Michael Anthony Grant (born August 4, 1972) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1994 to 2017. He challenged once for the unified WBC, IBF, and IBO heavyweight titles in 2000. At regional level, he held the NABF heavyweight title in 1999.
Early life Before his boxing career, 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 Grant 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 Early career In 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
Grant'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 Sidelined 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, 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.Grant By KO, Mitchell KO’d
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.Adamek defeats Grant | Boxing News | Fightnews
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.Grant, Casamayor win in Vegas
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. 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, however the fight was scrapped after a backlash from fans, and Dillian would face Malcolm Tann instead.
Professional boxing record
ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes55Loss48–7Krzysztof ZimnochKO2 (8), Apr 22, 201754Loss48–6Manuel CharrRTD5 (10), Oct 24, 201453Loss48–5Carlos TakamTKO8 (12), May 24, 201352Win48–4Francois BothaKO12 (12), Nov 19, 201151Win47–4Tye FieldsKO3 (10), Mar 11, 201150Loss46–4Tomasz AdamekUD12Aug 21, 201049Win46–3Kevin BurnettTKO1 (8), May 7, 201048Win45–3Paul MarinaccioUD12Nov 15, 200847Win44–3Demetrice KingUD8Jul 11, 200846Win43–3Kevin MontiyTKO7 (8), Sep 5, 200745Win42–3Billy ZumbrunTKO5 (8), Jun 27, 200744Win41–3Marcus McGeeUD8Jun 24, 200543Win40–3Wallace McDanielTKO8, (8) Apr 8, 200542Win39–3Charles HatcherTKO8 (8), Feb 21, 200441Loss38–3Dominick GuinnTKO7 (10), Jun 7, 200340Win38–2Gilbert MartinezTKO8 (10), Apr 18, 200339Win37–2Carlton JohnsonTKO5 (10)Jan 24, 200338Win36–2James WaltonTKO4 (10)Nov 7, 200237Win35–2Robert DavisTKO3 (10), Aug 3, 200236Win34–2Anthony WillisTKO2 (10), Jun 1, 200235Win33–2Joe LenhartTKO5 (8), Apr 13, 200234Win32–2Reynaldo MinusTKO4 (8), Mar 9, 200233Loss31–2Jameel McClineTKO1 (10), Jul 21, 200132Loss31–1Lennox LewisKO2 (12), Apr 29, 200031Win31–0Andrew GolotaTKO10 (12), Nov 20, 199930Win30–0Lou SavareseUD10Jun 19, 199929Win29–0Ahmed AbdinRTD10 (12), Jan 30, 199928Win28–0Obed SullivanTKO9 (12), May 30, 199827Win27–0David IzonTKO5 (12), Jan 17, 199826Win26–0Jorge Luis GonzalezTKO1 (12), Nov 7, 199725Win25–0Alfred ColeRTD10 (12), Jun 20, 199724Win24–0Lionel ButlerDQ4 (10), Apr 19, 199723Win23–0Jeff WoodenSD10Mar 14, 199722Win22–0Ray AnisUD10Dec 6, 199621Win21–0Louis MonacoTKO3 (?)Oct 6, 199620Win20–0Ross PurittyUD10Jul 21, 199619Win19–0Ed DonaldsonTKO3 (10), Jun 11, 199618Win18–0Olian AlexanderTKO4 (4)May 10, 199617Win17–0Corey SandersTKO2 (8), Mar 15, 199616Win16–0Rick SullivanTKO1 (6)Jan 30, 199615Win15–0Bradley RoneUD6Mar 12, 199614Win14–0Mike DixonTKO6 (?), Dec 7, 199513Win13–0Tim NobleTKO2 (6)Nov 10, 199512Win12–0Stanley WrightTKO2 (10)Sep 22, 199511Win11–0Lou TurchiarelliTKO1 (8), May 20, 199510Win10–0Tyrone DixonTKO1 (?)Dec 6, 19949Win9–0Danny WoffordPTS8Dec 3, 19948Win8–0Steve EdwardsDQ5 (6), Nov 5, 19947Win7–0John Basil JacksonUD4Nov 1, 19946Win6–0Carlton BrownKO1 (?)Oct 22, 19945Win5–0Ed StricklandKO1 (?)Oct 4, 19944Win4–0Elvin EvansTKO6 (?)Sep 23, 19943Win3–0Frankie HinesKO1 (?)Sep 6, 19942Win2–0Jerome JonesTKO2 (?)Aug 7, 19941Win1–0Ernest EnglishTKO1 (4)Jul 21, 1994
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