 441 lbs, this man is a behemoth.

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