It seemed like Mike Brothers was going down for the count, twice losing races for alderman in Country Club Hills.
But the man who once fought Evander Holyfield picked himself off the political canvass earlier this month and finally was elected an alderman in the south suburb. Brothers, 42, will be sworn in Monday.
“Politics always has been a dream for me,” says Brothers, who amassed a 16-6 record fighting some of the world’s top light heavyweights and cruiserweights in the 1980s.
Brothers was born in Mississippi but attended Senn High School in Chicago and graduated when he moved to Rockford. He took up boxing in Aurora and the Chicago Park District and went on to become a nationally ranked amateur.
He fought Holyfield, losing in four rounds, and says, “I lived to talk about it.”
Brothers came closest to a world title in 1983 when he lost a decision to light-heavyweight champion Marvin Johnson in Chicago. Brothers, who has had an administrative position with Commonwealth Edison for 22 years, quit boxing in 1990 so he could prepare for what he believes is his true calling, politics.
“I think boxing will help in this job too,” says Brothers, who served as a Country Club Hills park district commissioner. “Boxing has taught me disciple, control and perseverance.”
— Sam Smith.
Say what?
`Believe it or not, that’s not the first time I’ve been booed here.’
Knicks guard Charlie Ward on the reaction at Madison Square Garden after comments he made were criticized by Jewish groups.
