TENACIOUS, courageous and ferocious Michael Benjamin was one of the most feared boxers in Guyana.

As a lightweight Benjamin possessed power, speed and an appetite for destruction. He turned pro in 1986 and was 4-0 when he met Venezuelan Eduardo Linares on January 25, 1987.
The 20-year-old Guyanese knocked out Linares in the third round. The fight was one of seven Benjamin had that year, marking it as the busiest period of his 14-year career. He was crowned national lightweight champion in November of 1987 following a win by majority decision over Jeff Roberts.
`Benjie’ added the World Boxing Council Continental Americas lightweight title to the collection when he defeated, via unanimous decision, former World Boxing Association lightweight champion Ernesto Espana of Venezuela. The fight was staged in Guyana in August 1988.
Benjamin moved up two divisions and took the local welterweight title after an eighth round TKO of compatriot Barrington Cambridge in May 1990. Two years later, the orthodox fighter shocked Guyana with a stunning fourth-round TKO of the classy Anthony `The Pearl’ Andrews.
After unsuccessful bids for the Commonwealth welterweight title and losses to Pascal David and `Deadly’ Denny Dalton, Benjamin decided to permanently leave the ring in 2000. His record reads 23 victories (14 KOs), eight defeats and two draws.