Montell Griffin
Encyclopedia
Montell Julian Griffin is an American
boxer
. He is best known for his two bouts at Light Heavyweight with Roy Jones Jr.
twice by decision in 1995 and 1996. These wins earned Griffin the lightly regarded WBU title, as well as a lucrative bout against WBC champion Roy Jones Jr.
, despite knocking him down and out-landing him according to punchstats.
Four consecutive knockout wins later, the now 38-2 Griffin squared off against 40-0 WBO title holder, Poland's Dariusz Michalczewski
, in 1999.
The 29-year-old Griffin won the first three rounds on the cards, but was cut by the 31-year-old Michalczewski's jab in the second round. In the fourth, Griffin was twice staggered, and took 14 unanswered shots to the head and gloves, which forced referee Joe Cortez to stop the bout.
In 2002, Griffin earned another WBC and IBF titleshot by defeating 22-2 southpaw Derrick Harmon
via a wide decision. In 2003, Griffin went the distance with Antonio Tarver
losing a wide decision. After he was in his mid-thirties, he would go on to lose to Rico Hoye by split decision, to Julio César González
when the bout was stopped in the early goings on a technicality and sent to the scorecards, and Glencoffe Johnson by TKO11, all three were IBF eliminators. He also lost on points to current light heavyweight champion Beibut Shumenov
.in a bid to capture his 50th win griffin was held to a draw by former jr. middleweight contender ross thompson on May 29 2010
Griffin compiled a very respectable resume over the course of his career: he has two wins over James Toney
, a disqualification win over Roy Jones Jr.
, and wins over contenders Ka-Dy King, Ray Lathon
, Randall Yonker, Derrick Harmon and George Khalid Jones.
Regional/International Titles:
At the 1992 Olympic Trials in Worcester, Massachusetts
, Griffin was outpointed in the final by Jeremy Williams
. However, at the Olympic Box-offs he outpointed Williams twice, to earn an Olympic bid at Light Heavyweight. His Olympic results were:
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
boxer
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
. He is best known for his two bouts at Light Heavyweight with Roy Jones Jr.
Professional career
Griffin, nicknamed "Ice," began his pro career in 1993. He rose to fame when he defeated James ToneyJames Toney
James Nathanial Toney is an American professional boxer who has held world titles in the middleweight, super middleweight, and cruiserweight divisions. Toney currently fights in the heavyweight division in boxing and also now competes in mixed martial arts.-Boxing career:Toney's amateur boxing...
twice by decision in 1995 and 1996. These wins earned Griffin the lightly regarded WBU title, as well as a lucrative bout against WBC champion Roy Jones Jr.
Gaining and losing the championship
After his 1996 win over Toney, Griffin landed a shot at WBC Light Heavyweight Title holder Roy Jones Jr. Griffin handed Jones his first professional defeat. But the defeat was also filled with controversy. A frustrated Jones dropped Griffin with a series of hard and fast, head and body punches in round nine, and then hit him again twice on the head after Griffin had taken a knee on the canvas, leading to Jones's disqualification. They had an immediate rematch, and on August 21, Jones regained the WBC Light Heavyweight Title by knocking out Griffin in the first round.Post-championship career
After the loss to Jones, Griffin remained a top-ranked light heavyweight for six years. He won 11 of his next 12 bouts, losing only a split decision to undefeated but unknown southpaw Eric HardingEric Harding
-Career:Harding turned pro in 1991 and was undefeated in his first 20 fights. These wins included a fight in which he defeated future champion Montell Griffin by split decision to win the NABF light heavyweight title on Nov 13, 1998, and a unanimous decision over then undefeated contender Antonio...
, despite knocking him down and out-landing him according to punchstats.
Four consecutive knockout wins later, the now 38-2 Griffin squared off against 40-0 WBO title holder, Poland's Dariusz Michalczewski
Dariusz Michalczewski
Dariusz Michalczewski is a retired Polish- German boxer and former Lineal, WBO, WBA, & IBF light heavyweight champion and WBO cruiserweight champion.-Early career:...
, in 1999.
The 29-year-old Griffin won the first three rounds on the cards, but was cut by the 31-year-old Michalczewski's jab in the second round. In the fourth, Griffin was twice staggered, and took 14 unanswered shots to the head and gloves, which forced referee Joe Cortez to stop the bout.
In 2002, Griffin earned another WBC and IBF titleshot by defeating 22-2 southpaw Derrick Harmon
Derrick Harmon
Derrick Todd Harmon is a former professional American football player who played running back for the San Francisco 49ers from 1984 to 1986.Harmon played college football at Cornell University, where he still holds numerous records...
via a wide decision. In 2003, Griffin went the distance with Antonio Tarver
Antonio Tarver
Antonio Deon Tarver , nicknamed the "Magic Man", is a professional boxer from Orlando, Florida and the former WBC, WBA, IBF, & The Ring light heavyweight champion....
losing a wide decision. After he was in his mid-thirties, he would go on to lose to Rico Hoye by split decision, to Julio César González
Julio Cesar Gonzalez
Julio César González Ibarra is a Mexican boxer and the former Lineal & WBO light heavyweight champion.Gonzalez was born in Guerrero Negro, Baja California Sur, and still claims Mexico as his native country although he has lived in the United States for several years...
when the bout was stopped in the early goings on a technicality and sent to the scorecards, and Glencoffe Johnson by TKO11, all three were IBF eliminators. He also lost on points to current light heavyweight champion Beibut Shumenov
Beibut Shumenov
Beibut Shumenov, is a Kazakh professional boxer who fights in the light heavyweight division. He is the current WBA Light Heavyweight Champion.-Amateur career:Shumenov represented Kazakhstan in the 2004 Summer Olympics...
.in a bid to capture his 50th win griffin was held to a draw by former jr. middleweight contender ross thompson on May 29 2010
Griffin compiled a very respectable resume over the course of his career: he has two wins over James Toney
James Toney
James Nathanial Toney is an American professional boxer who has held world titles in the middleweight, super middleweight, and cruiserweight divisions. Toney currently fights in the heavyweight division in boxing and also now competes in mixed martial arts.-Boxing career:Toney's amateur boxing...
, a disqualification win over Roy Jones Jr.
Roy Jones Jr.
Roy Jones, Jr. is an American boxer. As a professional he has captured numerous world titles in the middleweight, super middleweight, light heavyweight, and heavyweight divisions...
, and wins over contenders Ka-Dy King, Ray Lathon
Ray Lathon
Ray Lathon, was an American boxer.-Amateur career:Known as "Lethal", Lathon was a stellar amateur, and in 1989, he was the U.S. Amateur Middleweight champion and won the Golden Gloves and USA Boxing titles...
, Randall Yonker, Derrick Harmon and George Khalid Jones.
Other championships
Minor World Titles:- WBU Light Heavyweight Champion
- IBC Light Heavyweight Champion
Regional/International Titles:
- IBF Intercontinental Light Heavyweight Champion
- NABF Light Heavyweight Champion (twice)
- WBC Continental Americas Light Heavyweight (three occasions)
- USBA Light Heavyweight Champion
Amateur career
Griffin compiled an amateur record of 36-5. He won the 1992 United States Amateur Light Heavyweight title.At the 1992 Olympic Trials in Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
, Griffin was outpointed in the final by Jeremy Williams
Jeremy Williams (boxer)
Jeremy Williams is a former professional boxer and mixed martial artist.-Amateur career:As an amateur, he was the 1989 and 1990 United States amateur Light Heavyweight champion and the 1990 and 1991 National Golden Gloves Light Heavyweight champion, and is a member of the Golden Gloves hall of...
. However, at the Olympic Box-offs he outpointed Williams twice, to earn an Olympic bid at Light Heavyweight. His Olympic results were:
- France MabiletsaFrance MabiletsaFrance Mabiletsa is an Olympic light heavyweight boxer from Botswana. He won a bronze medal at the 1994 Commonwealth Games and competed at the 1992 Summer Olympics.-References:...
(Botswana) won on points - Yo-Da Ko (South Korea) won on points
- Torsten MayTorsten MayTorsten May was a German boxer, who won the Light Heavyweight Gold medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics.-Amateur career:*1991 German National Light Heavyweight champion...
(Germany) lost on points