ACOG - Boxing - IBM

Who to Watch in Boxing

Light Flyweight 48kg

World and European champion Daniel Petrov of Bulgaria will look to add the Olympic gold medal to his growing collection of honors, but must get past some old rivals to reach the top of the podium. World runner-up Bernard Inom of France and 1991 World Cup champion Nshan Munchian of Armania should challenge Petrov for the top spot.

Flyweight 51kg

Germany's Zoltan LUNKA edged top-ranked Bolat JUMADILOW of Kazakhstan for the 1995 world championship title and the two flyweights could be headed for another showdown at the Olympic Games. Richard SUNEE of Mauritius ranked among the division's top boxers in 1995.

Bantamweight 54kg

Hungary’s Istvan Kovacks won a bronze medal at the 1992 Games and captured the 1991 World Championship. At last year’s world championships however, KOVACS lost to eventual bronze medalist Dirk KRUGER of Germany in the second round while Russia’s Raimkul MALACHBEKOW claimed the top prize. Thailand's Vichai KHADPO ranked as the AIBA’s top boxer in the weight class at the end of 1995 and could contend for his country's first-ever boxing gold medal.

Featherweight 57kg

Two-time world champion Serafim TODOROV of Bulgaria heads the list of lightweight hopefuls along with Kamsing Somluck of Thailand and Pan American gold medalist Arnaldo Mesa of Cuba.

Lightweight 60kg

Although Romania still ranks among Olympic boxing’s most successful teams, Leonard Doroftei could be the country's best hope for a gold medal since 1956. Doroftei captured the 1995 world championship title with a decision over France's Bruno WARTELLE. WARTELLE leads an impressive contingent of French boxers into the Games while Cuba’s Julio GONZALES won the gold medal at the 1995 Pan American Games.

Light welterweight 63.5kg

Two-time world champion Hector VINCENT of Cuba won the gold medal at the 1992 Games and returns to defend his title against a field that includes European champion and world silver medalist Nurhan SULEYMANOULV of Turkey and Jerry DORO LEGRAS of Seychelles.

Welterweight 67kg

Juan Hernandez of Cuba won world championships in 1991, 1993 and 1995 but had to settle for the silver medal at the 1992 Olympic Games. The dominant Cuban returns to the Games as the favorite in the division, but must get past world silver medalist Oleg Saitov of Russia and Pan American light welterweight bronze medalist Fernando VARGAS of the United States. World bronze medalist Andreas Otto of Germany missed qualifying for the Games and will serve as a reserve.

Light middleweight 71kg

Romania's Francisc VASTAG won world championships in 1993 and 1995 and could be on track for an Olympic meeting with Pan American champion Alfredo DUVERGEL of Cuba. VASTAG defeated DUVERGEL in the world championship finals, but both boxers will face a top field that includes Pan American Games welterweight gold medalist David Reid of the United States and world bronze medalist Markus BEYER of Germany.

Middleweight 75kg

Ariel Hernandez was one of seven Cubans to win gold medals at the 1992 Games and returns as one of three Olympic champions seeking to defend their titles. Dilschod Jarbekow of Uzbekistan ranks among the top contenders along with world bronze medalists Dilschod JARBEKOW of Uzbekistan and Mohamed MOSBAHI of Morocco.

Light Heavyweight 81kg

Looking to continue a United States tradition of top Olympic light heavyweights, Antonio TARVER will attempt to join Muhammad ALI, Leon SPINKS and Evander HOLYFIELD as the next U.S. medalist in the division. The AIBA’s top-ranked boxer and 1995 World Champion, TARVER will face challenges from Ramon Garbey of Cuba as well as world bronze medalists Vassili JiroV of Kazakhstan and Thomas Ulrich of Germany.

Heavyweight 91kg

The defending Olympic champion in the division, Felix SAVON of Cuba has dominated the division on his way to five consecutive world championships. Germany's Luan Krasniqi finished second to Savon at the 1995 world championships, while Ecuador’s Thompson Garcia won a silver medal in the light heavyweight class at the 1995 Pan American Games. Christophe MENDY is another medal hopeful from a strong French contingent.

Super Heavyweight +91kg

Known as the heavyweight division until 1984, the super heavyweight class has produced some of the world's top professionals as well as perhaps the world's most famous non-professional. One of the greatest boxers in the history of the Games, Cuba’s Teofilo Stevenson resisted the opportunity to turn pro and became only the second boxer to win three consecutive gold medals in 1972, 1976 and 1980. Joe FRAZIER (USA), Ingemar JOHANSSON (SWE), George FOREMAN (USA) and Riddick BOWE (USA) all fought in the division before going on to win professional heavyweight championships. World Champion Alexei Lezin of Russia heads the list of 1996 contenders along with Pan American Games silver medalist Jean Francois Bergeron of Canada and 1995 world championships bronze medalist Lawrence Clay-Bey of the United States.

This is an official publication of the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games Sports Publication Department. Written by Howard Thomas.


Olympic Factoid
Pin trading was one of the most popular Olympic sports, with more than 1.2 million pins changing hands during the Games in the Coca Cola Pin Trading Center at Centennial Olympic Park.