Boris Lagutin

Boris Lagutin is probably the most celebrated Soviet boxer and the best light-middleweight amateur boxer in the world at the start of the 1960s. During his boxing career, which lasted from 1955-68, Lagutin won two Olympic golds (1964, 1968) and a bronze (1960), two European titles (1961, 1963) and six Soviet titles (1959, 1961-1964, 1968) and a silver in 1960. In all, Lagutin won 287 bouts out of 298 during his career. In 1971 Lagutin graduated from Moscow State University with a biology degree and from 1976-81 worked as chairman of the Soviet Boxing Federation.

From 1964-71 he also worked as a children’s coach with Spartak Moskva and from 1982-87 was the vice-president of that club. In the 1970s and 1980s Lagutin also led the sports section of the Soviet Communist Party’s youth wing Komsomol and from 1987-91 was the chairman of the physical culture and sports department of the Soviet Trade Union. Beginning in 1991 Lagutin became President of the foundation for Improvement and Sports, which he founded and which helps to improve children’s health, fitness and athletic performances. In 1996, Lagutin began work as an advisor to the Russian president in sports matters. In 1988 Lagutin received the Olympic Order in silver.