Mike Hunter (boxer)
Mike Hunter | |
---|---|
Statistics | |
Real name | Mike Hunter |
Nickname(s) | The Bounty Hunter |
Rated at | Heavyweight |
Nationality | American |
Born | September 14, 1959 |
Died | February 8, 2006 46) | (aged
Stance | Orthodox |
Boxing record | |
Total fights | 36 |
Wins | 26 |
Wins by KO | 8 |
Losses | 7 |
Draws | 2 |
No contests | 1 |
Mike Hunter (born September 14, 1959 in Greenville, South Carolina – died February 8, 2006 in Los Angeles, California) was an American boxer who won the NABF Heavyweight title.
Professional career
Known as "The Bounty Hunter", Hunter was a colourful and erratic Heavyweight fringe contender during the early-to-mid 1990s, and was known for his unique boxing style, boxing skills, and good defense. Hunter's boxing career began in Maryland, after a seven-year stint in prison for armed robbery. Hunter's skills caught the attention of actor James Caan, who would manage Hunter for three years, before selling his contract to Bill Slayton. Hunter first became ranked by the major sanctioning bodies in 1990, and would defeat many notable boxers like Dwight Qawi, Pinklon Thomas, Tyrell Biggs, Oliver McCall, Jimmy Thunder, and Alexander Zolkin. During this long respectable run of results he lost a highly criticized points decision to fellow contender and future world champion Francois Botha, after dropping Botha in the first round.
Although he was a very talented fighter and had a promising run during the 90s, he largely squandered his talent. By the mid-1990s, drug problems had begun to catch up to Hunter, evident to all after his victory over Buster Mathis, Jr., which was turned to a No-Contest following a positive drug test.
Hunter would lose three fights in the last year and a half of his career, before retiring following a loss to Danish Heavyweight Brian Nielsen for the IBO version of the heavyweight title.
Professional boxing record
26 Wins (8 knockouts, 18 decisions), 7 Losses (1 knockout, 6 decisions), 2 Draws, 1 No Contest | |||||||
Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round | Date | Location | Notes |
Loss | 26-7-2 (1) | "Super" Brian Nielsen | TKO | 5 | 31/05/1996 | Copenhagen, Denmark | IBO World Heavyweight Title. |
Win | 26-6-2 (1) | Arthur "Stormy" Weathers | PTS | 10 | 03/11/1995 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
Loss | 25-6-2 (1) | Marion "The Creep" Wilson | SD | 10 | 06/10/1995 | Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States | 94-96, 94-96, 97-93. |
Win | 25-5-2 (1) | Will "Hammer" Hinton | PTS | 10 | 06/05/1995 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
Loss | 24-5-2 (1) | Aurelio "El Toyo" Perez | UD | 10 | 24/03/1995 | Sao Paulo, Brazil | 89-97, 89-97, 89-97. |
Loss | 24-4-2 (1) | Alexander Zolkin | SD | 10 | 16/12/1994 | Chester, West Virginia, United States | |
Win | 24-3-2 (1) | Keith "Sir Jabalot" McMurray | SD | 10 | 01/09/1994 | Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States | 94-95, 99-92, 98-90. |
Win | 23-3-2 (1) | Craig Payne | PTS | 10 | 19/05/1994 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
NC | 22-3-2 (1) | Buster Mathis, Jr. | NC | 12 | 04/12/1993 | Corpus Christi, Texas, United States | USBA Heavyweight Title. MD for Hunter overturned due to positive drug tests. |
Win | 22-3-2 | Cecil Coffee | UD | 10 | 06/11/1993 | Sun City, North West, South Africa | 98-94, 98-92, 99-91. |
Win | 21-3-2 | Alexander Zolkin | SD | 12 | 05/08/1993 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | USBA Heavyweight Title. |
Win | 20-3-2 | Tyrell Biggs | UD | 12 | 17/01/1993 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | USBA Heavyweight Title. 118-109, 117-110, 117-110. |
Loss | 19-3-2 | Francois "White Buffalo" Botha | MD | 8 | 22/09/1992 | El Paso, Texas, United States | 77-77, 76-77, 75-76. |
Win | 19-2-2 | David Jaco | TKO | 3 | 14/02/1992 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
Win | 18-2-2 | Ossie "Jaws" Ocasio | UD | 10 | 14/12/1990 | Sydney, New South Wales, Australia | 97-93, 99-93, 99-93. |
Win | 17-2-2 | Jose Maria Flores Burlon | TKO | 1 | 31/10/1990 | Melbourne, Victoria, Australia | Referee stopped the bout at 2:57 of the first round. |
Win | 16-2-2 | Jimmy Thunder | KO | 4 | 14/08/1990 | Melbourne, Victoria, Australia | |
Win | 15-2-2 | Pinklon Thomas | UD | 10 | 12/06/1990 | Fort Bragg, North Carolina, United States | 99-91, 100-90, 99-91. |
Win | 14-2-2 | "The Camden Buzzsaw" Dwight Muhammad Qawi | UD | 12 | 16/03/1990 | Newark, New Jersey, United States | WBC Continental Americas Cruiserweight Title. 117-111, 119-109, 116-112. |
Win | 13-2-2 | Donald Coats | KO | 3 | 31/01/1989 | Irvine, California, United States | |
Win | 12-2-2 | Wade Parsons | UD | 8 | 06/12/1988 | Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada | |
Win | 11-2-2 | Dino Homsey | KO | 4 | 26/07/1988 | Reseda, California, United States | |
Win | 10-2-2 | Oliver "Atomic Bull" McCall | UD | 10 | 22/01/1988 | Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States | |
Loss | 9-2-2 | Andre "The Giant" Smith | UD | 8 | 05/11/1987 | Reseda, California, United States | |
Win | 9-1-2 | Rodney Stockton | TKO | 1 | 29/09/1987 | Reseda, California, United States | |
Win | 8-1-2 | Gary Lightbourne | KO | 1 | 25/08/1987 | Reseda, California, United States | Gary knocked out at 2:12 of the first round. |
Loss | 7-1-2 | Levi "Terminator" Billups | SD | 8 | 18/05/1987 | Inglewood, California, United States | 76-77, 75-78, 78-75. |
Win | 7-0-2 | Mike Gans | UD | 8 | 28/04/1987 | Reseda, California, United States | |
Draw | 6-0-2 | James Pritchard | PTS | 6 | 20/02/1987 | Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States | |
Win | 6-0-1 | Kelvin Beatty | UD | 6 | 02/01/1987 | Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States | |
Win | 5-0-1 | Ken Crosby | TKO | 5 | 02/10/1986 | Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States | |
Draw | 4-0-1 | Woody Clark | PTS | 6 | 23/08/1986 | Fayetteville, North Carolina, United States | |
Win | 4-0 | Avery Rawls | UD | 8 | 11/04/1986 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
Win | 3-0 | Dominic Parker | UD | 6 | 02/03/1986 | Lancaster, Pennsylvania, United States | |
Win | 2-0 | Donald "Duck" Vance | PTS | 4 | 18/01/1986 | Staunton, Virginia, United States | |
Win | 1-0 | Warren "Chico" Thompson | SD | 4 | 14/12/1985 | Largo, Maryland, United States |
Life after boxing
Hunter returned to the sport in September 2005, working as an instructor and trainer at the Tru Boxing Gym in Hollywood.
Death
On February 8, 2006, Hunter was on the roof of the St. Moritz Hotel in Los Angeles, when he encountered two Los Angeles police officers, who had set up a buy/bust sting operation surveillance. The officers reported that Hunter, who was unprovoked, hit an officer on the head with a gun. The other officer tackled Hunter, with the previous officer eventually joining in the struggle. Hunter broke free, and pointed his gun at the officers, who promptly shot him twice, in the chest and the arm. Hunter was taken to Cedars-Sinai Hospital, where he died. The two officers involved stated that they did not feel that Hunter was aware that they were police officers. The officers announced several times during the struggle that they were officers. Hunter however had a serious base cocaine (crack) addiction problem.
Personal
His son Michael Hunter, Jr. became US amateur champ in 2007.