Retired bodybuilder Johnnie Morant passed away. Morant primarily competed in the 1980s and 1990s era of bodybuilding. He made a name for himself in the NPC before turning pro and competed in several professional bodybuilding competitions. Morant was widely regarded as an icon of New Jersey bodybuilding.
The cause of Morant’s death as well as the exact time and date of his passing is not known at the moment. RX Muscle first reported the news of his passing on their official Instagram account. IFBB Pro bodybuilder and NPC champion Guy Ducasse took to the comments section of the post and confirmed that Morant’s family member had informed him of his death.
He wrote:
“Extremely sad day for me!!! Spoke to Kenny Morant this morning and he confirmed that Johnnie had passed away last night. My thoughts, prayers, and condolences go to Kenny, his mom, his kids, his grandkids, and his entire family and loved ones. RIP my brother, we will meet again and say hello to Kemper.”
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A glance at Johnnie Morant’s bodybuilding career
Johnnie Morant rose on the bodybuilding scene in the mid-1980s. He started his bodybuilding journey by competing at the 1986 NPC Junior National Championships. Morant competed in the heavyweight division and secured a second-place finish at the show. His performance in the first NPC show made him an overnight sensation.
He continued to participate in amateur bodybuilding competitions over the next three years. While he achieved podium finishes at most of the shows, the 1986 NPC National Championships was an exception. Morant failed to crack the top ten and walked away with a 13th-place finish.
The biggest moment of Morant’s amateur bodybuilding career came in 1989 when he won the IFBB North American Championships in the heavyweight division and also became the overall winner. The victory earned him the IFBB Pro card and Morant started his professional bodybuilding journey in the next year.
Johnnie Morant competed at several prominent shows in his five-year professional bodybuilding career. These include the Night of Champions, Ironman Pro Invitational, and Grand Prix, to name a few. His best showing came at the 1990 Night of Champions where Morant finished fourth.
Johnnie Morant retired from competition after a seventh-place finish at the 1995 Night of Champions.
Morant’s incredibly muscular physique was widely appreciated at the time. He appeared in several bodybuilding and fitness magazines in the 1980s and 1990s. Most notably, He appeared on the cover of the May 1990 issue of the Muscle Training Illustrated magazine alongside Lenda Murray.
Johnnie Morant’s Career:
1995:
- IFBB Night of Champions: 7th Place
- IFBB Canada Pro Cup: 6th Place
1994:
- IFBB Night of Champions: 6th Place
- IFBB Ironman Pro Invitational: 11th Place
- IFBB Grand Prix Germany (2): 12th Place
- IFBB Grand Prix France: 12th Place
1991:
- WBF Grand Prix: 9th Place
1990:
- IFBB Night of Champions: 4th Place
- IFBB Grand Prix Italy: 9th Place
- IFBB Grand Prix Germany: 10th Place
1989:
- NPC USA Championships, Heavyweight: 1st Place
- IFBB North American Championships:
- Heavyweight: 1st Place
- Overall Winner
1988:
- NPC USA Championships, Heavyweight: 3rd Place
- IFBB North American Championships, Heavyweight: 3rd Place
1987:
- NPC USA Championships, Heavyweight: 2nd Place
1986:
- NPC Nationals, Heavyweight: 13th Place
- NPC Junior Nationals, Heavyweight: 2nd Place
Fitness Volt wishes Johnnie Morant’s family and loved ones all the strength to cope with the loss of their loved one.