Heavyweight (≤91 kilograms), Men

Félix Savón came to Sydney as the heaviest favorite in any boxing class. He had won the gold medal in this class in 1992 and 1996, and was World Champion in 1986, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1995, and 1997, only failing to win in 1999, when Cuban officials withdrew the entire team, in protest of controversial judging, after Savón had made the final. The 1999 title went to American Michael Bennett, who was the United States’ 2000 representative in this class. Savón’s 1997 World title was somewhat questionable as he lost in the final to Uzbeki Ruslan Chagayev, but Chagayev was disqualified when it was revealed that he fought some professional bouts in the United States. In an odd ruling in 1998 he was reinstated to the amateur ranks when the fights were declared exhibitions, and he was in Sydney.

But it mattered little. Chagayev lost in the quarter-finals, and Savón was unstoppable. He pummeled Bennett in the quarter-finals before the ref stopped the fight near the end of the third round. Savón then won two easy decisions to win his third consecutive gold medal, joining Hungary’s László Papp and his countryman, Teófilo Stevenson as the only Olympic boxers (through 2008) with three gold medals. After the victory ceremony, Savón announced his retirement.