The famous Cuban amateur boxer Teofilo Stevenson Lawrence. Biography, sport achievements

Cuban boxer Teofilo Stevenson is well known in the sports field. He achieved world fame thanks only to his desire to be the best among the best. Up to 9 years old Teofilo Stevenson, whose fights can be called one of the most colorful in boxing, was an ordinary guy who spent his free time without much use. But everything changed at that time. Theophilo Stevenson, whose biography will be mentioned in the article, got into a sports school, where his father had been engaged for some time before. Thus began the history of the famous boxer.

Biography of Theophilo Stevenson Lawrence

Boxer was born in an ordinary working family in Power Padre (Cuba). The athlete is known for his services at the Olympic Games, where he won three gold medals. Such accomplishments neither earlier, nor later at anybody else in the world of boxing was observed.

Theophilo Stevenson's family

His father was an immigrant who moved to Cuba in 1923. For a long time he was interrupted by inconstant earnings, one of which was tutoring English. Having large dimensions, the father enjoyed respect among his surroundings. Once he was invited to boxing, where he spent seven fights. After the last of them, Stephenson Sr. gave up training. According to him, the reason was a high level of corruption in the sports sphere. And it was no accident. Dirty business was at that time inherent in sports clubs.

Mother Teofilo was a root cube, born and raised in the Powder Padres. Being a woman with a character, she had considerable authority in the family. Sometimes even Father Teofilo tried to avoid clashes with her. The sportsman himself in his youth for some time hid his enthusiasm for boxing, since the mother was against the practice of this sport.

Childhood of the sportsman

Theophilos Stevenson was not particularly talented in his youth. Being a lazy teenager, he was just killing his time until he got into the boxing section at age 9. The hall in which he was engaged was the same as that visited earlier by his father. The father was aware of his son's hobbies, but helped him hide it from his mother. Finally, when the time came, he volunteered to inform his wife, which he regretted, as she was simply furious. But in the end I finally gave the go-ahead for training.

The first coach of Theophilos was former Cuban champion John Herrera. He saw in a young man a much greater potential than in his father. Therefore, he paid special attention to training with young Stephenson. And they were not in vain. As a teenager, Teofilo won several fights, going out against opponents superior in strength, speed and years of training. The best boxers came across a guy who achieved such achievements only thanks to a desire and an experienced mentor. And this collision ended for them defeat.

So it came to winning in junior competitions, where the fighter won the cup, and then went to take courses in Havana.

Boxing. Theophilo Stevenson

While in training in Havana, Teofilo met with Andrei Chervonenko, specially arrived from Moscow to improve the school of boxing in Cuba. In view of the decree of 1962, boxing was a prohibited occupation on the island, and to conduct a duel, it was necessary to obtain appropriate permission from the administration. Chervonenko also organized a real boxing school from the dilapidated haven of lovers to wave their hands.

With the new coach, boxing lessons with Teofilo gained a new level, which allowed him to participate in more serious battles. However, on the first of them the young boxer failed. He was defeated by Gabriel Garcia - the famous heavyweight of that time. But this only encouraged Teofilo, pushing him to even more stubborn training. And time was spent knowingly. Following the defeat, the boxer won two wins in a row over Perez and Carrilo. These fighters were considered the best and outnumbered Teofilo in many ways. However, this did not prevent the young able soldier to send them to the ring. The best boxers of the world - that's who you had to go to the ring face to face with the famous boxer.

Central American Championship

The victories over Perez and Carrilo allowed Teofilo to take his place in the national team of Cuba and go to the championship held in Central America. There, the boxer won one fight after another until he was defeated in the final. However, it has recommended him as the best fighter of Cuba, where Teofilo was met with honors by fellow countrymen on his return. Returning, the athlete continued his training. In addition to Chervonenko, Stephenson had a second coach. It was Alsides Saggaro - an experienced Cuban boxer.

In constant training, Teofilo was able to deliver a shattering jab, which became his crown in a number of battles. After the Central American championship, Teofilo enters the ring in Berlin, where Bern Ander came against him. The fight went quickly and without significant damage to the Cuban athlete. He easily coped with the German fighter, in a relatively short time, putting him in the ring.

The Munich Olympics

When Teofilo turned 20, he went to Munich with his team, where the Olympics took place. The first battle fell to the Cuban with the Pole Denderys and did not take a minute. Laying the enemy on the shoulder blades, Teofilo went to the next stage. It turned out to be much more complicated. This fight was the most memorable in the history of the boxer, as he had to show for three rounds what he was capable of. His opponent - American Dwyane Bobik - probed the defense of the Cuban as best he could. But in the third round, Teofilo began literally carrying the enemy around the ring. After the third fall of the American on the ropes, the judges announced Teofilo the winner.

In the semi-final battle against the Cuban boxer went German Peter Hassing. The battle ended very quickly in favor of Teofilo. The final fight was the shortest in the entire Munich Olympics. He simply did not take place because the opponent Teofilo could not enter the ring because of a trauma.

The national team of Cuba has never brought home so many awards at a time. It was three gold medals and one silver medal. There was also a bronze medal. Boxers of Cuba deservedly deserved respect for themselves as professional fighters, and they were not treated more scornfully, as it was before.

Victory at the World Cup and refusal to fight with Muhammad Ali

In 1974, Stevenson again received gold, after which the medal was awarded to him already at the Olympic Games, taking place in Montreal. By 1976, Stevenson had three gold medals, so it is not surprising that he was offered a contract to fight with Muhammad Ali. Teofilo refused the offer, despite the fact that in case of a loss, he receives five million dollars. What did he promise? However, the Cuban soldier argued this so that it is important for him to respect the population of Cuba more than money.

Olympics in Moscow

In 1980, Stevenson went to the Moscow Olympics, where he defeated his opponents. This is the third Olympiad, from which he emerged victorious. This record for twenty years, no one could beat until it was repeated by Felix Savon, who is also a native of Cuba.

Opportunity to participate in the Fourth Olympiad

Closer to the Olympics, which was to be held in Los Angeles, the Cuban trained hard. It would be the fourth Olympics, where he could win, but he could not get at it. The reason was another manifestation of the Cold War, which was conducted between the USSR and the United States. The Soviet Union boycotted the invitation to participate in the games taking place in the United States. Being a loyal ally of the USSR, Cuba followed suit and also refused to participate.

Teofilo had all chances to win, because the winner of the final was Bigs - a former Cuban opponent, defeated. Many sports analysts had no doubt that Stevenson would win again in this fight.

Leaving the box

1988 is known for the holding of the next Olympics, but Cuba, yielding to the influence of the USSR, again boycotted the organizers. But this time Teofilo did not even try to get on her. This year is known for the boxer as the year when he retired from the sport.

Stevenson for his entire long career suffered defeat only 22 times. And this is from his 302 fights. Nobody managed to defeat the Cuban twice, except for Igor Vysotsky. But we can not say that it was given easily to a Russian athlete. His image misled opponents, because Teofilo did not have the serious dimensions typical of boxers of that time. However, this became the fatal mistake of many. The main feature of the Cuban boxer is the willpower and the craving for victory, which he developed in himself with every minute spent in the ring.

In 2012, it became known about the death of the boxer. At that time, Teofilo was 60 years old.