Heavyweight (>175 pounds), Men

Two familiar names failed to win their opening bouts in the heavyweight division. Eddie Eagan, who was the light-heavyweight champion from Antwerp and who would become a bobsleigh gold medalist in 1932, was outpointed by the English policeman, Arthur Clifton, whilst Con O’Kelly, Jr., whose father had been a wrestling champion 16 years earlier, also took a swift exit. In the end it was two Scandinavian boxers that contested the final. Dane Søren Petersen had been a finalist in Antwerp but had already been knocked out by Otto von Porat of Norway prior to the Olympics. Petersen struggled to survive the first round but rebounded in the second and had his Norwegian opponent in deep trouble. Von Porat’s strong finish tipped the decision in his favour and he became his country’s first and so far, only, Olympic boxing champion.

Both finalists turned professional, von Porat emigrated to the USA and became a popular attraction within the Norwegian immigrant communities of Minnesota and Illinois. He eventually became Scandinavian heavyweight champion. Petersen was to become Danish champion but fail in an attempt at the European heavyweight title. In 1931 in Oslo, seven years after their previous meeting, the two men met as professionals with Von Porat claiming a fifth round knockout victory.