Light-Heavyweight (≤81 kilograms), Men

Norvel Lee was taken to Helsinki as America’s reserve in the heavyweight division, the same as he had been in 1948, after losing to Ed Sanders in the final of the US Olympic trials. After arriving in Finland he was persuaded by team official to shed the necessary weight and fight as a light-heavyweight. Lee impressed in training and was given the US berth in his new division.

This proved a masterstroke by the US officials as Lee proved to be the outstanding boxer in any of the weight divisions in Helsinki and was a worthy winner of the Val Barker Trophy for the best boxer at the Games. Lee was a graduate of Howard University and did not follow the usual career path for an American Olympic boxing champion and refused to turn professional. Instead he spent a lifetime working in adult education whilst also moonlighting as a judge in professional boxing.

A second round loser was Britain’s Henry Cooper. After a long career where he was multiple British and European champion, he became the first boxer ever to be awarded a knighthood by Queen Elizabeth II.