“I Said Goodbye to My Parents & My Sister”: Legendary Boxing Announcer Recalls the Days When He Got Enlisted in US Army

Michael Buffer knows what he does best: grab fans’ attention and add a pinch of excitement and grandeur to the action that is to follow. He has been calling fights for almost 40 years and you might think it was his calling all along. But that’s not the case. Despite his charming appearance, you might not realize he was in a rugged war zone for 3 years, serving in the US Army. Surprised, right?

The American announcer went down memory lane as he vividly remembers the day he joined the army—May 5, 1965. That’s 59 years ago. What’s more? He was merely a 20-year-old boy, ready to battle on the front lines.

Michael Buffer’s sister drove him to the induction center!

Buffer, 79, turned to his X handle as he shared the memories of the fateful day. He also shared a picture of him in army uniform and a cap emblazoned ‘Vietnam War Veteran’. He wrote, “59 years ago today-May 5th 1965-I enlisted in the US Army for 3 years.”

“I remember it like yesterday as I said goodbye to my parents & my sister Carolyn drove me the induction center on N. Broad St, Philadelphia. I was 20 years old. Time sure does fly!” Buffer added.

The Philadelphia native also got married while he served in the army at age 21. He has two sons from the marriage. However, he shies away from sharing the details of his army days and first marriage. When he returned from the army, Buffer juggled multiple jobs, from car salesman to model. But he couldn’t succeed. His announcing career was born when he watched a boxing match with his son, Michael, in ’81–82.

The announcer took a split decision, and as he read the scores, the viewers knew who had won after the second score, robbing fans of drama and excitement. It was when his son pestered him with the thought that he could also do it. Buffer gave it a shot and never looked back. His iconic catchphrase “Let’s get ready to rumble!” also became a household line, adding an electrifying effect to his announcements. But was it always like this?

Hit and (mostly) miss and ‘Ready to Rumble’ is born

As revealed in an interview with Graham Houston, Buffer admitted that he started his career with ‘Man your battle stations, because we’re going to war’. Similar phrases such as ‘Batten down the hatches’ and ‘Fasten your seatbelts’ were given a shot, but these didn’t capture fans’ imaginations.

Buffer now doesn’t remember when he first used his iconic phrase, except that it was in 1983. He would soon trademark it in 1992, and since then he has racked up almost $400 million because of his license.

What do you make of this relatively unknown detail shared by Michael Buffer about his life? Which one is your favorite moment involving him? Let us know in the comments below.