Daniel Magnus (born September 18, 1956) is an American martial artist, celebrity bodyguard, fugitive recovery specialist, businessman and heart transplant survivor.

He is a two-time world kickboxing champion and is best known for being the only person to ever defend his championship title after open-heart surgery.

[5] It was during this time that Magnus started training full-contact fighting with future world karate champion Jeff Smith.

In 1983, he was hit by a car during a chase which caused him to fall over a 4-foot retaining wall, breaking his ribs, which pierced his heart, and subsequently severing his aortic valve.

Shortly after winning the championship title in 1982, Magnus was chasing a fugitive and was hit by a car which sent him tumbling over a 4-foot retaining wall.

In April 1983, Magnus was preparing for a world title bout in Denver against Tom Dalton when doctors detected a heart murmur an hour before the match.

The accident from the previous year had broken his ribs which punctured his heart and tore his aortic valve.

[9] He fought the following year—one year to the day after the surgery—and defeated Tom Dalton in Atlantic City and gained back his title in a unanimous judges' decision.

[9] As of 2021, Magnus is still the only person on the planet to come back to competition from open heart surgery and win a fight.

He also contributed to a book for students heading off to college with a bonus chapter: "How to Keep Your Teen Safe on Campus.

"[14] In 2018, Magnus underwent another heart surgery but, like the previous two times, bounced back after doctors had given him dim diagnoses.