Michael Bentt was born on September 4,1965 and is a British-born American film and television actor, and former professional boxer who competed from 1989 to 1994.
24 Facts About Michael Bentt
2.
Michael Bentt currently has the shortest professional boxing career of any heavyweight world champion in history, for only 1,867 days spanning 5 years between 1989 and 1994, and is one of the most inexperienced heavyweights to ever win a world title, with only eleven professional fights, second only to Leon Spinks at seven fights at time of his victory over Muhammad Ali in 1978.
3.
Michael Bentt is featured in the first episode of the 2019 American web television documentary series Losers.
4.
One of the most decorated amateur boxers in US history, Michael Bentt won four New York City Golden Gloves titles, five United States Amateur Boxing Championships and three Empire State Games gold medals.
5.
Michael Bentt is regarded as the most decorated boxer in the history of American amateur boxing never to have competed on a United States Olympic boxing team.
6.
Michael Bentt was a three-time selected member of the United States All-American National Boxing Team, captain of the 1986 United States Goodwill Games Boxing Team and the 1987 United States Pan American Games Boxing Team.
7.
Michael Bentt was a bronze medalist in each of those competitions.
8.
Michael Bentt received the bronze medal at the 1985 World Amateur Championships in Seoul, South Korea and the gold medal at the 1985 North American Championship in Beaumont, Texas.
9.
Michael Bentt was a three time member of the United States All-American Amateur Boxing Team.
10.
Michael Bentt counts avenging an earlier defeat, suffered at the hands of, then, three-time USSR World Amateur Heavyweight Champion, Alexandr Yagubkin, at the 1986 World Championships in Reno, Nevada as one of his most precious moments.
11.
Domestically Michael Bentt went undefeated for a four-year period before being denied an Olympic team berth at the 1988 United States Olympic Trials.
12.
Michael Bentt turned professional under Emanuel Steward; and was knocked-out in the first round by Jerry Jones in his pro debut.
13.
Michael 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.
14.
In October 1993, Michael Bentt caused a huge upset with a ninety seven second first-round knockout of Tommy Morrison to capture the WBO heavyweight championship.
15.
Michael Bentt had suffered brain injuries in the loss, and although the injuries did not negatively affect 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.
16.
At various times after relocating to numerous US states, Michael Bentt passed written exams and awaited entrance into police academies in New York City, Miami, Florida, and Las Vegas, Nevada.
17.
Michael Bentt landed the coveted role of Sonny Liston, while serving as both Smith's chief sparring partner and assistant trainer during the six months of boxing training before principal photography began on the film.
18.
Michael Bentt has contributed essays as a writer for Bert Sugar's Fight Game and the HBO boxing website.
19.
Michael Bentt has commentated on boxing matches for Bob Arum's Top Rank Boxing on ESPN in the United States, Filmnet in The Netherlands, and BBC Radio in the United Kingdom.
20.
Michael Bentt has worked with directors Michael Mann, Ron Shelton, Clint Eastwood, Sylvester Stallone, and Bill L Norton.
21.
Michael Bentt starred as Biggis opposite Beanie Sigel, Noriega, and Damon Dash in the Dash-directed hip hop cult classic State Property 2.
22.
Director Michael Mann handpicked Bentt to play Herbert Youngblood, who along with Dillinger staged the infamous Crown Point Jail break.
23.
Michael Bentt is cited by jazz and film composer, Terence Blanchard, as having provided the inspiration for his Opera Theatre Of StLouis' 2013 production of 'Champion'.
24.
Michael Bentt served as a faculty member and Co-Teacher for the 'Anna Deavere Smith Project: Empathy and Acting' at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco during 2013.