Middleweight (≤75 kilograms), Men

As was common by 2000, a Cuban was favored. Jorge Gutiérrez had won the 1999 Pan American Games and made the final of the 1999 World Championships, when the Cuban officials withdrew their entire team in protest of judging decisions, leaving him with a silver medal. Gutiérrez made it to the final in Sydney where he faced Russia’s Gaydarbek Gaydarbekov in one of the top bouts of the 2000 Olympics. No fighter ever got more than 2 points ahead in the match, with Gutiérrez coming from behind in the last minute to win 17-15. Gutiérrez then disappeared from the international boxing scene. Gaydarbekov came back in 2004 to win the gold medal in this class, also winning the European title that year, and also winning at the 2001 Goodwill Games.

Gaydarbekov had defeated Hungary’s Zsolt Erdei in the semi-finals in Sydney. Erdei had been the 1997 World Champion and 1998 and 2000 European champion. He turned professional after the 2000 Olympics and prospered as a pro, winning the 2005 WBO light-heavyweight championship, and in 2009, winning the 2009 WBC cruiserweight crown. Through 2011 he was undefeated as a professional, winning his first 33 bouts.