Michael Bennett (boxer) facts for kids
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Men's amateur boxing | ||
Representing  United States |
||
| World Championships | ||
| Gold | Houston 1999 | Heavyweight |
Michael Bennett was born on March 26, 1971, in Chicago, Illinois. He is a former American boxer. Michael Bennett became famous for winning the amateur world championships in 1999. He also proudly represented the United States at the 2000 Summer Olympics. He competed in the heavyweight division, which had a weight limit of 201 pounds.
Contents
Michael Bennett's Boxing Journey
Michael Bennett started boxing in 1996 when he was 25 years old. He found boxing to be a great way to stay in shape and focus his energy. He was very happy to have the chance to compete in the sport.
Amateur Boxing Success
Before becoming a professional boxer, Michael Bennett had a fantastic amateur career.
He won the world championships in Houston in 1999. During this competition, he defeated boxers like Patrick Mesters, Serik Umirbekov from Uzbekistan, and Steffen Kretschmann from Germany. He won the final match because his opponent, Cuban boxing star Félix Savón, did not compete. This is called a forfeit.
As part of the 2000 US Olympic team, he had another great performance. In the first round, he beat Wojciech Bartnik from Poland with a score of 11–2. In his next match, he faced Félix Savón again. Savón won the match with a score of 23–8. Michael Bennett said he was still pleased with his effort. He felt he had tried his best against a truly great boxer.
Besides his Olympic achievements, Bennett also became the National Amateur Heavyweight Boxing Champion in 2000. He won this title by defeating Jason Estrada.
Professional Boxing Career
Michael Bennett became a professional boxer in 2000. He competed in the cruiserweight division. His professional career was not very long. After a few matches where he lost by knockout, Bennett decided to retire from boxing in 2003.
Professional Boxing Record
| 14 fights | 10 wins | 4 losses |
| By knockout | 8 | 4 |
| By decision | 2 | 0 |
See also
In Spanish: Michael Bennett (boxeador) para niños
