Mike Hunter (September 14, 1959 – February 8, 2006) was an American

professional boxer Professional boxing, or prizefighting, is regulated, sanctioned boxing. Professional boxing bouts are fought for a purse that is divided between the boxers as determined by contract. Most professional fights are supervised by a regulatory auth ...

who won the USBA Heavyweight title and the WBC Continental Americas Cruiserweight 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 James Edmund Caan ( ; March 26, 1940 – July 6, 2022) was an American actor. He came to prominence playing Sonny Corleone in ''The Godfather'' (1972), for which he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, Academy Award an ...

, 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 Tyrell Biggs (born December 22, 1960) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1984 to 1998, and challenged once for the undisputed heavyweight title in 1987. As an amateur he won a gold medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics, havin ...

, Oliver McCall, Jimmy Thunder, and Alexander Zolkin. During this long respectable run of results he lost a highly criticized points decision to fellow contender 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 loss to Danish Heavyweight Brian Nielsen for the IBO version of the heavyweight title.

Professional boxing record

, - , align="center" colspan=8, 26 Wins (8 knockouts, 18 decisions), 7 Losses (1 knockout, 6 decisions), 2 Draws, 1 No Contest''

, - , align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3", Result , align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3", Record , align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3", Opponent , align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3", Type , align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3", Round , align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3", Date , align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3", Location , align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3", Notes , -align=center , Loss , 26–7–2 , align=left, Brian Nielsen , TKO , 5 , 31/05/1996 , align=left,

Copenhagen Copenhagen ( ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a population of 1.4 million in the Urban area of Copenhagen, urban area. The city is situated on the islands of Zealand and Amager, separated from Malmö, Sweden, by the ...

, Denmark , align=left, , - , -align=center , Win , 26–6–2 , align=left, Arthur Weathers , PTS , 10 , 03/11/1995 , align=left,

Las Vegas Las Vegas, colloquially referred to as Vegas, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the county seat of Clark County. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the greater Mojave Desert, and second-l ...

, Nevada, U.S. , align=left, , - , -align=center , Loss , 25–6–2 , align=left, Marion Wilson , SD , 10 , 06/10/1995 , align=left,

Atlantic City, New Jersey Atlantic City, sometimes referred to by its initials A.C., is a Jersey Shore seaside resort city (New Jersey), city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, Atlantic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Atlantic City comprises the second half of ...

, U.S. , , - , -align=center , Win , 25–5–2 , align=left, Will Hinton , PTS , 10 , 06/05/1995 , align=left,

, Nevada, U.S. , align=left, , - , -align=center , Loss , 24–5–2 , align=left, Aurelio Perez , UD , 10 , 24/03/1995 , align=left,

São Paulo São Paulo (; ; Portuguese for 'Paul the Apostle, Saint Paul') is the capital of the São Paulo (state), state of São Paulo, as well as the List of cities in Brazil by population, most populous city in Brazil, the List of largest cities in the ...

, Brazil , , - , -align=center , Loss , 24–4–2 , align=left, Alexander Zolkin , SD , 10 , 16/12/1994 , align=left, Chester, West Virginia, U.S. , align=left, , - , -align=center , Win , 24–3–2 , align=left, Keith McMurray , SD , 10 , 01/09/1994 , align=left,

Albuquerque, New Mexico Albuquerque ( ; ), also known as ABQ, Burque, the Duke City, and in the past 'the Q', is the List of municipalities in New Mexico, most populous city in the U.S. state of New Mexico, and the county seat of Bernalillo County, New Mexico, Bernal ...

, U.S. , , - , -align=center , Win , 23–3–2 , align=left, Craig Payne , PTS , 10 , 19/05/1994 , align=left,

, Nevada, U.S. , align=left, , - , -align=center , style="background:#ddd;", NC , 22–3–2 , align=left, Buster Mathis Jr. , NC , 12 , 04/12/1993 , align=left,

Corpus Christi, Texas Corpus Christi ( ; ) is a Gulf Coast of the United States, coastal city in the South Texas region of the U.S. state of Texas and the county seat and largest city of Nueces County, Texas, Nueces County with portions extending into Aransas County, T ...

, U.S. , align=left, , - , -align=center , Win , 22–3–2 , align=left, Cecil Coffee , UD , 10 , 06/11/1993 , align=left, Sun City, South Africa , , - , -align=center , Win , 21–3–2 , align=left, Alexander Zolkin , SD , 12 , 05/08/1993 , align=left,

, Nevada, U.S. , align=left, , - , -align=center , Win , 20–3–2 , align=left,

, UD , 12 , 17/01/1993 , align=left,

, Nevada, U.S. , align=left, , - , -align=center , Loss , 19–3–2 , align=left, Francois Botha , MD , 8 , 22/09/1992 , align=left,

El Paso, Texas El Paso (; ; or ) is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States. The 2020 United States census, 2020 population of the city from the United States Census Bureau, U.S. Census Bureau was 678,815, making it the List of ...

, U.S. , , - , -align=center , Win , 19–2–2 , align=left, David Jaco , TKO , 3 , 14/02/1992 , align=left,

, Nevada, U.S. , align=left, , - , -align=center , Win , 18–2–2 , align=left, Ossie Ocasio , UD , 10 , 14/12/1990 , align=left,

Sydney Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...

, Australia , align=left, , - , -align=center , Win , 17–2–2 , align=left, Jose Maria Flores Burlon , TKO , 1 , 31/10/1990 , align=left, Melbourne, Australia , , - , -align=center , Win , 16–2–2 , align=left, Jimmy Thunder , KO , 4 , 14/08/1990 , align=left,

Melbourne Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...

, Australia , align=left, , - , -align=center , Win , 15–2–2 , align=left, Pinklon Thomas , UD , 10 , 12/06/1990 , align=left,

Fort Bragg, North Carolina Fort Bragg (formerly Fort Liberty from 2023–2025) is a United States Army, U.S. Army Military base, military installation located in North Carolina. It ranks among the largest military bases in the world by population, with more than 52,000 m ...

, U.S. , , - , -align=center , Win , 14–2–2 , align=left, Dwight Muhammad Qawi , UD , 12 , 16/03/1990 , align=left,

Newark, New Jersey Newark ( , ) is the List of municipalities in New Jersey, most populous City (New Jersey), city in the U.S. state of New Jersey, the county seat of Essex County, New Jersey, Essex County, and a principal city of the New York metropolitan area. ...

, U.S. , align=left, , - , -align=center , Win , 13–2–2 , align=left, Donald Coats , KO , 3 , 31/01/1989 , align=left,

Irvine, California Irvine () is a Planned community, planned city in central Orange County, California, United States, in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. It was named in 1888 for the landowner James Irvine. The Irvine Company started developing the area in the ...

, U.S. , align=left, , - , -align=center , Win , 12–2–2 , align=left, Wade Parsons , UD , 8 , 06/12/1988 , align=left, Halifax,

Nova Scotia Nova Scotia is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada, located on its east coast. It is one of the three Maritime Canada, Maritime provinces and Population of Canada by province and territory, most populous province in Atlan ...

, Canada , align=left, , - , -align=center , Win , 11–2–2 , align=left, Dino Homsey , KO , 4 , 26/07/1988 , align=left, Los Angeles, California, U.S. , align=left, , - , -align=center , Win , 10–2–2 , align=left, Oliver McCall , UD , 10 , 22/01/1988 , align=left,

, U.S. , align=left, , - , -align=center , Loss , 9–2–2 , align=left, Andre Smith , UD , 8 , 05/11/1987 , align=left, Los Angeles, California, U.S. , align=left, , - , -align=center , Win , 9–1–2 , align=left, Rodney Stockton , TKO , 1 , 29/09/1987 , align=left, Los Angeles, California, U.S. , align=left, , - , -align=center , Win , 8–1–2 , align=left, Gary Lightbourne , KO , 1 , 25/08/1987 , align=left, Los Angeles, California, U.S. , , - , -align=center , Loss , 7–1–2 , align=left, Levi Billups , SD , 8 , 18/05/1987 , align=left,

Inglewood, California Inglewood is a city in southwestern Los Angeles County, California, United States, in the Greater Los Angeles, Greater Los Angeles metropolitan area. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, the city had a population of 107,762. ...

, U.S. , , - , -align=center , Win , 7–0–2 , align=left, Mike Gans , UD , 8 , 28/04/1987 , align=left,

Los Angeles, California Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

, U.S. , align=left, , - , -align=center , style="background: #c5d2ea", Draw , 6–0–2 , align=left, James Pritchard , PTS , 6 , 20/02/1987 , align=left, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S. , align=left, , - , -align=center , Win , 6–0–1 , align=left, Kelvin Beatty , UD , 6 , 02/01/1987 , align=left, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S. , align=left, , - , -align=center , Win , 5–0–1 , align=left, Ken Crosby , TKO , 5 , 02/10/1986 , align=left,

, U.S. , align=left, , -align=center , - , -align=center , style="background: #c5d2ea", Draw , 4–0–1 , align=left, Woody Clark , PTS , 6 , 23/08/1986 , align=left,

Fayetteville, North Carolina Fayetteville ( , ) is a city in and the county seat of Cumberland County, North Carolina, United States. It is best known as the home of Fort Bragg, a major U.S. Army installation northwest of the city. Fayetteville has received the All-Ameri ...

, U.S. , align=left, , - , -align=center , Win , 4–0 , align=left, Avery Rawls , UD , 8 , 11/04/1986 , align=left,

, Nevada, U.S. , align=left, , - , -align=center , Win , 3–0 , align=left, Dominic Parker , UD , 6 , 02/03/1986 , align=left,

Lancaster, Pennsylvania Lancaster ( ) is a city in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 58,039 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, eighth-most populous ci ...

, U.S. , align=left, , - , -align=center , Win , 2–0 , align=left, Donald Vance , PTS , 4 , 18/01/1986 , align=left,

Staunton, Virginia Staunton ( ) is an independent city (United States), independent city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), U.S. Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 25,750. In Virginia, independent cities a ...

, U.S. , align=left, , - , -align=center , Win , 1–0 , align=left, Warren Thompson , SD , 4 , 14/12/1985 , align=left,

Largo, Maryland Largo () is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland, Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 11,605 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Largo is located just ...

, U.S. , align=left,

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. The other officer tackled Hunter, with the previous 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 Sho

(L.A. Weekly)

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Hunter, Mike Boxers from South Carolina 1959 births 2006 deaths Sportspeople from Greenville, South Carolina American male boxers Heavyweight boxers 20th-century American sportsmen