Honkytonk Hitman

Former WBF super cruiserweight champion and Little Rock native Mike Rodgers, better known as "Honkytonk Hitman," will sing the national anthem on the HBO-televised boxing card in Memphis, Tenn., on May 19th featuring middleweight kingpin Jermain Taylor. While Taylor's title defense against Cory Spinks (the son of Leon) is billed as the top attraction, Rodgers' firebrand country vocals will start the show.

Many in the boxing world know Rodgers' incredible story in which he was thrown into the ring as an opponent for would-be prospects at the Mix Factory in Music City U.S.A. - Nashville, Tenn. Instead, Rodgers knocked out opponent after opponent, cultivating a legend and a true cult following. The son of Jermain Taylor's cutman Ray Rodgers, "Honkytonk Hitman " packed a punch in the ring, but his true knockout power comes from his charismatic musical performances. He has knocked out hit songs such as "Me, Jack and Jesus" and the rockin' autobiographical song "Honkytonk Hitman".