Cuba's Teofilo Stevenson, a three-time Olympic heavyweight champion, has died of heart disease at the age of 60. Stevenson won Olympic gold in 1972, 1976 and 1980 and might have added another medal or two if Cuba had not boycotted the 1984 and 1988 Games.
Considered by some to be the greatest amateur boxer of all-time, Stevenson could have earned a huge payday for facing Muhammad Ali but Cuba insisted that he maintain his amateur status. There are no reports suggesting Stevenson was ever tempted to defect from Cuba or expressed any regrets about being unable to pursue a pro career.
The only other boxers to win gold at three separate Olympics are Lazlo Papp of Hungary (1948, 1952, 1956) and fellow Cuban heavyweight Felix Savon (1992, 1996, 2000).
Comments
A truly great amateur imagine fights between him and Foreman, Holmes, Ellis Quarry the list goes on and on in the greatest era of heavyweight boxing.