(CNN) -- The greatest in an illustrious lineage of Cuban fighters, Savon ruled the novice heavyweight department between winning his first international championship in 1986 and claiming his 3rd Olympic gold medal in 2000.
Savon: Fidel Castro's favourite sportsman.
Savon's ultimate struggle, in Sydney aged 33, used to be also one in every of his toughest.
By the top he was bleeding badly from a lower underneath his eye, yet he nonetheless out-scored Russian opponent Sultan Ahmed Ibragimov 21-13.
Raising a countrywide flag above his head -- he have been given it in my opinion by means of Fidel Castro ahead of leaving for Australia -- he dedicated his success to the folk of Cuba.
By profitable his third gold medal, Savon additionally emulated the fulfillment of compatriot Tefilo Stevenson, who dominated the super heavyweight department between 1972 and 1980.
The pair are the one two warring parties to win the similar division at three Olympics.
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Savon was once arguably a greater fighter. He would most likely have won gold in Seoul in 1988 as well, had Cuba no longer boycotted the Games.
And his run of six instantly newbie international championships was only resulted in 1999 when the entire Cuban staff walked out in protest at alleged refereeing injustices.
Crushing win
In Barcelona in 1992, Savon had earned his first Olympic gold with a crushing 14-1 win in opposition to Nigeria's David Izonritel.
Olympic record
1992
-- 1 gold (heavyweight)1996 -- 1 gold (heavyweight)
2000 -- 1 gold (heavyweight)
Four years later in Atlanta, he scored some other emphatic victory, pummelling David Defiagbon of Canada 20-2.
With novice boxing's age restrict of 34, Savon retired after Sydney to grow to be trainer of the Cuban national staff.
What would Savon have completed if he had deserted the beginner ranks? The offers had been definitely there: Don King reputedly presented him $10 million to battle professionally.
Many professionals argue that Savon can have been as dominant as some other former Olympic champion -- Cassius Clay.
Yet, fittingly for a really perfect Olympian, Savon has remained defiantly newbie and an outspoken critic of professional boxing's on line casino culture.
"I never would have traded the love and affection of my people for all the millions in the world," he mentioned.
All About Olympic Games • Sports • Olympic Boxing • Fidel Castro
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