THE super-heavyweight [91+kgs] category was introduced at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
There is a unique fascination with the heavyweights, and anytime an Olympic champion emerges they – more often than not – receive an enormous amount of attention.
Some have gone on to become dominant professional champions, others have didn’t even make the transition. We’ve taken a look at each super-heavyweight champion since the division’s conception, and detailed what they went on to do after winning gold.
1984 – Tyrell Biggs (United States)
Without the legendary Teofilo Stevenson competing a the Games due to the Soviet boycott going on at the time, Biggs fought his way to the top of the podium by defeating Francesco Damiani in the final. The Philadelphian remains as America’s only super-heavyweight Olympic champion in history.
He turned professional later that year, debuting on the same show as fellow US Olympic medallists Meldrick Taylor, Mark Breland, Pernell Whitaker, Evander Holyfield and Virgil Hill.
He picked up some decent wins over James Tillis, Reynaldo Snipes and David Bey before running into an unbeaten Mike Tyson in 1987. Tyson, defending his undisputed heavyweight crown, wrecked Biggs inside seven rounds, alleging that he prolonged the beating to “punish” Tyrell for his pre-fight jibes.
Briggs then lost two more on the bounce, including a fifth-round stoppage reverse to Damiani. Gary Mason, Lennox Lewis and Riddick Bowe would all beat him before Biggs finally retired in 1998 with a record of 30-10 (20). During his career Biggs reportedly battled with drug and alcohol addictions and it has been claimed he served numerous stints in rehab during his fighting career.
1988 – Lennox Lewis (Canada)
Though he was born in London, Lewis moved to Canada as a child and held dual-citizenship, representing the latter as an amateur boxer at the 1988 games in Seoul.
He had lost to Biggs at the ’84 Games but elected to stay in the unpaid ranks for the next Olympiad – a decision that paid off. In the championship contest, he stopped Riddick Bowe in the second round and became a star, even becoming Canada’s flag-bearer for the closing ceremony of the Games.
He returned to the UK and turned professional with Frank Maloney, cutting a swathe through a group of journeymen before moving to American outfit Main Events. He picked up British, Commonwealth and European titles before being given the WBC title after Bow, literally, threw it in the bin.
Oliver McCall stunned him in 1994 before Lewis gained bizarre revenge three years later to reclaim his title. He became undisputed champion against Evander Holyfield in 1999, before Hasim Rahman handed him his second career defeat in 2001.
Lewis immediately avenged that loss, ensuring that he had beaten every fighter he ever face as a pro. An over-the-hill Mike Tyson was beaten in a blockbuster clash before Lewis managed to stop a better than expected Vitali Klitschko in 2003 and then, wisely, deciding to retire for good. Lewis carved out one of the greatest heavyweight careers in history and retired with his health and wealth intact.
1992 – Roberto Balado (Cuba)
The gifted Cuban was a two-time World amateur champion when he entered the ’92 Games in Barcelona, and won the World championships again a year later.
He beat Nigeria’s Richard Igbineghu in the final to claim gold, and was awared the Val Barker tropy for best boxer of the tournament. As a Cuban, the option of turning professional would only have been possible had he defected but in his native country he was a hero.
Tragically, in 1994 aged just 25, Balado died. He was driving and grew impatient at a train crossing when he decided to pass an slow-moving school bus, moving slightly onto the tracks. A train struck his car, though Balado was able to return home. He later went to hospital but could not recover from his injuries.
1996 – Wladimir Klitschko (Ukraine)
The imposing Ukrainian stormed to gold in Atlanta by outpointing Paea Wolfgramm – of Tonga – in the final, launching himself into the limelight in the process.
He turned over later that year and kept himself very active for the following two years until Ross Puritty almost derailed him by producing an upset 11th round stoppage. A re-building job ensued and Klitschko went on to beat Wolfgramm again before outpointing WBO champion Chris Byrd.
Corrie Sanders relieved him of the title soon after before Lamon Brewster also handed Klitschko another stoppage loss, raising serious questions about his future. Klitschko then went on a dominant run to lift the IBF, WBA and WBO titles, defeating all challengers to his throne including Alexander Povetkin, Sultan Ibragimov and David Haye.
Tyson Fury emphatically upset Klitschko in 2015 and earlier this year Wladimir had a thrilling war with Anthony Joshua at Wembley stadium.
Despite his success, Klitschko – and his older brother Vitali – have been accused of being “boring” in the past and sucking the life out of the heavyweight division. However they are both hugely popular in Europe and have successfull endeavours outside of the ring.
2000 – Audley Harrison (Great Britain)
Harrison’s gold medal efforts in Sydney earned him an MBE and a place in British hearts. The rangy, likeable southpaw beat Kazakhstan’s Mukhtarkhan Dildabekov in the final.
His professional debut had the expected fanfare and Harrison progressed well as a budding prospect before the wheels started to come off in 2005. Danny Williams dropped and outpointed him before Dominic Guinn also beat him on the cards directly after. It seemed the Olympic champion had found his level, and it wasn’t anywhere near where many hoped it would be.
He avenged the Williams defeat only to then be knocked out by Michael Sprott and then outpointed by Martin Rogan. He then won a Prizefighter tournament before producing a come-from-behind stoppage win over Sprott to win the EBU heavyweight title and launch himself into a pay-per-view clash with David Haye.
Barely throwing a punch, Harrison was stopped in the third of a gross mismatch. David Price and Deontay Wilder went on to stop Harrison in one round each before ‘A-Force’ retired in 2013. Though his pro career was disappointing, Harrison remains a celebrity figure in British culture and does a lot of charity work.
2004 – Alexander Povetkin (Russia)
A former kickboxer, Povetkin carved out a wildly successful amateur boxing career. A European and World champion, Povetkin added an Olympic gold medal to his haul in Athens, defeating Egypt’s Mohamed Aly in the final.
He proved himself to be a force in the pro ranks, defeating the likes of Eddie Chambers, Chris Byrd, Ruslan Chagaev and Marco Huck before getting a crack at division leader Wladimir Klitschko in a massive 2013 fight.
Povetkin was floored four times and utterly dominated over 12 rounds. He bounced back with early wins over Manuel Charr, Carlos Takam, Mike Perez and Mariusz Wach – earning himself No 1 contender status with the WBC. His scheduled fight with champion Deontay Wilder was scuppered when Povetkin tested positive for meldonium.
He will challenge unified heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua on September 22 at Wembley Stadium.
2008 – Roberto Cammarelle (Italy)
The former World amateur champion improved on the bronze Olympic medal he earned in 2004 by claiming gold at the 2008 Games in Beijing, defeating China’s gigantic Zhang Zhilei in the final.
A member of the Italian state police, Cammarelle did not turn professional after winning gold and instead tried to defend his title at London 2012. However, he was outpointed by GB’s Anthony Joshua on a contentious decision, which he unsuccessfully appealed against.
In 2016, Cammarelle announced his retirement from amateur boxing.
2012 – Anthony Joshua (Great Britain)
The Watford giant, despite only turning to boxing at 18, had won World silver before boxing at his home games. He became a national hero when he squeaked past Cammarelle in the final, though some disputed the decision.
Regardless, Joshua had booked his ticket to stardom and soon turned over with Matchroom Boxing, headlining a show at the O2 Arena in his debut. His rise has been meteoric, claiming British and Commonwealth titles and becoming a pay-per-view star in the process.
He hit the stratosphere in 2016 by claiming the IBF world title, and is now arguably British boxing’s biggest star, despite his inexperience. In 2017 he unified the IBF and WBA world titles after his epic battle with Wladimir Klitschko at Wembley stadium. Earlier this year he unified the IBF, WBA and WBO titles when he beat Joseph Parker in Cardiff.
Now that Joe Joyce has secured a medal in Rio, every time Great Britain has entered a super-heavyweight at an Olympics, they have medalled. Robert Wells won bronze in 1984 while David Price did the same in 2008.
