Who Are Those Guys? - Sherman Bergman

Sherman Art Berman was born in Miami Beach, Florida in 1958. Bergman began his amateur boxing career in 1973. He was trained by his father Hyman Hank Bergman [1919-2010] from 1973-1979. Bergman then went on to train with Jose Maceo, former pro boxer Eddie Ludlow and Gary Ritter, Isaac Sved, and former World Lightweight Champion Beau Jack. He earned the nickname "Big Train" for his locomotive-like fighting style. One of Bergman's early matches was a fight with Phillip Rourke who would go on to a movie career as Mickey Rourke, who on August 20, 1973 in Miami,Florida, Rourke climbed off the canvas to knock out Bergman in 31 seconds of the first round. Sherman Bergman's biggest amateur bout was in 1981 against Larry Byrd in the Southern Regional Golden Gloves in Coconut Grove, Florida. The Miami Herald reported that 600 fans turned out for the bout. In a slugfest which started at the bell, Byrd knocked down Bergman twice to score a TKO victory in 33 seconds. Bergman worked for a short time as a sparring partner for future World Heavyweight Champion Ken Norton, and heavyweight contender Rodney Bobick at the 5th Street Gym. Following a defeat to Willie McGee at the 1983 Golden Gloves, Bergman retired from amateur boxing with a record 17 wins (all by knockout) and 4 defeats.

Bergman then became a kick-boxer and the highlight of this career included a 1979 fight between, Bergman and Jean-Claude Van Damme in a sanctioned full-contact match in Tampa, Florida. Bergman knocked Van Damme down moments into their match, but Van Damme arose to knockout Bergman with an axe-kick at 56 seconds of the 1st round. At the Sunshine State Tournament in 1980, Bergman lost by points to future PKA World Light Heavyweight Champion Gary Daniels. In 2009, Bergman officially announced his retirement with a record of 56-8 (56 KOs). However, in March 2010, Bergman returned for a one fight comeback, which resulted in a 3-round draw with Igor "The Refrigerator" Romanov.

Bergman then studied acting with the drama teacher Jay W. Jensen. Jensen's students included Andy García, Brett Ratner, and Mickey Rourke. As a child, Bergman appeared on the television shows: ‘The Skipper Chuck Show’, ‘Jumping Jack’, ‘Charlie Baxter's Big Top’, and ‘Banjo Billy’. He also acted in the stage play “10,000 Baskets” directed by Lois Brooks. He appeared in a number of "B" films in Italy in the 1980s. Among the movies he acted in were “Get Mean” (1975), “Warriors of the Wasteland (1983), and “Any Given Sunday” (1999).

In 2012, Bergman was performing in Dinner Theater shows. He acted in “Feeling Again”, “This Romantic Life”, and “Rainy Night”

BERGMAN, Sherman ‘Big Train’ (aka Sherman Bergman, Sherman A. Bergman, Ricardo Solanas) (Sherman Art Bergman) [1958, Miami Beach, Florida, U.S.A. -     ] - kickboxer, stage actor, stuntman.

Get Mean - 1975 (Viking)