Michael Bentt
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| Medal record | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Competitor for  United States |
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| Men’s Boxing | |||
| North American Amateur Championship
GoldMedal |
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| World Amateur Championships | |||
| Bronze | Reno 1986 | Heavyweight | |
Michael Bentt (born September 4, 1965 in London, United Kingdom) is a retired heavyweight boxer turned actor of Jamaican lineage. He was born in East Dulwich, London, England, but raised in the Cambria Heights section of Queens in New York City.
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[edit] Amateur career
Bentt won four New York Golden Gloves titles and five USA Amateur Boxing championships. Both accomplishments remain unequaled. After having won the bronze medal at the 1986 World Amateur Boxing Championships he was placed a controversial second in the 1988 US Olympic Trials to the eventual 1988 Olympic Gold Medalist, Ray Mercer.
As both his mother and father are Jamaican citizens, he won the right to fight on the Jamaican Olympic Boxing Team after stopping the island nations top amateur heavyweights in the 1988 Jamaican Olympic Trials. But, he refused when confronted with the provision that he'd have to relinquish his U. S. citizenship in order to accompany the team to Seoul.
Bentt is regarded as the most decorated boxer in the history of American amateur boxing never to have competed on a US Olympic Boxing Team. [1]
Other Amateur Boxing highlights include: 1981 New York City Police Athletic League Champion, 1980 NYC Kids Gloves Champion, Three time Empire State Game Heavyweight champion (201 lb, 1982, 1983, 1984) three time selected member of the United States All American National Boxing Team (1985, 1986, 1987), captain of the 1986 U.S.A Goodwill Games Boxing Team and the 1987 US Pan-Am Boxing Team. Was a bronze medalist in each of those competitions. Also received the Bronze medal at the 1985 World Amateur Championships(Seoul,Korea) and the Gold Medal at the 1985 North American Championship(Beaumont, TX).
In 1985, was the recipient of the 'Sugar' Ray Robinson Award as the most outstanding boxer in the New York City Golden Gloves tourney that year. Also named the USA All-American Amateur Boxing Team three times.
One the greatest moments of his amateur boxing career include avenging an earlier defeat suffered at the hands of the then 3 time World Amateur Heavyweight Champion, Alexander Yagubkin, at the 1986 World Championships in Reno, Nevada.
Prior to the loss to Bentt, Yagubkin had been victorious over every American heavyweight he encountered during a three year period. This included a Moscow decision win over Michael's older brother Winston, himself a member of the US National Team.
Michael remained undefeated domestically for a four year period before being denied an Olympic Team berth at the 1988 U.S.A Olympic Trials.
As an homage to Stephan Johnson, a former amateur teammate at the Bed-Stuy (Bedford-Stuyvesant) Boxing Association who succumbed to injuries suffered in a professional boxing match in Atlantic City, Michael privately presented Stephan's mother with a pair of his own New York City Golden Glove championship medallions.
Bentt declined serving as an Alternate on the 1988 Olympic Boxing Team.
[edit] Professional career
Bentt turned professional under Emanuel Steward; and was KO'ed in the first round by Jerry Jones in his pro debut. Bentt maintained that neither he nor Steward knew Jones was a southpaw but counts both the devastation and humiliation suffered that night as "hugely valuable and key" to his massive upset of Tommy Morrison some four years later. After the loss to Jones Bentt returned to boxing after a 20-month hiatus. After a few wins he signed with manager Stan Hoffman, and was trained by former Light Heavyweight Champion Eddie Mustafa Muhammad. Bentt then put together a modest win streak, had a couple of losses, and retired with an 11-2 record.
For a two year period in the early 1990s served as chief sparring partner for then World Heavyweight Champion Evander Holyfield.
In October of 1993 Bentt sent tremors throughout the sportsworld with a shocking and decisive ninety seven second first round knockout of Tommy 'The Duke' Morrison to capture the WBO World Heavyweight Championship. The American-based boxer lost his WBO belt to Herbie Hide in the New Den, Millwall, England, in 1994. The fight would be his last after being rushed to the hospital and told he could never fight again. Bentt had suffered brain injuries in the loss, and although the injuries did not negatively impact the quality of his thoughts or mental sharpness, it was feared that future impacts to the head could result in permanent long-term injury or even death.
[edit] After boxing
Turning to acting, he was the second actor cast after Will Smith in Michael Mann's 'ALI'. Michael landed the coveted role of Charles 'Sonny' Liston. Also served as both Will Smith's chief sparring partner and assistant trainer during the six months of boxing training prior to the principal photography of 'ALI'. He has contributed essays as a writer for 'BERT SUGAR'S FIGHTGAME' and the 'HBO BOXING WEBSITE'. Has commentated on boxing matches for Bob Arum's Top Rank Boxing on ESPN(USA), Filmnet(Holland),and BBC Radio(England).
In 2006 he had an on camera audition in Puerto Rico as part of HBO's Championship Boxing's search for an expert boxing commentator for the networks newest boxing segment. Eventually the candidates were narrowed down to Bentt and recently retired former Heavyweight Champion, Lenox Lewis.
In 2003, was Northampton College's(Pennsylvania) first actor-in-residence during which he played the title role in OTHELLO:THE MOOR OF VENICE.
Has worked with directors Michael Mann(three times),Ron Shelton(twice), Clint Eastwood, Sylvester Stallone and Bill Norton(five times).
Starred as 'Biggis'/'El Plaga' opposite Beanie Sigel, Noriega and Damon Dash in the Dash directed hip hop classic State Property 2.
At various times after relocating, passed written exams and awaited entrance into the police academies in New York City, Miami,Florida and Las Vegas,Nevada.
Filmography: Blue, The Neighbor, Rocky Balboa, Broken, Million Dollar Baby, State Property 2, Collateral, Fighting Tommy Riley, Hollywood Homicide, Dark Blue, Ali, El Padrino, Niche, Girlfight, Shadowboxers. Television appearances: Heartland, Threshold, JAG, Medium, The Guardian, Firefly, Robbery Homicide Division, Invisible Man.
Currently filming 'Public Enemies' starring Johnny Depp as John Dillinger and Christian Bale as FBI Agent Melvin Purvin. Director Michael Mann handpicked Bentt,without audtioning him, to play Herbert Youngblood,who himself was imprisoned in the same Indiana jail that he and Dillinger would 'famously' escaped from. This marks the fourth such time that Bentt and the acclaimed director have worked together.
[edit] References
- ^ 'Rocky Lives' by David E. Finger
- ^ " SPORTS PEOPLE: BOXING; Bentt Released From Hospital", The New York Times, March 22, 1994. Accessed August 25, 2007.
[edit] External links
| Preceded by Tommy Morrison |
WBO World Heavyweight Championship 29 Oct 1993–19 Mar 1994 |
Succeeded by Herbie Hide |
| Preceded by Henry Milligan |
United States Amateur Heavyweight Champion 1984 |
Succeeded by Jerry Goff |
| Preceded by Jerry Goff |
United States Amateur Heavyweight Champion 1986 - 1987 |
Succeeded by Ray Mercer |
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