The incredible thing that we don't talk about when it comes to George Foreman

[Bill Paxtom]

At the 1968 Olympic Games {October 1968} ~ Mexico City, Mexico

Finals

USSR Heavyweight ~ Ionas Chepulis

Howard Cosell lead us to believe that Ionas Chepulis was some kind of incredible and unbeatable Amateur Heavyweight.
He built the Russian into some sort of 'unstoppable tank'. He actually called him a 'Soviet Tank'. One that 'Mortar Shells'
bounce off of.

Howard Cosell >
"Ionas Chepulis could be ranked in the Top 15 of the Professional Ranks right now. He's had over 200-Bouts, and won
185 of them. He's as strong as Joe Frazier, and he looks bigger as well. He's real strong and clubs you with heavy
arms, and wears you down."

Truth,

Ionas {Age; 29 years, 2 months} was a good-and-strong Russian Heavyweight, but Ionas was far from the best that Country
had to offer.

Yes, Ionas was experienced, as he had been boxing for 10-Years. But all his bouts had been in Russia, and the 1968 Olympic Games
would be his '1st' International Tournament.

Ionas, at 6' 1" and 203 lbs. was solid, and he did have an impressive record of 185-22 {87 KO's} when he entered the Olympic Games.

But, He was 'never' a USSR National Champion. His performances at the Soviet Championships >
* 1965 National Championships > 'Silver Medalist'
* 1966 National Championships > 'Bronze Medalist'
* 1968 National Championships > 'Silver Medalist'

Ionas had lost in the Soviet Championship Finals only 3-Months earlier {July 1968} when he was soundly beaten by Alexander Vasyushkin.

Ionas who was Lithuanian, did win that National Championship 4-Times {1963, 1964, 1966 and 1967}. He also won the 1962 Baltic Championships.

Ionas did have a great start at the 1968 Olympic Games, when he won all bouts by stoppage.
Preliminary .........* TKO 3 ~ Billy Wells {Great Britain}
Quarter-Finals .... * KO 3 ~ Bernd Anders {East Germany}
Semi-Finals ........ * TKO 2 ~ Joaquin Rocha {Mexico}