Lennox Lewis vs Michael Grant

Date: 2000-04-29 Location: Madison Square Garden, New York, New York, USA Referee: Arthur Mercante Jr Judge: Anek Hongtongkam  Judge: Melvina Lathan  Judge: Steve Weisfeld  Promoter: Main Events Ring Announcer: Michael Buffer World Boxing Council Heavyweight Title (7th defense by Lewis) International Boxing Federation Heavyweight Title (1st defense by Lewis) On November 13, 1999,  WBC heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis defeated WBA/IBF heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield by a 12-round unanimous decision to become the first Undisputed World Heavyweight Champion since Riddick Bowe in 1992. When Lewis and Holyfield signed to fight, they agreed that the winner’s next bout would be against the WBA’s top contender. However, in February 2000, it was announced that Lewis would fight Michael Grant, the No. 5 contender, on April 29. The WBA agreed to sanction the fight on the condition that the winner agree to fight the top contender within 180 days. Don King, the promoter of John Ruiz, the No. 1 contender, filed suit to force the WBA to strip Lewis and allow Ruiz to face Holyfield, the No. 2 contender, for the vacant title. On April 12, 2000, a federal judge ruled that the WBA could not sanction the Lewis-Grant bout and that Lewis must surrender the WBA title if he fought Grant. Lewis went through with the fight against Grant and was stripped of the WBA title. “I don’t care what they say,“ Lewis said. “I’m still undisputed.“ Lewis earned $7.5 million and Grant $2.5 million. There was a crowd of 17,324. The fight generated 350,000 pay-per-view buys. Lewis landed 47 of 80 punches, while Grant connected on 22 of 47. Grant was knocked down three times in the first round and once in the second round. #heavyweightboxing #lennoxlewis #michaelgrant #knockout