No Country for Old Men: Part Seven

This past Saturday, April 22, in Legionowo, Poland, Krzysztof Zimnoch improved to 22-1-1 with a second round KO of 6’7” Michael “Big” Grant who is now 44 years-old. Grant (48-7) suffered his third straight loss — all on European soil and all inside the distance

Yes, this is the same Michael Grant who fought unified heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis 17 years ago at Madison Square Garden, but who last fought in 2014 when he was stopped by Manuel Charr in Russia and in 2013 when he was TKOd by Carlos Takem in France..

Grant was 31-0 coming in against Lewis and many thought he would win. Lewis was coming off two wearing fights with Evander Holyfield, but he beat Grant with ease using a hold-uppercut combo that referee Arthur Mercante Jr. allowed for some unknown reason.

After the Lewis disaster, Grant was stopped by Jameel McCline by the very first punch McCline landed.  Referee Tony Weeks stopped the fight after “Big” Grant said his ankle might be broken.

But prior to the Lewis disaster Grant was decked twice in the first round by Andrew Golota thus exposing chin issues on the part of the tall Chicagoan. But then after being felled by a Grant punch in the tenth round, the Foul Pole tells the referee he doesn’t want to continue thus exposing serious heart issues on the part of the Pole. It also displayed the fact that Grant was no quitter.

Grant’s last win came against Frans Botha in 2011 in a dramatic come-from-behind last round, last minute KO in South Africa to garner the World Boxing Federation World Heavyweight Title. Botha, now 49 years-old, should never get into a boxing ring again. Grant might also want to consider this option as well.