# Raphael Butler

Raphael Butler (born January 4, 1984) is an American retired Heavyweight boxer and mixed martial artist. A professional boxing competitor from 2004 until 2011, he fought fighters the likes of David Price, Malik Scott, Eddie Chambers, and Chris Arreola.

## Boxing career
### Amateur career

Butler had a stellar amateur career, winning the 2004 National Golden Gloves Super Heavyweight Championship. Butler represented the 4th Street Gym in his hometown of Rochester, Minnesota.

### Professional career

Butler turned professional in 2004. He was seen as a future star in the sport early on, but suffered two TKO losses against journeyman fighters in 2005. In 2006 he took on ESPN house fighter Jason Gavern, and lost a decision. After the loss, Butler ran off a string of victories against marginal opposition before taking on Art Binkowski in a nationally televised showcase bout on ShoBox. Despite dropping Binkowski three times in the first round, Butler tired as the fight went on, and the referee stopped the fight with just 30 seconds left before the final bell, awarding Binkowski a TKO. After six more wins against lesser competition, Butler was knocked out in 6 rounds by contender "Fast" Eddie Chambers on June 20 in the Cayman Islands.

## Mixed martial arts career
### Early career

Butler made his professional MMA debut in 2010 and compiled an undefeated record of 5–0 before being signed by Bellator MMA.

### Bellator MMA

Butler made his promotional debut on June 19, 2013, at Bellator 96 against Jeremiah O'Neal and won via first-round knockout.
Butler then won his next two fights under the Bellator banner before fighting Nick Rossborough to a draw at Bellator 119 on May 9, 2014.
Butler then faced Javy Ayala at Bellator 125 on September 19, 2014. Butler was handed his first professional loss via rear-naked choke submission in the first round.
Butler next fought Josh Diekmann at Bellator 134 on February 27, 2015. Butler won via a first-round standing guillotine choke submission.

## Mixed martial arts record

Professional record breakdown :
| 12 matches | 9 wins | 2 losses |
| By knockout | 6 | 1 |
| By submission | 3 | 1 |
| By decision | 0 | 0 |
| Draws | 1 | 1 |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
| Loss | 9–2–1 | Tony Johnson | TKO (punches) | Bellator 148 | January 29, 2016 | 3 | 4:24 | Fresno, California, United States | |
| Win | 9–1–1 | Josh Diekmann | Submission (standing guillotine) | Bellator 134 | February 27, 2015 | 1 | 1:04 | Uncasville, Connecticut, United States | |
| Loss | 8–1–1 | Javy Ayala | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Bellator 125 | September 19, 2014 | 1 | 1:03 | Fresno, California, United States | |
| Draw | 8–0–1 | Nick Rossborough | Draw (majority) | Bellator 119 | May 9, 2014 | 3 | 5:00 | Rama, Ontario, Canada | |
| Win | 8–0 | Josh Burns | TKO (retirement) | Bellator 107 | November 8, 2013 | 1 | 2:14 | Thackerville, Oklahoma, United States | |
| Win | 7–0 | Joseph Bryant | TKO (strikes) | Bellator 105 | October 25, 2013 | 1 | 1:04 | Rio Rancho, New Mexico, United States | |
| Win | 6–0 | Jeremiah O'Neal | KO (punches) | Bellator 96 | June 19, 2013 | 1 | 2:19 | Thackerville, Oklahoma, United States | |
| Win | 5–0 | Brett Murphy | KO (punch) | Driller Promotions/ SEG: Throwdown at the Crowne 1 | September 8, 2012 | 1 | 0:13 | St. Paul, Minnesota, United States | Won the Minnesota Heavyweight Championship. |
| Win | 4–0 | Steven Shaw | Submission (armbar) | Brutaal Fight Night: Violent Night | June 2, 2012 | 1 | 4:35 | Maplewood, Minnesota, United States | |
| Win | 3–0 | Richard White | Submission (punches) | Brutaal Fight Night: Rochester | March 25, 2011 | 2 | 3:18 | Rochester, Minnesota, United States | |
| Win | 2–0 | Jeremy Beck | KO (punches) | Brutaal: Fight Night | February 12, 2011 | 1 | 3:36 | Red Wing, Minnesota, United States | |
| Win | 1–0 | Gabe Hobbs | KO (punch) | Brutaal: Fight Night | October 29, 2010 | 1 | 0:36 | Welch, Minnesota, United States | |

## Professional boxing record

| 49 fights | 35 wins | 12 losses |
| By knockout | 28 | 7 |
| By decision | 7 | 5 |
| No contests | 2 | 2 |
| No. | Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round, time | Date | Location | Notes |
| 49 | Loss | 35–12 (2) | Chris Arreola | TKO | 3 (10), 0:55 | Nov 5, 2011 | Leon, Guanajuato, Mexico | |
| 48 | Loss | 35–11 (2) | Tye Fields | TKO | 6 (10), 2:37 | Oct 7, 2011 | Shaw Conference Centre, Edmonton, Alberta | |
| 47 | Loss | 35–10 (2) | David Price | TKO | 1 (8), 1:47 | April 27, 2011 | Olympia London | |
| 46 | Loss | 35–9 (2) | Neven Pajkic | UD | 10 | Sep 4, 2010 | Royal York Hotel, Toronto | |
| 45 | NC | 35–8 (2) | Joey Abell | NC | 1 (10), 3:00 | Dec 4, 2009 | Target Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota | For Vacant USA Minnesota State Heavyweight Title |
| 44 | Win | 35–8 (1) | Marcus Rhode | TKO | 2 (6), 1:30 | Sep 12, 2009 | Mickey's Irish Saloon, Rochester, Minnesota | |
| 43 | Loss | 34–8 (1) | Malik Scott | UD | 8 | Dec 13, 2008 | Morongo Casino Resort & Spa, Cabazon, California | |
| 42 | Loss | 34–7 (1) | Homero Fonseca | MD | 6 | Nov 20, 2008 | Crown Plaza Hotel, Houston, Texas | |
| 41 | Win | 34–6 (1) | Marvin Hunt | KO | 1 (4), 1:35 | Nov 1, 2008 | West Junior High School, West Memphis, Arkansas | |
| 40 | Win | 33–6 (1) | Travis Fulton | TKO | 2 (6), 2:04 | Oct 4, 2008 | Graham Arena, Rochester, Minnesota | |
| 39 | Win | 32–6 (1) | Lyle McDowell | TKO | 1 (6), 0:52 | Sep 20, 2008 | Treasure Island Casino, Red Wing, Minnesota | |
| 38 | Loss | 31–6 (1) | Homero Fonseca | SD | 4 | Sep 4, 2008 | Crown Plaza Hotel, Houston, Texas | |
| 37 | Loss | 31–5 (1) | Eddie Chambers | TKO | 6 (12) | June 20, 2008 | Royal Watler Cruise Terminal, Georgetown, Cayman Islands | For USBA Heavyweight Title |
| 36 | Win | 31–4 (1) | Otis Tisdale | TKO | 4 (6), 1:48 | April 26, 2008 | Graham Arena, Rochester, Minnesota | |
| 35 | Win | 30–4 (1) | Kerry Biles | KO | 1 (6), 0:45 | Mar 8, 2008 | Renaissance Hotel, St Louis, Missouri | |
| 34 | Win | 29–4 (1) | Sam Comming | UD | 4 | 18/10/2007 | Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan, United States | 39–37, 40–36, 39–37. |
| 33 | Win | 28–4 (1) | Sedreck Fields | UD | 4 | 20/09/2007 | Houston, Texas, United States | |
| 32 | Win | 27–4 (1) | Clarence Goins | KO | 1 | 24/08/2007 | Hinckley, Minnesota, United States | Goins knocked out at 0:39 of the first round. |
| 31 | Win | 26–4 (1) | Travis Fulton | TKO | 2 | 29/06/2007 | Comstock Park, Michigan, United States | Referee stopped the fight at 1:25 of the second round. |
| 30 | Loss | 25–4 (1) | Art Binkowski | TKO | 8 (8), 2:23 | April 6, 2007 | Target Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota | |
| 29 | Win | 25–3 (1) | Brad Bowers | TKO | 1 | 24/02/2007 | Superior, Wisconsin, United States | Referee stopped the fight at 0:29 of the second round. |
| 28 | Win | 24–3 (1) | Louis Monaco | DQ | 6 | 12/01/2007 | Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States | |
| 27 | Win | 23–3 (1) | Cornelius Ellis | TKO | 2 | 01/12/2006 | Rochester, Minnesota, United States | Referee stopped the fight at 1:35 of the second round. |
| 26 | Win | 22–3 (1) | Matt Green | KO | 3 | 04/11/2006 | Kinder, Louisiana, United States | Green knocked out at 1:35 of the third round. |
| 25 | Win | 21–3 (1) | Dan Ward | KO | 1 | 23/09/2006 | Fort Smith, Arkansas, United States | Ward knocked out at 1:30 of the first round. |
| 24 | Win | 20–3 (1) | Eric Starr | TKO | 1 | 14/09/2006 | Altoona, Iowa, United States | Referee stopped the fight at 2:04 of the first round. |
| 23 | Win | 19–3 (1) | Troy Beets | TKO | 3 | 20/07/2006 | Lemoore, California, United States | Referee stopped the fight at 2:19 of the third round. |
| 22 | Win | 18–3 (1) | Wallace McDaniel | TKO | 1 | 11/07/2006 | Memphis, Tennessee, United States | Referee stopped the fight at 1:28 of the first round. |
| 21 | Loss | 17–3 (1) | Jason Gavern | UD | 6 | 14/04/2006 | Rancho Mirage, California, United States | 55–59, 54–60, 54–60. |
| 20 | Win | 17–2 (1) | Forrest Neal | KO | 1 | 17/03/2006 | Denver, Colorado, United States | Neal knocked out at 0:52 of the first round. |
| 19 | Win | 16–2 (1) | Ronnie Smith | KO | 2 | 11/02/2006 | Pueblo, Colorado, United States | Smith knocked out at 1:16 of the second round. |
| 18 | Loss | 15–2 (1) | John Clark | TKO | 2 | 17/11/2005 | San Jose, California, United States | Referee stopped the fight at 1:41 of the second round after Butler had been down thrice in the fight. |
| 17 | Win | 15–1 (1) | Andrew Jackson | KO | 1 | 21/10/2005 | Temecula, California, United States | |
| 16 | Win | 14–1 (1) | Innocent Otukwu | TKO | 3 | 16/09/2005 | Lemoore, California, United States | Referee stopped the bout at 0:39 of the third round. |
| 15 | Win | 13–1 (1) | John Dixon | TKO | 1 | 27/08/2005 | Thief River Falls, Minnesota, United States | Referee stopped the bout at the end of the first round. |
| 14 | Win | 12–1 (1) | Kerry Biles | UD | 5 | 17/07/2005 | Denver, Colorado, United States | 50–44, 50–44, 50–44. |
| 13 | Win | 11–1 (1) | Kerry Biles | UD | 4 | 09/06/2005 | Temecula, California, United States | 39–36, 39–36, 39–36. |
| 12 | Loss | 10–1 (1) | Darrell Provo | TKO | 1 | 15/04/2005 | Denver, Colorado, United States | Referee stopped the fight at 1:10 of the first round. |
| 11 | Win | 10–0 (1) | Brian Sargent | KO | 1 | 29/01/2005 | Black Hawk, Colorado, United States | Sargent knocked out at 0:37 of the first round. |
| 10 | Win | 9–0 (1) | Marcelo Aravena | UD | 4 | 18/12/2004 | Fridley, Minnesota, United States | 40–35, 40–35, 40–35. |
| 9 | Win | 8–0 (1) | Marcelo Aravena | TD | 4 | 19/11/2004 | Mandan, North Dakota, United States | Fight went to scorecards due to an accidental headbut. |
| 8 | Win | 7–0 (1) | David Cleage | TKO | 1 | 12/11/2004 | St Paul, Minnesota, United States | Referee stopped the bout at 0:35 of the first round. |
| 7 | Win | 6–0 (1) | Glen Morgan | KO | 1 | 29/10/2004 | Rochester, Minnesota, United States | Morgan knocked out at 2:40 of the first round. |
| 6 | Win | 5–0 (1) | Ross Brantley | KO | 1 | 10/10/2004 | Black Hawk, Colorado, United States | Brantley knocked out at 0:30 of the first round. |
| 5 | Win | 4–0 (1) | Harold Johnson | TKO | 1 | 02/10/2004 | Hinckley, Minnesota, United States | Referee stopped the bout at 0:57 of the first round. |
| 4 | Win | 3–0 (1) | Arthur Boyles | KO | 1 | 11/09/2004 | Fridley, Minnesota, United States | Boyles knocked out at 0:36 of the first round. |
| 3 | NC | 2–0 (1) | Eric Lindsey | ND | 1 (4), 1:44 | Aug 19, 2004 | Park Plaza Hotel, Houston, Texas | |
| 2 | Win | 2–0 | Victor Ortiz | TKO | 1 (4), 1:51 | July 18, 2004 | Pechanga Entertainment Center, Temecula, California | |
| 1 | Win | 1–0 | Royphy Solieau | TKO | 3 (4), 1:02 | June 19, 2004 | City Center Pavilion, Reno, Nevada | |