Leo Nolan (born August 18, 1972 Detroit, Michigan)[1] is a United States heavyweight boxer.
Nolan was born and raised in Detroit.[2] As a junior he boxed for Kronk Gym for three years.[2] He turned professional in 1992, winning his first five pro fights before his career was interrupted in 1996 after he was convicted of being an accomplice in a robbery of an off-duty police officer and sentenced to five years in prison.[2] He was also shot five times in the incident.[2] He was released in 2000, and after being out of boxing for almost eight years, returned to the ring in 2001.[2] By 2007, Nolan had won all of his 26 professional fights.[2] Past opponents include Lou Savarese, Jeremy Bates, and Andy Sample,[2] and he has won the IBU intercontinental Heavyweight title and the IBA Americas Heavyweight Title.[3] He suffered his first defeat to unheralded heavyweight Hector Ferreyro in 2007.[2]
His career was interrupted again in June 2009 when he was shot in the neck during an attempted car-jacking.[4][5]
He was stopped for the first time in his professional career in December 2009 by Alexander Povetkin, his second defeat from 29 professional fights.[6]