Heavyweight (≤91 kilograms), Men

The new star of amateur boxing in the heavyweight class was Félix Savón but, due to his nation’s boycott of the 1988 Olympics, he would have to wait another four years for his first Olympic appearance. Although it was impossible to know at the time Ray Mercer’s qualification for the US team by beating two future world professional heavyweight champions in Michael Bent and Tommy Morrison was impressive, perhaps even more impressive than his run of four successive knockout victories that won him the gold medal in Seoul. Only one of his opponents lasted into the final round and his opponent in the final, Baek Hyeon-Man of the host nation, was bombed out in the first round.

Mercer, who did not take up boxing until his early 20s, followed in the tradition of American Olympic heavyweights by turning professional. He won the WBO world heavyweight title by defeating Francesco Damiani in early 1991 but relinquished the title within a year and failed in an attempt the title a decade later.