For discussion purposes, lets leave the Cubans out and eliminate the two easy answers (Savon and Teofilo Stevenson) and limit it to boxers who could have gone pro but chose not to.
Any ideas?
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For discussion purposes, lets leave the Cubans out and eliminate the two easy answers (Savon and Teofilo Stevenson) and limit it to boxers who could have gone pro but chose not to.
Any ideas?
He doesn't technically meet the criteria because when he was like 35 he turned pro for a few years before the Hungarian commies revoked his travel visa Laszlo Papp
but let me think about this. Great question.
The best answer is probably Boris Lagutin. He was a Russian middle in the 1960's. He won two golds and one bronze as well as a host of Euro amateur crowns. he lost in the 1960 Olympics by a razore thin margin to Skeeter McLure who had an excellent pro career.
Another guy is a guy you've seen if you've watched Adamek fight. He does the Polish broadcasts. A guy named Jery Kulek or Kulej, something like that. A lightweight who also won a couple of golds in the 1960's.
There was another Pole who was good around that time Jerzy Rybiski? Something like that.
The other guy who comes to mind was a Rusiian heavy named Igor Vysotsky (something like that). he never made it to an Olympics because he kept getting hurt. His claim to fame? He KO'd Teofilo Stevenson twice. He also beat Tony Tubbs and Greg Page IIRC. Guy was serious business.
By the way, don't be so quick to claim the greatest Cubans are the heavies. Look up an absolute artist of a featherweight named Angel Hererra. Coupla golds, coupls world championships and a win over some guy named Pernell Whittaker!
I'm sure I'm leaving guys out, those are the names (close anyway) that I came up with.
Great posting, I had never heard of this Russian fellow who beat Teofilo twice!
Here's an interview with him by a guy at Eastside.Quote:
Originally Posted by Beanflicker
SOVIET LEGENDS: Igor Vysotsky - The man who had Teofilo Stevenson’s number!” ESB EXCLUSIVE Interview!
Jerzy Kulej. Really intelligent and nice guy. Twice gold olympic champ.Quote:
Originally Posted by marbleheadmaui
Jerzy Rybicki. Gold Montreal 1976.
Marian Kasprzyk. Gold Tokio 1964.
Zbigniew Pietrzykowski - light heavy, lost in 1960 in Rome olympics final to Cassius Clay. Four golds in Europe 1955-1963.
I don't think there ever was a "pro" option for socialist block back then. Olympics was everything for them, especially if they got to fight Russians.