BOXING: LACY POUNDS GRANT, WINS BY DECISION.

Byline: Michael Rosenthal Assistant Sports Editor 

Only a fighter with Jeff Lacy's reputation can win a fight convincingly and leave some people disappointed.

Lacy, the big-punching 2000 Olympian who had knocked out 12 of his first 14 opponents, hammered Richard Grant for 12 rounds but had to settle for a one-sided decision in a 12-round super middleweight bout Tuesday at the Playboy Mansion in Beverly Hills.

``I got the win and I'll take it,'' said Lacy (15-0, with 12 knockouts). ``... He was the great survivor. In the ring, he has more experience than me so that's what he can do.''

Grant (14-10, two KOs) seemed to be vulnerable going into the bout, having been knocked out in his past two fights - first when an angry James Butler punched him with a bare fist after Grant outpointed him and then by Antwun Echols in the third round.

It appeared this one was going to end the same way when Lacy put Grant down with a perfect left hook in the first round.

However, Grant, a slick former contender, survived the rest of the way by an assortment of means - running, bobbing, holding, taking punches and even fighting back. Lacy outlanded Grant only 183-159, according to punch statistics.

The difference was that Lacy landed dozens of vicious punches that would've stopped a fighter less determined and skilled than Grant, who took a particularly bad beating in the 11th and 12th rounds but was on his feet when the final bell rang.

Lacy was disappointed only that he suffered a bad cut below his left eye in the seventh round that will force him to push back his next fight, which was scheduled for September.

Mike Rosenthal, [phone]

michael.rosenthal(at)dailynews.com