BOXING: ST. PAUL BOXER ROB BRANT “NOT THE NEXT SOMEBODY”
PIONEER PRESS: The middleweight division in boxing has produced some of the most legendary in the sport — Tony Zale, Rocky Graziano, Jake LaMotta, Sugar Ray Robinson, Carlos Monzon, Marvin Hagler. St. Paul native Rob “Bravo” Brant has added his name to the list of middleweight champions.
Brant is the WBA “regular” world champion in a division that also recognizes Mexico’s Canelo Alvarez as the “super champion.” The WBA designates any boxer with more than one organization’s championship as a super champion; Alvarez is the WBA and WBC title holder. When there is a super champion, the WBA also crowns a regular champion, which brings us to Brant.
In October, Brant won a unanimous decision over Japan’s Ryota Murata to claim the WBA “regular” world championship.
The once-beaten Brant (24-1 with 16 knockouts) will defend that title Feb. 15 at Grand Casino Hinckley against unbeaten Russian Khasan Baysangurov (17-0).
The Pioneer Press talked with Brant, 28, about his upcoming fight and career.