Real name Felix Savon Fabre Nationality Cuban Height 1.96 m Nickname(s) Ninote Weight 91 kg | Name Felix Savon Martial art Boxing Reach 82 in (208 cm) Role Boxer Division Heavyweight | |
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Olympic medals Boxing at the 1992 Summer Olympics - Heavyweight Similar People | ||
F lix sav n fabr cuba s legendary champion
Félix Savón Fabre (born September 22, 1967) is a Cuban former amateur boxer who won three gold medals in the heavyweight division at the Olympic Games. He is considered a legend in the amateur ranks and won six world titles. Savón is also famous for rejecting numerous multimillion-dollar offers to leave Cuba and fight Mike Tyson as a professional.
Contents
- F lix sav n fabr cuba s legendary champion
- F lix sav n knockouts
- Early life and career
- Retirement
- Olympic Games
- Pan American Games
- References
F lix sav n knockouts
Early life and career
Born in San Vicente, in the Guantánamo Province, Savón began his boxing career in 1980. During his career, in which he did not turn professional, he managed a career record of 362-21, with all of his losses avenged.
He won his first important titles in 1985. At 19 he upset America's Michael Bentt on his way to win the 1987 Pan Am games. Besides winning the Cuban heavyweight title (which he would win each year until his retirement, except 1999 and 2000 when he lost to Odlanier Solis, who he would lose to twice and defeat once in their 3 meetings), he also won the Junior World Championships in 1985.
This set off his career, in which he would win 6 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. Chagaev was reinstated as an amateur the following year when these fights were declared exhibitions, but did not regain the gold medal.
In 1998 during the Heavyweight final of the Goodwill Games from New York, Savón had an amazing K.O. over U.S. Amateur Champion DaVarryl Williamson. 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. In their bout at the 2000 Summer Olympics Bennett would lose 23-8 to Savón.
Savón also won three Olympic gold medals, a feat shared with only two other boxers, László Papp and compatriot Teófilo Stevenson.
After winning his third Olympic gold at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Savón announced his retirement at age 33.
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.
Retirement
Savon announced his retirement from the ring, but helped train Cuba's fighters for the 2004 Athens Olympics.
Olympic Games
1992
1996
2000
Pan American Games
1987
1991
1995