Félix Savón
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Félix Savón Fabre (born 22 September 1967) is a Cuban former amateur boxer who competed from 1980 to 2000. Considered one of the all-time greatest amateurs,[1] he became three-time Olympic gold medalist, and the World Champion six times in a row,[2] all in the heavyweight division. In 1988, when he was favored by many to win the gold medal at the 1988 Summer Olympics, the Cuban government boycotted the event.[3] Savón is particularly known for having rejected numerous multimillion-dollar offers to defect and leave Cuba permanently to fight Mike Tyson as a professional.[4]
Early life
He was born in San Vicente, in Guantánamo Province, Cuba. His ring debut occurred in 1980, in Guantánamo.
Savón's inspiration to become a boxer was his renowned countryman, three-time Olympic champion Teófilo Stevenson[3] (he later was perceived by the Western media as Stevenson's successor[5])
Career
During his career, in which he did not turn professional, he managed a career record of 362–21, with the majority of his losses avenged.[6][7] The only boxers, who got away with knockout victories over Savón unavenged were Soviet Usman Arsaliyev and North Korean Li Dal-Chen, whom he met only once.
He won his first important titles in 1985. At 19 he beat America's Michael Bentt on his way to win the 1987 Pan Am games.[8] Besides winning the Cuban heavyweight title (which he would win each year until his retirement, except 1999 and 2000 when he lost to Odlanier Solís, who he would lose to twice and defeat once in their three meetings), he also won the Junior World Championships in 1985.[9]
This set off his career, in which he would win six World Championships; his victory at the 1997 tournament was the result of the disqualification of an opponent, future professional world champion Ruslan Chagaev (whom Savón had previously beaten), who beat Savón in the final, but was later stripped of the gold medal for having two professional fights prior to the championships.[10] Chagaev was reinstated as an amateur the following year when these fights were declared exhibitions, but did not regain the gold medal.[11]
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"He's just a great guy and he deserves everything he's got.
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In 1998 during the Heavyweight final of the Goodwill Games from New York, Savón had an amazing knockout over U.S. Amateur Champion DaVarryl Williamson.[13] At the 1999 tournament, he was to fight American Michael Bennett in the final, but the whole Cuban team retired from the competition to protest the result of another Cuban boxer in the tournament whom they considered had been "robbed" by the judges, meaning that Bennett won the final on default.[14] In their bout at the 2000 Summer Olympics Bennett would lose 23–8 to Savón.[15]
Savón won three Olympic gold medals, a feat shared with only two other boxers, László Papp and compatriot Teófilo Stevenson. He could have been a four-time Olympic gold medalist, had the Cuban government allowed its team to participate in the 1988 Seoul, South Korea.[3]
Savón's critics said that he is a puncher instead of a boxer who is not satisfied with a decision, risking losses by going after knockouts even when he is far ahead on points. Roosevelt Sanders, a U.S. boxing coach, said Savon would have been immediately ranked between 5th and 10th in the world's professional boxing heavyweight division if he turned pro after the 1990 Goodwill Games.[3] "Cuba, since 1974 has been the king of amateur boxing in the world", he said. "That is why the media of other countries keep asking why we don't box professionally. Professionalism will abolish humanism and society." Savon said amateur athletes are revered in Cuba. "Athletes are the most important thing in Cuba since Castro took over. We practice sports from the age of 8."[16]
Highlights
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Local match-up (71 kg), Guantánamo, Cuba, 1980 (debut):
Template:Gold1 XVI National Cadet Games (71 kg), Cuba, July 1981:
Template:Bronze3 National Youth Championships (71 kg), Cuba, 1982:
Template:Bronze3 National Friendship Games (81 kg), Cuba, 1983:
Template:Gold1 National Youth Championships (81 kg), Cuba, 1983:
Template:Gold1 International Youth Tournament (91 kg), Berlin, East Germany, June 1984:
Template:Gold1 XV Central America and the Caribbean Championships (91 kg), Managua, Nicaragua, 1984:
Template:Gold1 XXIV Playa Girón National Championships (91 kg), Nueva Gerona, Cuba, January 1985:
Template:Gold1 XXXVI Strandzha Cup (91 kg), Sofia, Bulgaria, February 1985:
Template:Gold1 XIV Chemistry Cup (91 kg), Halle, East Germany, March 1985:
Template:Gold1 Trofeo Italia (91 kg), Mestre, Venice, Italy, March 1985:
Template:Gold1 XVIII Giraldo Córdova Cardín Tournament (91 kg), Ciego de Ávila, Cuba, March 1985:
Template:Gold1 National Youth Championships (91 kg), Cuba, 1985:
Template:Gold1 XVI Central America and the Caribbean Championships (91 kg), Maturín, Venezuela, September 1985:
Template:Gold1 III Junior World Championships (91 kg), Bucharest, Romania, September 1985:
Template:Gold1 XXV Playa Girón National Championships (91 kg), Havana, Cuba, January 1986:
Template:Gold1 XXXVII Strandzha Cup (91 kg), Sofia, Bulgaria, February 1986:
Template:Gold1 XVII Chemistry Cup (91 kg), Halle, East Germany, March 1986:
Template:Gold1 Ústí Grand Prix (91 kg), Ústí nad Labem, Czechoslovakia, March 1986:
Template:Gold1 XIX Giraldo Córdova Cardín Tournament (91 kg), Camagüey, Cuba, May 1986:
Template:Gold1 IV World Championships (91 kg), Reno, Nevada, May 1986:
Template:Gold1 XV Central American and Caribbean Games (91 kg), Santiago, Dominican Republic, June–July 1986:
National Team Championships (91 kg), Cuba, October 1986:
USA–Cuba Duals (91 kg), New Orleans, Louisiana, December 1986:
USA–Cuba Duals (91 kg), Sacramento, California, December 1986:
Template:Gold1 XXVI Playa Girón National Championships (91 kg), Holguín, Cuba, January 1987:
Template:Gold1 XVIII Chemistry Cup (91 kg), Halle, East Germany, March 1987:
Template:Bronze3 Ústí Grand Prix (91 kg), Ústí nad Labem, Czechoslovakia, March 1987:
Template:Gold1 XX Giraldo Córdova Cardín Tournament (91 kg), Santa Clara, Cuba, June 1987:
Template:Gold1 X Pan American Games (91 kg), Indianapolis, Indiana, August 1987:
Template:Gold1 North American Championships (91 kg), Toronto, Canada, August 1987:
Template:Gold1 V World Cup (91 kg), Belgrade, Yugoslavia, October 1987:
Cuba–USA Duals (91 kg), Santa Clara, Cuba, December 1987:
Template:Gold1 XXVII Playa Girón National Championships (91 kg), Sancti Spiritus, Cuba, January 1988:
Template:Gold1 Ústí Grand Prix (91 kg), Ústí nad Labem, Czechoslovakia, March 1988:
Template:Gold1 Gee-Bee Tournament (91 kg), Helsinki, Finland, April 1988:
USA–Cuba Duals (91 kg), Caesars Atlantic City, Atlantic City, New Jersey, April 1988:
Template:Gold1 XXI Giraldo Córdova Cardín Tournament (91 kg), Las Tunas, Cuba, June 1988:
Template:Gold1 Leningrad International Tournament (91 kg), Leningrad, Soviet Union, June 1988:
Template:Gold1 TSC Tournament (91 kg), Berlin, East Germany, July 1988:
Template:Gold1 XIX Central America and the Caribbean Championships (91 kg), Guatemala City, Guatemala, October 1988:
Template:Gold1 XXVIII Playa Girón National Championships (91 kg), Guantánamo, Cuba, January 1989:
AIBA International Challenge (91 kg), Casablanca, Morocco, February 1989:
Template:Gold1 XXII Giraldo Córdova Cardín Tournament (91 kg), Pinar del Río, Cuba, June 1989:
Template:Silver2 VII Military Spartakiad of the Friendly Armies of the Socialist Countries (91 kg), Sliven, Bulgaria, June 1989:
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Template:Gold1 V World Championships (91 kg), Moscow, Soviet Union, September 1989:
Cuba–USA Duals (91 kg), Havana, Cuba, 1989:
Template:Gold1 Battle of Carabobo International Tournament (91 kg), Venezuela, 1989:
Template:Gold1 XXIX Playa Girón National Championships (91 kg), Cienfuegos, Cuba, January 1990:
AIBA International Challenge (91 kg), West Berlin, West Germany, March 1990:
Template:Gold1 XXIII Giraldo Córdova Cardín Tournament (91 kg), Manzanillo, Cuba, June 1990:
U.S. Olympic Cup, North America–Europe Duals (91 kg), Salt Lake City, Utah, June 1990:
Template:Gold1 II Goodwill Games (91 kg), Seattle Center Coliseum, Seattle, Washington, July 1990:
Template:Gold1 VI World Cup (91 kg), Dublin, Ireland, August 1990:
Cuba–USA Duals (91 kg), Havana, Cuba, 1990:
Template:Gold1 XVI Central American and Caribbean Games (91 kg), Mexico City, Mexico, December 1990:
Template:Gold1 XXX Playa Girón National Championships (91 kg), Camagüey, Cuba, January 1991:
Template:Gold1 King's Cup (91 kg), Bangkok, Thailand, February 1991:
Template:Gold1 XXIV Giraldo Córdova Cardín Tournament (91 kg), Sancti Spiritus, Cuba, June 1991:
USA–Cuba Duals (91 kg), Fort Bragg, North Carolina, August 1991:
Template:Gold1 XI Pan American Games (91 kg), Havana, Cuba, August 1991:
Template:Gold1 VI World Championships (91 kg), Sydney, Australia, November 1991:
Template:Gold1 XXXI Playa Girón National Championships (91 kg), Pinar del Río, Cuba, January 1992:
Template:Gold1 BOXAM Cup (91 kg), Barcelona, Spain, February 1992:
AIBA International Challenge (91 kg), Tampa, Florida, April 1992:
Template:Gold1 XXV Giraldo Córdova Cardín Tournament (91 kg), Santiago de Cuba, Cuba, May 1992:
Template:Gold1 XXV Summer Olympics (91 kg), Barcelona, Spain, July 1992:
Template:Gold1 XXXII Playa Girón National Championships (91 kg), Matanzas, Cuba, January 1993:
AIBA International Challenge (91 kg), Istanbul, Turkey, February 1993:
Europe–North America Duals (91 kg), Berlin, Germany, March 1993:
Template:Gold1 XXVI Giraldo Córdova Cardín Tournament (91 kg), Sancti Spiritus, Cuba, May 1993:
Template:Gold1 VII World Championships (91 kg), Tampere, Finland, June 1993:
USA–Cuba Duals (91 kg), Biloxi, Mississippi, September 1993:
Template:Gold1 XVII Central American and Caribbean Games (91 kg), Ponce, Puerto Rico, November 1993:
Template:Gold1 XXXIII Playa Girón National Championships (91 kg), Ciego de Ávila, Cuba, January 1994:
AIBA International Challenge (91 kg), Dublin, Ireland, March 1994:
Template:Silver2 XXVII Giraldo Córdova Cardín Tournament (91 kg), Cienfuegos, Cuba, May 1994:
Template:Gold1 VIII World Cup (91 kg), Bangkok, Thailand, June 1994:
Template:Gold1 III Goodwill Games (91 kg), Saint Petersburg, Russia, July–August 1994:
USA–Cuba Duals (91 kg), Ledyard, Connecticut, October 1994:
Template:Gold1 XXXIV Playa Girón National Championships (91 kg), Manzanillo, Cuba, January 1995:
Template:Gold1 XXVIII Giraldo Córdova Cardín Tournament (91 kg), Matanzas, Cuba, February 1995:
Template:Gold1 XII Pan American Games (91 kg), Mar del Plata, Argentina, March 1995:
Template:Gold1 World Championships (91 kg), Berlin, Germany, May 1995:
National match-up (91 kg), Havana, Cuba, July 1995:
Template:Gold1 XXI Central America and the Caribbean Championships (91 kg), Mexico City, Mexico, September 1995:
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AIBA International Challenge (91 kg), Macon, Georgia, October 1995:
USA–Cuba Duals (91 kg), Ledyard, Connecticut, November 1995:
Template:Gold1 XXXV Playa Girón National Championships (91 kg), Santiago de Cuba, Cuba, January 1996:
Template:Gold1 XLVII Strandzha Cup (91 kg), Sofia, Bulgaria, February 1996:
Template:Gold1 Ústí Grand Prix (91 kg), Ústí nad Labem, Czech Republic, February 1996:
Template:Gold1 XXVII Chemistry Cup (91 kg), Halle, Germany, February–March 1996:
Template:Gold1 XXIX Giraldo Córdova Cardín Tournament (91 kg), Camagüey, Cuba, April–May 1996:
Template:Gold1 XXII Central America and the Caribbean Championships (91 kg), Guadalajara, Mexico, May 1996:
Template:Gold1 XXVI Summer Olympics (91 kg), Atlanta, Georgia, July–August 1996:
Template:Gold1 Copenhagen Cup (91 kg), Copenhagen, Denmark, November 1996:
XXXVI Playa Girón National Championships (91 kg), Holguín, Cuba, February 1997:
Template:Gold1 XXX Giraldo Córdova Cardín Tournament (91 kg), Pinar del Río, Cuba, June 1997:
National match-up (91 kg), Havana, Cuba, August 1997:
Template:Gold1 Pan American Tournament (91 kg), Medellín, Colombia, September 1997:
Template:Gold1 World Championships (91 kg), Budapest, Hungary, October 1997:
Template:Gold1 XXXVI Playa Girón National Championships (91 kg), Villa Clara, Cuba, January–February 1998:
Template:Gold1 Ahmet Cömert Memorial (91 kg), Istanbul, Turkey, February 1998:
Template:Gold1 Beijing Open Tournament (91 kg), Beijing, China, March 1998
Template:Gold1 XXXI Giraldo Córdova Cardín Tournament (91 kg), Havana, Cuba, June 1998:
Template:Gold1 IX World Cup (91 kg), Chongqing, China, June 1998:
Template:Gold1 IV Goodwill Games (91 kg), New York City, July 1998:
Template:Gold1 XVIII Central American and Caribbean Games (91 kg), Maracaibo, Venezuela, August 1998:
Template:Silver2 XXXVII Playa Girón National Championships (91 kg), Sancti Spiritus, Cuba, January 1999:
Template:Silver2 Strandzha Cup (91 kg), Plovdiv, Bulgaria, February 1999:
Template:Bronze3 Ústí Grand Prix (91 kg), Ústí nad Labem, Czech Republic, March 1999:
National Tournament of Champions (91 kg), Havana, Cuba, April 1999:
Template:Gold1 XXXII Giraldo Córdova Cardín Tournament (91 kg), Villa Clara, Cuba, June 1999:
Template:Silver2 X World Championships (91 kg), Houston, Texas, August 1999:
Template:Silver2 XXXVIII Playa Girón National Championships (91 kg), Guantánamo, Cuba, January 2000:
Template:Gold1 Ústí Grand Prix (91 kg), Ústí nad Labem, Czech Republic, March 2000:
Ukraine–Cuba Duals (91 kg), Kyiv, Ukraine, March 2000:
National Olympic Trials (91 kg), Havana, Cuba, June 2000:
Template:Gold1 XXXIII Giraldo Córdova Cardín Tournament (91 kg), Las Tunas, Cuba, July 2000:
Template:Gold1 XXVII Summer Olympics (91 kg), Sydney, Australia, September 2000:
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Retirement
Savón announced his retirement from the ring, but helped train Cuba's fighters for the 2004 Athens Olympics.[17] After winning his third Olympic gold at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Savón announced his retirement at age 33.[18]
Later life
In February of the following year with Fidel Castro also present, Savón had the song "You Love Us" dedicated to him by the Manic Street Preachers, who became the first western rock band to play in Cuba.
In 2018, Savón was arrested amid accusations that he had raped an underage boy.[19]
References
External links
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- Template:Boxrec
- Template:Olympics.com profile
- Template:Olympedia
- Amateur career of Félix Savón (in Spanish) compiled by Pedro Cabrera Isidrón of the Cuban Olympics Committee. Last updated: September 17, 2008
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Template:Footer Olympic Champions Boxing Heavyweight Template:Footer World Amateur Champions Heavyweight Template:Footer Pan American Champions Heavyweight
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Golden hat-trick for battered Savon, Kingston Gleaner, 1 October 2000, p. 29.
- ↑ a b c d Cuban Heavyweight (Associated Press,) St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 3 August 1990, p. 22.
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- ↑ Goodwill (United Press International,) Detroit Free Press, 29 July 1990, p. 40.
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- ↑ Just happy to be free: Once jailed, American boxer Bennett can't complain after quarterfinal loss By Tim Dahlberg (The Associated Press,) Doylestown Intelligencer, September 27, 2000, p. 22.
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- ↑ Victorious Cuban Heats Up Cold War by Les Bowen, Philadelphia Daily News, 2 August 1990, p. 63.
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- Pages with script errors
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