Marijan Beneš

Marijan Beneš was a Serbian Yugoslav boxer who competed at the 1976 Montréal Olympics. He was a European Champion as an amateur. Beneš turned professional in August 1977 and fought as a pro through December 1983, although he un-retired and fought one bout in 1991, and then un-retired again in 1997, fighting one more time at 46-years-old.

Beneš recorded a professional record of 32 wins (21 by knockout), 6 losses, and 1 draw. In March 1979 he defeated Gilbert Cohen to claim the European EBU super-welterweight title, a crown he defended four times before losing it. He later fought for the WBA super-welterweight title on 12 June 1980, but lost the world bout to Ayub Kalele. He later tried to regain his European super-welterweight twice, in 1981 and again 1982, but lost both bouts.

Beneš had difficult later years as he developed Alzheimer’s disease, had little money to support himself, and lived his last few years in an assisted care facility.