Why didn't Michael Grant ever pan out

He was the future of the division

 

Ask Michael Katz.

 

Defense. Boxing smarts. During that timeframe, what HBO fighter wasn't the greatest next best thing? They hyped everyone on their roster.

 

This. Besides height and reach Grant didn't bring much to the table. He couldn't punch, wasn't very durable, and didn't seem to have much heart. Also, he never full developed his skill set.

 

Sure didn't prevent HBO and the American based boxing magazines from hyping him however. Lots of folks just buy into what they are told and what they read. You just had to watch him closely and you'd see more things wrong than you'd see right.

 

You also had that "Don Turner" mystique with the guy. Turner was getting fantastic respect from the boxing world at that time and so the assumption being made was he had the midas touch and Grant was going to automatically benefit.

 

Converted footballer. Big, hard-hitting, tough, no skills and a poor chin.

Boxing is a funny sport in that it has that unique aspect of the chin. If you don't have it, even very skilled guys like Jr. Jones or Mark Breland can only go so far. You can't really take a guy whose skills are in football, train him real quick, and expect him to excel unless he just has a real good natural beard.

See Seth Mithcell, Mark Gasineau, etc.

 

I think mentally the loss to Lennox Lewis ruined him. I actually saw that coming when he was knocked down twice by Golota, that Lewis would destroy him. I think he became very unsure of himself and gun-shy after Lewis beat him. He beat some good fighters, David Izon, Al Cole, Obed Sullivan, Lou Savarese, and Golota.
Other guys like Hasim Rahman who have been ko'd, bounce back with little effect, Grant was not one of them.

 

He simply wasn't good enough.

 

His chin wasn't sturdy enough to handle a big banger .And barely getting by Golota wrecked his confidence imo.

 

Levels

 

I agree with pretty what everyone else said but I think it can also be stated that he suffered a nasty ankle/leg injury and it wasnt aided at all in the McCline fight where he seemed to suffer the injury when hit with the first punch of the fight.

 

Needed Emanuel Steward. Got Teddy Atlas.

 

Another thing about Grant: His career was in the dump from 2001 to 2003. He then fought no-hopers and reappeared in 2010 to give a Adamek (who was highly rated) a tough fight and followed it up by stopping Tye Fields and Botha. I think that gives some evidence that he could've stayed relevant in the 2000s with different career handling.

 

golota knocked him down 4 times. then in the 11th, grant knocked him down, golota got up and said to the ref, "i quit!" it was more of golota beating himself than grants beating him.