Born and raised in Bradford, Grant trained out of Phil Martin's Champs Camp gym in Moss Side, Manchester,[1] and made his professional debut in October 1986, when he was stopped by Lincoln Pennant in the first round.
He won 19 of his first 22 fights, including a win over Shaun Cummins and defeat to Kid Milo, before getting a shot at the British title in September 1992 at Elland Road against Herol Graham, who was making his fourth defence.
[2][3][4] He made a successful defence in March 1993 against John Ashton, but lost the title in November that year to Neville Brown.
[2][5] In 1996 Grant, who had spent time in prison as a teenager, was convicted of assault against his wife, and in August 2001 he was arrested after attacking a doorman who he claimed had previously assaulted him, receiving a four-year prison sentence in July 2002.
[6] In 2003 he was allowed out of prison twice a week to coach young boxers at Goole Boxing Club.