- Mike Knight
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Mike Knight (born April 22, 1958 in Miami, Florida) was a professional USA light-heavyweight boxer from Tampa, Florida. Knight boxed amateur from 1971–1981 and won several amateur titles, including 1973 Florida State Junior Olympic Champion - 156 lbs., 1978 USAFE (All-Air Force European) Champion - 178 lbs., 1978 South Texas AAU Champion - 178 lbs., 1981 USA/ABF Region 9 (Midwest) Heavyweight Champion - 201 lbs.
In 1973 Mike Knight was a member of the Naval Training Center Boxing Team in Orlando, FL. He was trained by Willie Besmanoff and Larry Anzalone. Knight used to spar with Besmanoff, who was a heavyweight contender in the 1960s, having fought Muhammad Ali, Sonny Liston, and others. Knight defeated Scott Clark twice, first in the 1973 District Junior Olympic 156 lb. Championships at the Orlando Naval Training Center and again on 7/18/73 on the undercard of the Walter White vs. Andy Kendall bout at the Orlando Sports Stadium. Clark went on to turn professional and lost to Jose Pipino Cuevas in a World Welterweight Championship fight in 1979. Knight went on to win the Florida State Junior Olympic Championships and competed at the 1973 Junior Olympic National Championships in Cheyenne, Wyoming, where he was defeated by the 156 lb. Champion, Tommy Sullivan, who went on to win the 1975 National Golden Gloves Middleweight Championship by defeating future World Light-Heavyweight Champion Michael Spinks.
In 1974, weighing 178 lbs., 16 year old Mike Knight KO'd 20 year old Bobbie Bessent in 32 seconds of the 1st round at the Orlando Sports Stadium.
After enlisting in the United States Air Force, Mike Knight was stationed at Kapaun AS Air Station in Germany in 1976-78. In 1977, Knight became a member of the Ramstein Boxing Team. On November 26, 1977, after a ring absence of over 3 years, in Vilseck, Germany, Knight, who weighed in at 183 lbs., lost to future heavyweight champion James "Bonecrusher" Smith, who weighed 235.
In January 1978, Mike Knight competed in the 178 lb. light-heavyweight division, where he won the USAFE Boxing Championships in Upper Heyford, England. With all of his wins coming by way of knock out, Knight was selected for the All Air Force Boxing Team in San Antonio, Texas, where he trained with Roger Leonard (Sugar Ray Leonard's older brother), Jerome Bennett, Will Esperon, Juan Ruiz, Richard Wood, Wade Walker and coach Osmar Alaniz. Knight won the 1978 South Texas AAU light-heavyweight Championship (winning 2 fights, 1 by KO) in Corpus Christi, Texas, with trainers Tony Ayala, Sr., and Joe Sousa. Knight competed in the 1978 AAU National Boxing Championships in Biloxi, Mississippi, but was eliminated due to a severe ankle injury.
In 1979, Mike Knight was stationed at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska. It was in Omaha at the 1140 Boxing Gym where Knight sparred with Lamont Kirkland, 1980 National Golden Gloves Middleweight Champion, and was trained by Kenny Jackson. Other sparring partners at the time were pro heavyweights Lupe Guerra, Walter Ware, Dan Murphy and Rick Kellar. In 1979, Knight competed as a heavyweight in the Kansas/Oklahoma Regional Golden Gloves Tournament in Hutchinson, Kansas. In his semi-final bout, Knight KO'd Rick Redford in the 2nd round. In the final championship fight, Knight (5'11", 205 lbs.) lost a close decision to Richard Cade (6'4", 235 lbs.) who was the previous year's winner and ranked in the top 10 in the USA.
In February 1980, Mike Knight fought in a heavyweight bout at the Fire Hall in Blair, Nebraska, KOing his 6'8", 260 lb. opponent in the 3rd round and winning the Outstanding Boxer Award in the Blair Eagles Boxing Tournament.
In 1980, Mike Knight was again selected to be a member of the All Air Force Boxing Team in San Antonio, Texas. In the All Air Force Boxing Tournament, Knight defeated Howard Lake (who was later ranked in the top 5 in the USA) by decision but lost in the Heavyweight Championship fight to Stanley Butler in a close (questionable) decision. Stanley Butler then represented the USAF in the 1980 Interservice Boxing Championships. Butler KO'd Parris Flowers in the 1st round in his semi-final bout. In the finals, Butler was KO'd by James Broad (Army). James Broad went on to win the 1980 Olympic Trials.
In 1981, Mike Knight won the Midwest USA/ABF Heavyweight (201 lb.) Championship with a 1st round KO (27 seconds) over Jeff Shubert in Sioux City, Iowa. Knight went on to win the 1981 USA/ABF Region 9 Heavyweight Championship (201 lbs.) in Grand Island, Nebraska, with a 2nd round KO over Roger Pepel, who was the 1980 National Junior Olympic Heavyweight Champion. At the 1981 National USA/ABF Championships in Concord, CA, Knight lost to Bennie Heard, who was runner-up in the Heavyweight (201 lbs) division and became the 1982 National USA/ABF Light-Heavyweight Champion. Bennie Heard also has a victory over Evander Holyfield as an amateur.
In 1981, Mike Knight turned professional as a Light-Heavyweight in Tampa, Florida, with trainer Bennie Marshall and manager Phil Alessi. Knight had a 2-0 (1 KO) record with both wins at fight cards that took place at Curtis Hixon Hall . In 1981, at Alessi's gym in Tampa, Knight sparred with Mike "The Body Snatcher" McCallum, Middleweight and Light-Heavyweight world champion and Walter "Snake" White, light-heavyweight contender from the '70s. Knight left Florida and moved back to Omaha, Nebraska, where he sparred with Cruiserweight Champion Marvin Camel, in June 1982, while Camel was training for his USBA Cruiserweight Title fight against Leonardo Rodgers at the Omaha Civic Auditorium. Unable to get fights in the midwest, Knight traveled to Sacramento, California, where he was trained by Will Edgington, who was also training Sal Lopez and future 3 x World Champion, Tony "The Tiger" Lopez in 1983. Due to the lack of sparring partners and inability to get fights, Knight retired from boxing and became a State of California correctional officer at CTF Soledad Prison in December 1983.
External links
Categories:- 1958 births
- Boxers from Florida
- People from Miami, Florida
- Living people
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