Otis Grant

For the football player, see Otis Grant (American football).
Otis Grant
Personal information
Full name Otis Grant
Nickname(s) "Magic"
Nationality Canada Canadian
Born (1967-12-23) December 23, 1967
Jamaica Saint Ann, Jamaica
Height 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)
Weight 73 kg (161 lb)
Sport
Sport Boxing
Rated at Middleweight

Otis Grant (born December 23, 1967) is a Canadian retired boxer. As an amateur he won a silver medal for Canada at the 1987 Pan American Games, losing to Cuba's Angel Espinosa in the final. He is a two-time North American Boxing Federation (NABF) middleweight title holder, as well as recognized for being the first black Quebecer to win a WBO championship.[1][2]

Early life

Born in Saint Ann, Jamaica, Otis and his family moved to Montreal in 1977, when he was 9 years old. A multi sport athlete, he began boxing at age 11 alongside his older brother Howard, and earned the nickname “Magic” from family members who related his basketball ability to hall of famer Magic Johnson.[3] At 17 years old, Grant had won the Canadian Senior Amateur Boxing Championships (CSABC) in his weight division of 71 kilos (156.5 pounds).[4] This would propel him to compete at the World Youth Championship for the Canadian national team, despite his junior status.[5] Later on, Otis competed at the 1987 Pan American Games, earning a silver medal by being defeated in the finals against Cuba’s Angel Espinosa, before turning pro.[6]

Professional career

Known as "Magic", Grant turned pro in 1988 and captured the vacant WBO middleweight title in 1997 with a decision over Ryan Rhodes in England. He vacated the belt following a defense against Ernesto Rafael Sena in 1998.

Fight vs Roy Jones Jr.

After a successful career thus far as the middleweight title holder, Grant vacated his belt to challenge prevailing champ Roy Jones Jr in 1998 for the WBC and WBA light heavyweight titles, moving up two weight classes to make his debut in the light heavyweight division. The fighters decided on a catch-weight match, with Grant and Jones Jr. coming into the ring at 172 lbs (78 kg)and 171 lbs (77.56 kg), respectively.[7] Grant had been a large underdog coming into the fight. Jones Jr had the upper hand throughout the match up, earning knock downs in the 6th and 10th rounds. After his second knock down in the 10th round, Grant’s trainer Russ Anber threw in the towel, giving Jones Jr. the TKO victory.[8]

Comeback

Following Grant’s near-fatal car crash in 1999, doctors stated that although his superb condition saved his life,[9] he would be unable to continue boxing.[10] Nevertheless, Grant was determined to make a return to the ring in search of another title shot as a super middleweight. After a 4 year hiatus, he had his first fight back against Dongaan Thobela(40-10-2), defeating him convincingly in 8 rounds. Grant continued his winning streak for another straight 6 fights, until he faced off against Librado Andrade (23-0) in 2006 for the WBC Super Middleweight number 1 contender position. After being beat throughout the fight, Grant’s team elected to sit out at the 8th round, giving Andrade the victory and the title shot. Grant chose this opportunity to retire, stating that it was now his time to “bow out, and bow out gracefully”.[11]

Personal life

Education

Grant took up post-secondary studies at Vanier College, eventually becoming one of their most well-known alumni. Following his cegep graduation, he enrolled in Concordia University and earned a BA in recreation and leisure studies, becoming a member of their class of ‘93.[12]

Accident

In June 1999, Grant was involved in a dangerous collision during a road trip back to Montreal.[13] Grant, who was the driver of the car, noticed an oncoming vehicle travelling north on a southbound lane and swerved towards the right to avoid contact for the passengers, but took the car’s full impact on the driver’s side. Passengers included former pro boxer Hercules Kyvelos and his then 6-year-old daughter. All were rushed to the emergency room in separate ambulances, although the passengers were virtually unscathed. Once recognizing that his daughter was safe at the hospital, Grant slipped into a coma for seven days.[14] Other injuries sustained during the crash included five broken ribs, a punctured lung, and a shattered shoulder blade, all on his left hand side. This accident came only six months after vacating his WBO (World Boxing Organization) title belt. Once reviewed by doctors, Grant was essentially told he would never be able to return to the ring. Despite this, he made his official comeback in 2003, earning a unanimous decision victory over former world champion Dingaan Thobela.[15]

Community work

After being approached by an organization to loan his name for charity,[16] Grant became convinced to use his name to aid the needy. Thus, the Otis Grant & Friends foundation was created. The Otis Grant & Friends is a non profit charity, established in 1999, initially formed to aid hunger, poverty and sicknesses within the community. The organization has grown generously, now donating food, clothes and medicine to communities all across Canada.[17][18] In addition to this, the organization sends children to summer camps whose families can’t afford it, gives aid to special needs students at the high school level, as well as providing scholarships to graduating high school students who plan on post-secondary studies.[19]

Grant also spends time working as a teacher’s assistant and counsellor for special needs students at Lindsay Place, a local high school in Montreal, helping them adjust to school life.[20] He is currently the coordinator at the community learning centre at Riverdale high school.

For all of his actions and benevolence towards the community, Otis Grant had been named the 2007 Concordia Alumnus of the year.[21]

Future outside the ring

Otis Grant, along with his brother Howard Grant, own a boxing gym in Dollard-Des-Ormeaux, Montreal, named Grant Brothers Boxing where he coaches and manages amateur boxing events and also professional events in association with Rixa Promotions and Groupe Yvon Michel. he is also involved in two boxing brands: Grant Boxing and GBB.[22] He is married to Betty Mullins and has 2 children. He lives with his family in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Recently the professional boxing gloves he helped developed ranked as the best gloves in term of protection with an average of 0.0005% ratio of injuries while according to the John Hopkin's Medical School is 3.6%.

Professional boxing record

38 Wins (17 knockouts, 21 decisions), 3 Losses (3 knockouts), 1 Draw
Result Record Opponent Type Round Date Location Notes
Loss 38-3-1 Mexico Librado Andrade RTD 7 (12) 08/04/2006 Canada Montreal Casino, Montreal, Quebec Lost WBC World Super Middleweight Title Eliminator.
Win 38-2-1 United States Donnell Wiggins UD 10 29/10/2005 Canada Lac Leamy Casino, Gatineau, Quebec
Win 37-2-1 Ghana Charles Adamu UD 12 18/06/2005 Canada Bell Centre, Montreal, Quebec Retained WBC International Super Middleweight Title.
Win 36-2-1 Australia Nader Hamdan UD 12 12/03/2005 Canada Montreal Casino, Montreal, Quebec Retained WBC International Super Middleweight Title.
Win 35-2-1 Costa Rica Henry Porras UD 12 11/12/2004 Canada Montreal Casino, Montreal, Quebec Won WBC International Super Middleweight Title.
Win 34-2-1 Canada Mark Woolnough UD 10 11/09/2004 Canada Montreal Casino, Montreal, Quebec Won Canada Super Middleweight Title.
Win 33-2-1 United States Prince Badi Ajamu MD 10 24/04/2004 Canada Colisée Pepsi, Quebec City, Quebec
Win 32-2-1 South Africa Dingaan Thobela UD 8 22/11/2003 Canada Bell Centre, Montreal, Quebec
Loss 31-2-1 United States Roy Jones, Jr. TKO 10 (12) 14/11/1998 United States Foxwoods Resort, Mashantucket, Connecticut Lost WBC and WBA World Light Heavyweight Titles.
Win 31-1-1 Argentina Ernesto Rafael Sena TD 9 12/05/1998 Canada Corel Centre, Ottawa, Ontario Retained WBO World Middleweight Title.
Win 30-1-1 United Kingdom Ryan Rhodes UD 12 13/12/1997 United Kingdom Ponds Forge, Sheffield, Yorkshire Won vacant WBO World Middleweight Title.
Win 29-1-1 Puerto Rico Danny Garcia TKO 7 (12) 27/07/1997 United States Belle Casino, Baton Rouge, Louisiana Retained NABF Middleweight Title.
Draw 28-1-1 United States Lonnie Bradley PTS 12 04/03/1997 United States The Aladdin, Las Vegas, Nevada WBO World Middleweight Title.
Win 28-1 United States Rodney Toney MD 12 18/06/1996 United States Convention Center, Edison, New Jersey Retained NABF Middleweight Title.
Win 27-1 United States James Green TKO 12 15/01/1996 United States Landmark Inn, Woodbridge, New Jersey Retained NABF Middleweight Title.
Win 26-1 United States Derrick James DQ 11 (12) 10/10/1995 United States Blue Cross Arena, Rochester, New York Won NABF Middleweight Title.
Win 25-1 United States Undra White UD 10 24/02/1995 Canada Palais des Sports, Jonquière, Quebec
Win 24-1 United States William Bo James PTS 10 15/12/1994 United States Foxwoods Resort, Mashantucket, Connecticut
Win 23-1 United States Jerry Lee Williams UD 10 15/11/1994 Canada Forum, Montreal, Quebec
Loss 22-1 United States Quincy Taylor KO 12 (12) 15/03/1994 United States The Roxy, Boston, Massachusetts Lost NABF Middleweight Title.
Win 22-0 United States Willie Monroe UD 12 05/10/1993 United States The Riviera, Las Vegas, Nevada Retained NABF Middleweight Title.
Win 21-0 United States Brett Lally TKO 4 (12) 03/08/1993 United States The Riviera, Las Vegas, Nevada Retained NABF Middleweight Title.
Win 20-0 United States Tyrone Moore KO 2 (10) 18/06/1993 Canada Hotel Le Roussillon, Jonquière, Quebec
Win 19-0 United States Ron Collins UD 12 08/12/1992 Canada Forum, Montreal, Quebec Retained NABF Middleweight Title.
Win 18-0 United States Gilbert Baptist UD 12 28/09/1992 Canada Verdun, Quebec Won vacant NABF Middleweight Title.
Win 17-0 Canada Todd Nadon TKO 3 (12) 17/03/1992 Canada Forum, Montreal, Quebec Retained Canada Middleweight Title.
Win 16-0 United States Darryl Anthony UD 10 10/12/1991 Canada Montreal, Quebec
Win 15-0 Canada Dan Sherry RTD 7 (12) 27/09/1991 Canada Memorial Arena, Niagara Falls, Ontario Won Canada Middleweight Title.
Win 14-0 United States Eddie Tyler TKO 2 (8) 31/05/1991 Canada St. Joseph Arena, Shediac, New Brunswick
Win 13-0 Canada Jaime Ollenberger TKO 3 (12) 18/03/1991 Canada Halifax Forum, Halifax, Nova Scotia Won WBC Intercontinental Super Middleweight Title.
Win 12-0 Canada Darrell Flint KO 1 (8) 25/10/1990 Canada Forum, Montreal, Quebec
Win 11-0 United States Knox Brown TKO 6 (10) 02/10/1990 Canada The Palace, Laval, Quebec
Win 10-0 United States Danny Mitchell UD 8 01/08/1990 Canada Copps Coliseum, Hamilton, Ontario
Win 9-0 United States Dwayne North KO 1 11/04/1990 United States Albany, New York
Win 8-0 United States Art McCloud TKO 1 03/10/1989 United States The Blue Horizon, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Win 7-0 United States John Wilkinson TKO 3 (6) 27/06/1989 Canada Paul Sauvé Arena, Montreal, Quebec
Win 6-0 United States Fred Johnson KO 1 16/06/1989 United States Hartford, Connecticut
Win 5-0 United States Don Carroll PTS 4 23/05/1989 United States Showboat Hotel and Casino, Atlantic City, New Jersey
Win 4-0 Canada Stokely Crichlow TKO 1 (6) 05/05/1989 United States Hartford Civic Center, Hartford, Connecticut
Win 3-0 Canada Alan Cormier TKO 3 (4) 28/04/1989 United States Roseland Ballroom, Taunton, Massachusetts
Win 2-0 Canada Bernard Rompre TKO 1 (4) 20/03/1989 Canada Paul Sauvé Arena, Montreal, Quebec
Win 1-0 United States John Gross UD 4 29/11/1988 Canada Montreal Forum, Montreal, Quebec Grant pro debut.
Preceded by
Lonnie Bradley
Vacated		 WBO Middleweight boxing champion
13 Dec 1997–14 Nov 1998
Vacated 		Succeeded by
Bert Schenk

References

  1. ↑ http://www.concordia.ca/alumni-giving/alumni/news/awards-honours/recognition-awards/alumnus-alumna-of-the-year/2007/02/otis-grant.php
  2. ↑ http://hour.ca/2005/10/27/hit-me-with-your-best-shot/
  3. ↑ http://hour.ca/2005/10/27/hit-me-with-your-best-shot/
  4. ↑ https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1946&dat=19850513&id=AoY0AAAAIBAJ&sjid=2KUFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1457,1559288
  5. ↑ https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1946&dat=19850513&id=AoY0AAAAIBAJ&sjid=2KUFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1457,1559288
  6. ↑ http://directory.espeakers.com/team/speaker.php?sid=11805&showreturntoresults=true
  7. ↑ http://www.vaniercollege.qc.ca/notablealumni/otisgrant/prior_nov2003_interview.html
  8. ↑ http://www.thesweetscience.com/columnists/joe-rein/3667-otis-grant-magic-man-set-to-disappear
  9. ↑ http://www.thesweetscience.com/columnists/joe-rein/3667-otis-grant-magic-man-set-to-disappear
  10. ↑ http://directory.espeakers.com/team/speaker.php?sid=11805&showreturntoresults=true
  11. ↑ http://www.thesweetscience.com/columnists/joe-rein/3667-otis-grant-magic-man-set-to-disappear
  12. ↑ http://www.concordia.ca/alumni-giving/alumni/news/awards-honours/recognition-awards/alumnus-alumna-of-the-year/2007/02/otis-grant.php
  13. ↑ http://hour.ca/2005/10/27/hit-me-with-your-best-shot/
  14. ↑ http://hour.ca/2005/10/27/hit-me-with-your-best-shot/
  15. ↑ http://www.thesweetscience.com/columnists/joe-rein/3667-otis-grant-magic-man-set-to-disappear
  16. ↑ http://directory.espeakers.com/team/speaker.php?sid=11805&showreturntoresults=true
  17. ↑ http://www.otisgrantandfriends.com/about_charity.html
  18. ↑ http://montreal.ctvnews.ca/otis-grant-former-boxer-helping-the-community-1.833385
  19. ↑ http://www.otisgrantandfriends.com/about_charity.html
  20. ↑ http://www.concordia.ca/alumni-giving/alumni/news/awards-honours/recognition-awards/alumnus-alumna-of-the-year/2007/02/otis-grant.php
  21. ↑ http://www.concordia.ca/alumni-giving/alumni/news/awards-honours/recognition-awards/alumnus-alumna-of-the-year/2007/02/otis-grant.php
  22. ↑ http://montreal.ctvnews.ca/otis-grant-former-boxer-helping-the-community-1.833385
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