Light-Middleweight (≤71 kilograms), Men

Wilbert McClure came to Rome after winning the AAU title in 1959 and 1960, and the 1959 Pan American Games gold medal, but he barely got out of the semi-finals, winning a narrow 3-2 decision over the Soviet fighter Boris Lagutin. Lagutin would return in 1964 and 1968 to win the gold medal in this class. McClure advanced to fight Italy’s Carmelo Bossi in front of his hometown fans, and McClure won the final comfortably by majority decision, 4-1. Both finalists would turn professional, but Bossi had the greater pro career. He fought through 1971, winning the WBA and WBC light-middleweight world titles in 1970. In his final bout, in 1971, he lost those titles to Japan’s Koichi Wajima, and Bossi finished with a career professional record of 40 wins, 8 losses, and 3 draws. McClure fought professionally from 1961-70, finishing with a record of 24 wins, 8 losses, and 1 draw, but never contested a major title. He would earn degrees in literature and philosophy from the University of Toledo (1961) and a doctorate in psychology from Wayne State University in 1973. He became a professor at Northeastern University, formed his own counseling firm, and served a term as chairman of the Massachusetts State Boxing Commission.