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Chinadaily.com.cn sharing the Olympic spirit
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OLYMPICS/ Team China
Lord of the ring
By Matt Hodges (China Daily/The Olympian)
Updated: 2008-04-04 21:08
Hall of Fame
Boris Lagutin
One of the finest boxers of the Soviet era, Lagutin won three Olympic medals. After taking bronze in the light middleweight class at the 1960 Rome Games, he followed this up with a gold at Tokyo 1964 then hit a wall and was taken off the national roster. His comeback in 1968 to defend his title was hailed as a major victory.
Laszlo Papp
A devastating left hook helped the Hungarian become the first of three boxers to win three straight gold medals at the Olympics, starting with the middleweight title at the 1948 London Games. In 1957 he became the first professional boxer from a Communist country but was forbidden from challenging Dick Tiger for the world title in 1965. He retired undefeated with a pro record of 27-0-2, and was inducted to the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2001.
Teofilo Stevenson
One of two Cubans to claim three straight heavyweight gold medals at the Olympics (1972-80), Stevenson is still hailed as a national hero in the boxing-mad country. He might have won a fourth gold were it not for Cuba's boycott of the Los Angeles Games in 1984. Some analysts claim he could have beaten Muhammad Ali had he not refused to turn professional. Fellow Cuban Felix Savon also won the event from 1992-2000.
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