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Michael Anthony Grant[1] (born August 4, 1972) is an American professional boxer and world heavyweight title challenger. Grant’s pinnacle of his boxing career came in 2000 when he unsuccessfully challenged Lennox Lewis for the IBF, WBC and IBO heavyweight titles. He came in undefeated but was knocked out in two rounds by the eventual champion. He also held fringe titles in the IBC and WBF during this period.
Michael Grant | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Michael Anthony Grant August 4, 1972 |
| Nationality | American |
| Other names | Big |
| Statistics | |
| Weight(s) | Heavyweight |
| Height | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) |
| Reach | 86 in (218 cm) |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 55 |
| Wins | 48 |
| Wins by KO | 36 |
| Losses | 7 |
Early life
editBefore his boxing career,[2] he blossomed into a three-sport star at Chicago's Harper High School. He was a right handed pitcher who drew attention from the Kansas City Royals, an imposing two-way player at tight end and defensive end on the football field and a front court force on the basketball court. Grant graduated in 1991 and went on to play American Football at Mount San Antonio College near Los Angeles, and Fullerton College in Orange County, California.
Amateur career
editGrant had just 12 amateur fights. In the Golden Gloves 1994 semi-finals he suffered his only amateur loss to Derrick Jefferson on points.
Professional career
editEarly career
editIn his early career, Grant beat Corey Sanders, Ross Puritty, Lionel Butler, Al Cole, Jorge Luis Gonzalez, David Izon and Obed Sullivan. The 1997 Al Cole win earned him the fringe IBC title. Grant made defenses against Jorge Luis Gonzalez, David Izon and Obed Sullivan. In 1999 Michael beat Ahmed Abdin to earn the NABF title, then defeated Lou Savarese. His last fight before the title shot was against Andrew Golota in a WBC eliminator, touching the canvas twice but winning by stoppage in the tenth round after a knockdown when Golota refused to continue.
World title challenge
editGrant's undefeated record and victories against Sullivan, Savarese and Golota earned him an opportunity to challenge newly crowned undisputed heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis. Lewis was coming off a unanimous decision victory against Evander Holyfield and wanted to make a statement with his first title-defence.
Grant started the fight very aggressively but Lewis put him down with a right hand. He got back to his feet and was beaten badly by Lewis, a left hand on the side of the head sending Grant reeling into the corner and counting as a second knockdown. Grant was badly hurt but seemed to recover toward the end of the first round until a vicious right hand sent him down for the third time. Remarkably Grant beat the count. His trainer Don Turner implored him to use his legs. While Grant tried to rally, Lewis took his time in round two before finishing Grant off with an uppercut.
Later career
editSidelined by injuries for fifteen months, in his comeback fight Grant fought and lost to Jameel McCline in 2001. McCline knocked him down in the first round, and Grant had to retire due to a broken ankle. After a brief comeback, then-undefeated Dominick Guinn knocked him out in 2003 in seven rounds. Since the loss, Grant has fought sporadically against limited opposition while having several high-profile trainers, including Don Turner, Teddy Atlas,[3] Buddy McGirt and most recently Eddie Mustafa Muhammad.
On May 7, 2010, Grant fought for the first time in eighteen months and won by first-round technical knockout over Kevin Burnett at Oheka Castle, Huntingdon, NY.[4]
On August 21, 2010, with a 20 kg weight advantage, Grant was physically dominant, but lost on points to Tomasz Adamek by a unanimous decision.[5]
On March 11, 2011, Grant fought Tye Fields at the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas. Grant scored a one-punch third-round knockout.[6]
On November 19, 2011, Grant faced Francois Botha for the vacant World Boxing Federation (WBF) Heavyweight title. Grant won by a 12th-round KO, having needed a KO due to being well behind on all three cards. The fight took place in Johannesburg, South Africa, the first time he had fought outside the USA. Immediately after the fight, Grant called out the Klitschko brothers who held all of the major heavyweight titles.[7] After an 18-month layoff, Grant defended the WBF belt against France-based Cameroonian Carlos Takam on May 24, 2013, in Noisy-le-Grand, France, losing by 8th-round technical knockout.
It was announced in July 2017 that Grant would face Dillian Whyte at the Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Nebraska on August 19,[8] however the fight was scrapped after a backlash from fans, and Dillian would face Malcolm Tann instead.[9]
Professional boxing record
edit| 55 fights | 48 wins | 7 losses |
|---|---|---|
| By knockout | 36 | 6 |
| By decision | 10 | 1 |
| By disqualification | 2 | 0 |
| No. | Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round, time | Date | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 55 | Loss | 48–7 | KO | 2 (8), 1:22 | Apr 22, 2017 | |||
| 54 | Loss | 48–6 | RTD | 5 (10), 3:00 | Oct 24, 2014 | |||
| 53 | Loss | 48–5 | TKO | 8 (12), 0:50 | May 24, 2013 | Lost WBF heavyweight title | ||
| 52 | Win | 48–4 | KO | 12 (12), 2:23 | Nov 19, 2011 | Won vacant WBF heavyweight title | ||
| 51 | Win | 47–4 | KO | 3 (10), 1:06 | Mar 11, 2011 | |||
| 50 | Loss | 46–4 | UD | 12 | Aug 21, 2010 | For IBF International & NABO heavyweight titles | ||
| 49 | Win | 46–3 | TKO | 1 (8), 1:48 | May 7, 2010 | |||
| 48 | Win | 45–3 | UD | 12 | Nov 15, 2008 | Won vacant NABA USA heavyweight title | ||
| 47 | Win | 44–3 | UD | 8 | Jul 11, 2008 | |||
| 46 | Win | 43–3 | TKO | 7 (8), 1:59 | Sep 5, 2007 | |||
| 45 | Win | 42–3 | TKO | 5 (8), 2:17 | Jun 27, 2007 | |||
| 44 | Win | 41–3 | UD | 8 | Jun 24, 2005 | |||
| 43 | Win | 40–3 | TKO | 8, (8) 2:18 | Apr 8, 2005 | |||
| 42 | Win | 39–3 | TKO | 8 (8), 2:04 | Feb 21, 2004 | |||
| 41 | Loss | 38–3 | TKO | 7 (10), 1:21 | Jun 7, 2003 | |||
| 40 | Win | 38–2 | TKO | 8 (10), 2:23 | Apr 18, 2003 | |||
| 39 | Win | 37–2 | TKO | 5 (10) | Jan 24, 2003 | |||
| 38 | Win | 36–2 | TKO | 4 (10) | Nov 7, 2002 | |||
| 37 | Win | 35–2 | TKO | 3 (10), 2:10 | Aug 3, 2002 | |||
| 36 | Win | 34–2 | TKO | 2 (10), 2:55 | Jun 1, 2002 | |||
| 35 | Win | 33–2 | TKO | 5 (8), 2:58 | Apr 13, 2002 | |||
| 34 | Win | 32–2 | TKO | 4 (8), 2:02 | Mar 9, 2002 | |||
| 33 | Loss | 31–2 | TKO | 1 (10), 0:43 | Jul 21, 2001 | |||
| 32 | Loss | 31–1 | KO | 2 (12), 2:53 | Apr 29, 2000 | For WBC, IBF, and IBO heavyweight titles | ||
| 31 | Win | 31–0 | TKO | 10 (12), 1:31 | Nov 20, 1999 | Retained NABF heavyweight title. WBC heavyweight title eliminator | ||
| 30 | Win | 30–0 | UD | 10 | Jun 19, 1999 | |||
| 29 | Win | 29–0 | RTD | 10 (12), 3:00 | Jan 30, 1999 | Won vacant NABF heavyweight title | ||
| 28 | Win | 28–0 | TKO | 9 (12), 2:16 | May 30, 1998 | Retained IBC heavyweight title | ||
| 27 | Win | 27–0 | TKO | 5 (12), 1:07 | Jan 17, 1998 | Retained IBC heavyweight title | ||
| 26 | Win | 26–0 | TKO | 1 (12), 2:00 | Nov 7, 1997 | Retained IBC heavyweight title | ||
| 25 | Win | 25–0 | RTD | 10 (12), 3:00 | Jun 20, 1997 | Won vacant IBC heavyweight title | ||
| 24 | Win | 24–0 | DQ | 4 (10), 0:38 | Apr 19, 1997 | |||
| 23 | Win | 23–0 | SD | 10 | Mar 14, 1997 | |||
| 22 | Win | 22–0 | UD | 10 | Dec 6, 1996 | |||
| 21 | Win | 21–0 | TKO | 3 (?) | Oct 6, 1996 | |||
| 20 | Win | 20–0 | UD | 10 | Jul 21, 1996 | |||
| 19 | Win | 19–0 | TKO | 3 (10), 2:15 | Jun 11, 1996 | |||
| 18 | Win | 18–0 | TKO | 4 (4) | May 10, 1996 | |||
| 17 | Win | 17–0 | TKO | 2 (8), 0:22 | Mar 15, 1996 | |||
| 16 | Win | 16–0 | TKO | 1 (6) | Jan 30, 1996 | |||
| 15 | Win | 15–0 | UD | 6 | Mar 12, 1996 | |||
| 14 | Win | 14–0 | TKO | 6 (?), 1:02 | Dec 7, 1995 | |||
| 13 | Win | 13–0 | TKO | 2 (6) | Nov 10, 1995 | |||
| 12 | Win | 12–0 | TKO | 2 (10) | Sep 22, 1995 | |||
| 11 | Win | 11–0 | TKO | 1 (8), 2:30 | May 20, 1995 | |||
| 10 | Win | 10–0 | TKO | 1 (?) | Dec 6, 1994 | |||
| 9 | Win | 9–0 | PTS | 8 | Dec 3, 1994 | |||
| 8 | Win | 8–0 | DQ | 5 (6), 0:33 | Nov 5, 1994 | |||
| 7 | Win | 7–0 | UD | 4 | Nov 1, 1994 | |||
| 6 | Win | 6–0 | KO | 1 (?) | Oct 22, 1994 | |||
| 5 | Win | 5–0 | KO | 1 (?) | Oct 4, 1994 | |||
| 4 | Win | 4–0 | TKO | 6 (?) | Sep 23, 1994 | |||
| 3 | Win | 3–0 | KO | 1 (?) | Sep 6, 1994 | |||
| 2 | Win | 2–0 | TKO | 2 (?) | Aug 7, 1994 | |||
| 1 | Win | 1–0 | TKO | 1 (4) | Jul 21, 1994 |
References
edit- ^ Persson, Per Ake. "Michael Grant vs. Michael Sprott Set Down For MBS Arena". BoxingScene.com. Retrieved May 9, 2023.
- ^ Staff, B. N. (April 28, 2019). "Michael Grant - When desire is not enough". Boxing News. Retrieved May 9, 2023.
- ^ "The case of Michael Grant - Boxing Blog- ESPN". August 19, 2010.
- ^ Grant By KO, Mitchell KO’d
- ^ Adamek defeats Grant | Boxing News | Fightnews Archived 2012-01-12 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Grant, Casamayor win in Vegas
- ^ "Botha-Grant for vacant WBF belt | Boxing News | Fightnews". Archived from the original on September 28, 2011. Retrieved October 3, 2011.
- ^ "Dillian Whyte vs. Michael Grant Set For August 19, Says Hearn - Boxing News".
- ^ "'Bad press' sees Dillian Whyte v Michael Grant scrapped". July 27, 2017.
External links
edit- Boxing record for Michael Grant from BoxRec (registration required)