Mike Hunter (boxer)

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 highly bizarre loss to Danish Heavyweight Brian Nielsen for the IB0 version of the heavyweight title. Handling Nielsen with relative ease, Hunter became the latest of a series of washed up 'name' American boxers to fight Nielsen and suddenly and inexplicably pull out with a sudden 'injury'. Hunter's ham acting indicated he had an arm injury and elected not to continue after the fifth round. He never boxed again.

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 (which turned out to be fake). The other officer tackled Hunter, with the other 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.

Personal

His son Michael Hunter jr. became US amateur champ in 2007.

Links and sources

• The Knockout Shot [1] (L.A. Weekly)

External links

• Professional boxing record for Mike Hunter from BoxRec

Persondata
Name	Hunter, Mike
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1960
Place of birth
Date of death	February 8, 2006
Place of death