The niceness could be a mask.”, Bentt began fighting regularly in amateur contests aged nine, winning some and “getting tuned up” in others. “I need to tell you what just happened…”. He says that black parents need to teach their kids how to handle those situations.

Bentt would soon find out. He went on to become one of the US’s most decorated amateur boxers ever but always had a complicated relationship with the sport. Things We Mention In This Episode. Another project will see Bentt working on a Netflix documentary about his battle against a particular fighter with whom he crossed paths. I had seen it all after my first fight, when there was nobody there. A role playing Sonny Liston in ‘Ali’ was perfect for the former heavyweight champion as well as countless other roles. Because that’s what it’s about.” And so much more!

That’s not to take anything away from Eddie Mustafa Muhammad.

Who had warned him about the inevitable backlash and scrutiny, and advised him that it wasn’t worth it.

You can’t do it. He is probably best known for playing Sonny Liston in the film Ali. “Today I’m living between LA and Atlanta and I’m still a full-time actor and director.

Overwhelmed with emotion and visibly in tears in the ring and on live television, life wouldn’t necessarily change for the better. © 2020 ABG-SI LLC.

Why? “I never trusted or believed in the hype.”. I don’t beat Tommy Morrison without the years I spent under Georgie Benton’s tutelage as an amateur. The surprise chance of representing the country of his parents’ birth would arise. You love me when I win, but not when I lose.”. “He felt like his life just flashed right before him. He’s recently been part of an upcoming documentary on Muhammad Ali by famed documentary-maker, Ken Burns and voiced a character in a soon to be released short film about a boxer’s tragic passing. “One day I read in the New York Daily News about boxers representing the United States who had perished in a plane crash in Poland. He understands. We see it happen every day.”. “I lose all respect for people if you really can’t see what’s going on in your own country that you live in everyday. I didn’t want to see anyone. “There were times when they would go out with their friends and I’d say, ‘You can’t go in the car with three other guys. His first and only title defence would see the curtain fall for a final time. Don’t fight’. Even after this run of victories, he still doubted his decision to keep fighting. I was becoming a chronic truant at school. You don't have to worry about that. It was only once his fighting days had concluded that Bentt would find what he believes is his true calling in life. But that doesn't make this experience any less real for him and every other black person in America. They care about animals and they care about people that look like they look.”. He doesn’t blame them. He was Bentt’s kryptonite. He was showing me the kind of love I wanted from my father.”. Michael Sr. says that, like all black parents, he taught his children how to handle encounters with the police—what to expect, what to do, what not to do.

One of the most decorated amateur boxers in US history, Bentt won four New York City Golden Gloves titles, five United States Amateur Boxing Championships and three (New York State) Empire State Games gold medals. He knows that when the phone rings in the middle of the night, something bad has happened.

The cherry on top would have been a spot on the 1988 U.S. Olympic team. I’m a bum? How all he could think about was his kids and his wife, and how he thought he was going to die for no other reason than for being black. He mentions Philando Castile, who was 32 years old—just a year older than Michael—when he was shot seven times by police last year after being pulled over. As Michael Sr. relayed the story to his wife, he realized that because of his experiences, because of the hatred and racism that he grew up around, his son was alive today. A little birdie must have told the people in Jamaica. Boxing » News » The Story Of Michael Bentt: Heavyweight’s Forgotten King. Out of darkness – light would eventually prevail.

He was close to breaking point.

But, to get to that moment, a rocky rollercoaster ride preceded and followed his crowning moment. Fresh off his shocking first round knockout upset win over Tommy ‘The Duke’ Morrison, Bentt was making his first title defense against then-unbeaten Herbie Hide. My dad was a huge admirer of Ali, or Cassius Clay as he insisted on calling him.

If he had said something, maybe he wouldn’t be with us today.”. “I remember seeing this light, turns out it was a penlight and I see this metal label saying: ‘John Sutcliffe’. Privacy Statement l Cookies Policy l Boxing Resources l Back To Top l Contact Us.

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