Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the main event!

In the red corner...weighing in at 64kg, a man who started boxing at just 13 years of age, silver medal winner of the World Amateur Championships, gold medal winner of the light welterweight division of the 1986 Commonwealth Games, and 1988 summer Olympian... HOWARD "The Snake" GRANT.

And in the blue corner... weighing in at 73kg, winner of the Canadian Senior Amateur Boxing Championships at just 17 years of age, winner of the silver medal for Canada at the 1987 Pan American Games, two-time North American Boxing Federation middleweight titleholder, and World Boxing Organization champion... OTIS "Magic" GRANT.

Gentlemen.... Start the training!

Born in Saint Ann, Jamaica, Howard and Otis came to Montreal as children, first immersing themselves in Canada's hockey culture, but then falling in love with the sport of boxing at the tender ages of 11 and 13, taking buses after school to boxing classes in Saint-Laurent, Pierrefonds, and Pointe-Claire. Boxing wasn't just a fun activity for these young men; it was a lifestyle, a passion, a discipline, and a dream. It was their dream that led these young men to greatness, to championships, to medals, to titles, and to the admiration of those in the world of boxing and to the respect of the community as a whole.

"We just want to make everyone stay in shape," said Howard Grant. In 2003, their dreams grew even greater with a desire to bring their love for the sport to their community, and to bring elite boxing fitness programs to the local and international stage of professional boxers. Using the hard work, dedication, and discipline that they learned through their years of competition, Howard and Otis opened the Grant Brothers Boxing Gym. Howard himself had been instrumental in training his brother Otis, as well as renowned boxers Lucian Bute, Librado Andrade, Joachim Alcine, and a number of mixed martial artists, including UFC Hall of Famer Georges St-Pierre. 

Howard Grant described how boxing is more than just fighting. "You don't see what goes on in the background," he explained earnestly. "Behind the scenes is different. There is a misconception of the sport and how people are trained. The body needs good fuel; how you train is how you eat." This is why the appeal of boxing continues to grow, transcending age, gender, and culture; the sport offers something for everyone, and the Grant brothers just want to do their best to keep their members healthy.

Opening to much anticipation in partnership with the City of Pointe-Claire, Grant Brothers Boxing welcomed back its fighters in April 2024 with a brand-new boxing facility located on the second floor of the Olive Urquhart Sports Centre. Howard and Otis have assembled a team of trainers, people who have their own long lists of accomplishments, to come and teach under their experienced eye, designing programs that appeal to all ages, levels, and backgrounds.

At the youth level, boxing is a fun activity that incorporates fitness, teamwork, and boosts self-confidence. These benefits continue as the student advances; along with the technical training, teens benefit from discipline, a boost in self-esteem, and find a positive outlet for surplus energy.

There are a variety of training options for adults, including women's boxing, which incorporates strength training, improving health while providing instruction in self-defence. Fitness boxing offers a non-contact workout with boxing-inspired exercises and is an excellent way to relieve stress while increasing muscle tone and cardiovascular endurance. Even seniors can benefit from learning to box, improving their coordination, balance, and keeping the mind active!

And of course, they offer traditional boxing instruction, from beginners to advanced, where students learn a variety of techniques, combinations, and skills, all while incorporating a high-intensity workout and boosting endurance.

Howard Grant proudly stated that "here, we're a little family – everybody gets along." Go and see it for yourself; stop by and visit Grant Brothers Boxing's state-of-the-art facility, boasting a regulation professional boxing ring, punching bags for all levels, and much more! 

Grant Brothers Boxing (2nd floor of the Olive-Urquhart Sports Centre), 230 Brunswick Boulevard, https://grantbrothersboxing.com/.