Torsten May

German light-heavyweight boxer Torsten May won the gold medal at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. In the final he beat Rotyslav Zaulychnyi from the Unified Team of former Soviet States by an 8-3 decision. He had, however, encountered difficult bouts in both the quarter- and semi-finals.

In the quarters he faced the much shorter American Montell Griffin, who opened a big cut over May’s eye in the final round. The referee actually stopped the fight but the ring doctor let it continue with Griffin leading. But Griffin then received a third warning for leading with his head (ducking), and was given a 3-point penalty, which proved decisive as May won the match, 6-4. In the semi-finals, May fought Poland’s Wojciech Bartnik, and spent much of the fight clinching to protect his cut eye, but won by a narrow 8-6 decision.

In 1991, May won his only national amateur title and added the World Amateur Championship title that same year. He turned professional in 1993 and in 1996 fought for the IBF cruiserweight world title, but lost a decision to Adolpho Washington. May retired after 2003 with a career record of 22-3. He later turned to coaching, and opened a boxing club at Köln.