5 amazing boxers who won gold at the Olympics

Boxing is one of the most awaited events in the Olympics, year after year

Boxing is a sport with a rich and storied tradition. Several gold medal winners at the Olympics went on to have great professional careers, and their achievements at the Olympic Games are sometimes overlooked for what they’ve achieved subsequently. We look at 5 Olympic gold medalists and their achievements in this piece. Men who’ve been immortalized by their strikes, blows and quickness within the boxing ring. Men who’ve brought pride, honour, glory and happiness to millions in their country.


#5 Sugar Ray Leonard

Before he won 9 world titles, Leonard won gold at the 1976 Montreal Olympics

Boxing fans recognize Sugar Ray Leonard as one of the greatest professional boxers of all time. But prior to his pro career, Leonard was a celebrated amateur boxer, with several accolades in the sphere of professional boxing. As a member of the US Dream Team at the 1976 Montreal Olympics, he represented his country as a light welterweight boxer. He won his first 4 bouts with 5-0 decisions. In the semi-final, he squared off against the deadly Kazimierz Szczerba and won comprehensively with a 5-0 decision.

In the finals, he faced legendary knockout artist from Cuba - Andrés Aldama, and scored a 5-0 victory there as well. After winning gold, Leonard said he’s done with boxing and wished to attend the University of Maryland on a scholarship. But after he was offered an opportunity to go pro, he decided to do so, in a decision that's definitely paid off well for him.

#4 Oscar De La Hoya

Oscar De La Hoya lived up to the wishes of his mother, who wanted him to win Olympic Gold

In the world of boxing, there is no story as tender and warm as that of Oscar De la Hoya. An accomplished amateur boxer, at the age of 17, he won the U.S. National Championship and was the youngest U.S. boxer at that year's Goodwill Games, winning a gold medal. However, he was soon distraught to find that his mother had been diagnosed with breast cancer. Her dream was to see her son win a gold medal at the Olympics.

Oscar De La Hoya took his mother’s wishes to heart and trained relentlessly to achieve this goal. And in the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, he beat Marco Rudolph to achieve this distinction. He went on to have a fantastic professional career too.

#3 George Foreman

Before he was a manufacturer of grills, he was an Olympic Gold medalist

Some of us remember him for the ‘Rumble in the Jungle’, some others for his time as a minister and others for his range of cookware that took America by storm. But George Foreman is also an Olympic gold medalist, having won a medal in the heavyweight division at the 1968 Olympic Games at Mexico City.

Boxing fans will remember Foreman’s victory over Joe Frazier to become the world heavyweight champion, and his subsequent loss to Muhammad Ali, events that have made him a legitimate boxing icon. He retired in 1997 with an incredible record of 76 wins and 5 losses.

#2 Joe Frazier

Olympic Gold Medalist Smokin' Joe was one of the strongest and most durable boxers ever

The story of Joe Frazier’s gold medal at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics begins on a strange note. He was beaten in the Olympic trials by Buster Mathis, and his dreams of going to the Olympics seemed like a distant dream. But as luck would have it, Mathis broke his thumb and Frazier was asked to go instead.

After comprehensively winning the first few matches, he faced off against the intimidating Vadim Yemelyanov in the semi finals. While he managed to win the match, Frazier broke his thumb during the fight. Ironically enough, like Mathis, he'd go into the finals with a broken thumb. Facing Hans Huber in the finals, Frazier pulled no punches and ultimately emerged an Olympic gold medalist.

#1 Muhammad Ali

The greatest boxer of all time was also an Olympic Gold Medalist

Boxing fans recognize him as the greatest of all time, but even non-boxing fans recognize his greatness. Muhammad Ali is not just the best boxer who ever lived but one of the most legendary sportsmen ever. But his road to the top began with an amateur boxing career which culminated in him winning a gold medal at the 1960 Rome Summer Olympics.

Ali said in his 1975 autobiography that shortly after his return from the Rome Olympics, he threw his gold medal into a river after he and a friend were refused service at a "whites-only" restaurant and fought with a white gang. Though his story was disputed, he was presented with a gold medal at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

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Edited by Staff Editor