Montell Griffin | |
---|---|
Born | Montell Julian Griffin June 6, 1970 |
Nationality | American |
Other names | Ice |
Statistics | |
Weight(s) | Light heavyweight |
Height | 5 ft 7 in (170 cm) |
Reach | 70 in (178 cm) |
Stance | Orthodox |
Boxing record | |
Total fights | 59 |
Wins | 50 |
Wins by KO | 30 |
Losses | 8 |
Draws | 1 |
Montell Julian Griffin (born June 6, 1970) is an American former professional boxer. He held the WBC light heavyweight title in 1997 and challenged twice for a world title.
Montell Griffin was born June 6, 1970, in Chicago. By age 22, Griffin was living in Midway City, California and defeated Frank Vassar of Spokane, Washington in the 1992 U.S. Amateur Boxing Championships. He defeated future heavyweight contender Jeremy Williams at the box-offs, to make the 1992 Olympic team. [1]
Griffin compiled an amateur record of 36-5. He won the 1992 United States Amateur Light Heavyweight title.
At the 1992 Olympic Trials in Worcester, Massachusetts, Griffin was outpointed in the final by Jeremy Williams. However, at the Olympic Box-offs he outpointed Williams twice, to earn an Olympic bid at light-heavyweight. His Olympic results were:
Griffin, nicknamed "Ice," began his pro career in 1993. He rose to prominence when he defeated James Toney twice by controversial decisions in 1995 and 1996. The second victory over Toney earned Griffin a lucrative bout against WBC champion Roy Jones Jr.
After his 1996 win over Toney, Griffin landed a shot at WBC light-heavyweight title holder Roy Jones Jr. Griffin handed Jones his first professional defeat via a disqualification. A frustrated Jones dropped Griffin with a series of hard and fast, head and body punches in round nine, and then hit him again twice on the head after Griffin had taken a knee on the canvas, leading to Jones's disqualification. They had an immediate rematch, and on August 21, Jones regained the WBC title by knocking out Griffin in the first round.
After the loss to Jones, Griffin remained a top-ranked light-heavyweight for six years. He won 11 of his next 12 bouts, losing only a controversial split decision to undefeated but unknown southpaw Eric Harding, despite knocking him down and out-landing him according to punchstats.
Four consecutive knockout wins later, the now 38-2 Griffin squared off against 40-0 Lineal/WBO champion, Dariusz Michalczewski in Germany. The 29-year-old Griffin won the first three rounds on the cards but was cut by the 31-year-old Michalczewski's jab in the second round. In the fourth, Griffin was twice staggered, and took 14 unanswered shots to the head and gloves, which forced referee Joe Cortez to stop the bout.
After defeating Derrick Harmon and George Khalid Jones by unanimous decisions, Griffin earned a shot at the vacant WBC/IBF titles against Antonio Tarver in 2003, losing a wide decision.
Now in his mid-thirties, a faded Griffin would go on to lose to Rico Hoye by split decision, Julio César González when the bout was stopped in the early goings on a technicality and sent to the scorecards, and Glen Johnson by TKO 11; all three were IBF eliminators. He also lost on points to Beibut Shumenov
Griffin compiled a very respectable resume over the course of his career: he has two wins over James Toney, a disqualification wins over Roy Jones Jr., and wins over contenders Ka-Dy King, Ray Lathon, Randall Yonker, Derrick Harmon and George Khalid Jones.
59 fights | 50 wins | 8 losses |
---|---|---|
By knockout | 30 | 3 |
By decision | 19 | 5 |
By disqualification | 1 | 0 |
Draws | 1 |
No. | Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round, time | Date | Location | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
59 | Win | 50–8–1 | ![]() | UD | 8 | Aug 19, 2011 | ![]() | |
58 | Draw | 49–8–1 | ![]() | SD | 10 | May 29, 2010 | ![]() | |
57 | Loss | 49–8 | ![]() | UD | 12 | Aug 2, 2008 | ![]() | For vacant WBC–ABCO and WBO Asia Pacific light heavyweight titles |
56 | Win | 49–7 | ![]() | UD | 10 | Jun 20, 2008 | ![]() | |
55 | Loss | 48–7 | ![]() | TKO | 11 (12), 2:38 | May 16, 2007 | ![]() | |
54 | Win | 48–6 | ![]() | UD | 12 | Mar 31, 2006 | ![]() | Won vacant USBA light heavyweight title |
53 | Loss | 47–6 | ![]() | TD | 6 (12), 1:11 | May 5, 2005 | ![]() | Majority TD after González was cut from an accidental head clash |
52 | Win | 47–5 | ![]() | UD | 10 | Feb 3, 2005 | ![]() | |
51 | Loss | 46–5 | ![]() | SD | 12 | Sep 16, 2004 | ![]() | Won IBA Continental light heavyweight title |
50 | Win | 46–4 | ![]() | UD | 10 | Jun 17, 2004 | ![]() | |
49 | Win | 45–4 | ![]() | RTD | 4 (10), 3:00 | May 22, 2004 | ![]() | |
48 | Loss | 44–4 | ![]() | UD | 12 | Apr 26, 2003 | ![]() | For vacant WBC and IBF light heavyweight titles |
47 | Win | 44–3 | ![]() | UD | 12 | Nov 3, 2002 | ![]() | Won vacant WBC Continental Americas and NABF light heavyweight titles |
46 | Win | 43–3 | ![]() | UD | 12 | Jul 21, 2002 | ![]() | Won WBC Continental Americas light heavyweight title |
45 | Win | 42–3 | ![]() | TKO | 1 (10), 1:29 | Feb 17, 2002 | ![]() | |
44 | Win | 41–3 | ![]() | TD | 10 (10) | May 12, 2001 | ![]() | Split TD after an accidental head clash |
43 | Win | 40–3 | ![]() | TKO | 6 (12), 2:16 | Mar 9, 2001 | ![]() | Won vacant WBC Continental Americas light heavyweight title |
42 | Win | 39–3 | ![]() | UD | 12 | Apr 22, 2000 | ![]() | Won vacant IBC light heavyweight title |
41 | Loss | 38–3 | ![]() | TKO | 4 (12), 2:59 | Aug 28, 1999 | ![]() | For WBO light heavyweight title |
40 | Win | 38–2 | ![]() | TKO | 3 (10), 2:25 | Jun 23, 1999 | ![]() | |
39 | Win | 37–2 | ![]() | TKO | 5 (10), 1:39 | May 25, 1999 | ![]() | |
38 | Win | 36–2 | ![]() | KO | 3 (10) | Feb 26, 1999 | ![]() | |
37 | Win | 35–2 | ![]() | TKO | 2 (10), 1:53 | Jan 26, 1999 | ![]() | |
36 | Loss | 34–2 | ![]() | SD | 12 | Nov 13, 1998 | ![]() | For vacant NABF light heavyweight title |
35 | Win | 34–1 | ![]() | TKO | 6 (10), 1:10 | Oct 2, 1998 | ![]() | |
34 | Win | 33–1 | ![]() | TKO | 3 (10), 1:20 | Aug 22, 1998 | ![]() | |
33 | Win | 32–1 | ![]() | TKO | 3 (10), 2:59 | Jun 3, 1998 | ![]() | |
32 | Win | 31–1 | ![]() | TKO | 9 (10) | Mar 28, 1998 | ![]() | |
31 | Win | 30–1 | ![]() | UD | 10 | Feb 27, 1998 | ![]() | |
30 | Win | 29–1 | ![]() | TKO | 8 (10), 2:48 | Dec 26, 1997 | ![]() | |
29 | Win | 28–1 | ![]() | UD | 10 | Nov 29, 1997 | ![]() | |
28 | Loss | 27–1 | ![]() | KO | 1 (12), 2:31 | Aug 7, 1997 | ![]() | Lost WBC light heavyweight title |
27 | Win | 27–0 | ![]() | DQ | 9 (12), 2:27 | Mar 21, 1997 | ![]() | Won WBC light heavyweight title; Jones Jr. disqualified for hitting Griffin after a knockdown |
26 | Win | 26–0 | ![]() | UD | 12 | Dec 6, 1996 | ![]() | Won WBU light heavyweight title |
25 | Win | 25–0 | ![]() | TKO | 1 (10), 2:08 | Oct 18, 1996 | ![]() | |
24 | Win | 24–0 | ![]() | TKO | 2 (10) | Aug 28, 1996 | ![]() | |
23 | Win | 23–0 | ![]() | TKO | 11 (12), 2:14 | Jul 11, 1996 | ![]() | Won vacant NABF light heavyweight title |
22 | Win | 22–0 | ![]() | TKO | 4 (10) | May 10, 1996 | ![]() | |
21 | Win | 21–0 | ![]() | KO | 2 (10), 1:40 | Mar 29, 1996 | ![]() | |
20 | Win | 20–0 | ![]() | KO | 1 (10), 1:31 | Jan 26, 1996 | ![]() | |
19 | Win | 19–0 | ![]() | TKO | 6 (10) | Nov 29, 1995 | ![]() | |
18 | Win | 18–0 | ![]() | TKO | 2 (10) | Oct 7, 1995 | ![]() | |
17 | Win | 17–0 | ![]() | KO | 6 | Sep 14, 1995 | ![]() | |
16 | Win | 16–0 | ![]() | TKO | 2 (10) | Jun 4, 1995 | ![]() | |
15 | Win | 15–0 | ![]() | MD | 12 | Feb 18, 1995 | ![]() | Won vacant IBF Inter-Continental light heavyweight title |
14 | Win | 14–0 | ![]() | UD | 12 | Sep 12, 1994 | ![]() | |
13 | Win | 13–0 | ![]() | UD | 10 | May 23, 1994 | ![]() | |
12 | Win | 12–0 | ![]() | TKO | 6 | Apr 26, 1994 | ![]() | |
11 | Win | 11–0 | ![]() | TKO | 2 | Jan 18, 1994 | ![]() | |
10 | Win | 10–0 | ![]() | TKO | 6 (8) | Dec 6, 1993 | ![]() | |
9 | Win | 9–0 | ![]() | PTS | 8 | Nov 19, 1993 | ![]() | |
8 | Win | 8–0 | ![]() | PTS | 6 | Sep 24, 1993 | ![]() | |
7 | Win | 7–0 | ![]() | UD | 6 | Aug 27, 1993 | ![]() | |
6 | Win | 6–0 | ![]() | TKO | 3 (6) | Aug 13, 1993 | ![]() | |
5 | Win | 5–0 | ![]() | TKO | 3 | Jun 25, 1993 | ![]() | |
4 | Win | 4–0 | ![]() | UD | 6 | Apr 26, 1993 | ![]() | |
3 | Win | 3–0 | ![]() | KO | 2 | Apr 16, 1993 | ![]() | |
2 | Win | 2–0 | ![]() | TKO | 2 (6) | Mar 13, 1993 | ![]() | |
1 | Win | 1–0 | ![]() | TKO | 2 | Feb 16, 1993 | ![]() |
With a record of 50-8 during his historic boxing career, Montell “Ice” Griffin was inducted into the Rochester Boxing Hall of Fame Class of ‘22 in October 2022, in Rochester, New York. [2]
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Sporting positions | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Amateur boxing titles | ||||
Previous: Terry McGroom | U.S. light heavyweight champion 1991 | Next: Antonio Tarver | ||
Regional boxing titles | ||||
Vacant Title last held by Dariusz Michalczewski | IBF Inter-Continental light heavyweight champion February 18, 1995 – July 1996 Vacated | Vacant Title next held by Billy Lewis | ||
Vacant Title last held by Merqui Sosa | NABF light heavyweight champion July 11, 1996 – December 1996 Vacated | Vacant Title next held by Michael Nunn | ||
Vacant Title last held by Derrick Harmon | WBC Continental Americas light heavyweight champion March 9, 2001 – May 2001 Vacated | Vacant Title next held by Arturo Rivera | ||
Preceded by Derrick Harmon | WBC Continental Americas light heavyweight champion July 21, 2002 – October 2002 Vacated | Vacant Title next held by Arturo Rivera | ||
Vacant Title last held by Arturo Rivera | WBC Continental Americas light heavyweight champion November 3, 2002 – April 26, 2003 Lost bid for world title | Vacant Title next held by Donnell Wiggins | ||
Vacant Title last held by Antonio Tarver | NABF light heavyweight champion November 3, 2002 – April 2003 Vacated | |||
Vacant Title last held by George Khalid Jones | USBA light heavyweight champion March 31, 2006 – May 16, 2007 Lost eliminator for IBF title | Vacant Title next held by Tavoris Cloud | ||
Minor world boxing titles | ||||
Preceded by | WBU light heavyweight champion December 6, 1996 – March 1997 Vacated | Vacant Title next held by Frank Tate | ||
Vacant Title last held by Salvatore Di Salvatore | IBC light heavyweight champion April 22, 2000 – March 2001 Vacated | Vacant Title next held by Etienne Whitaker | ||
Major world boxing titles | ||||
Preceded by | WBC light heavyweight champion Mar 21, 1997 – August 7, 1997 | Succeeded by Roy Jones Jr. |