This one was special for me because I remember seeing him fight as a kid and I always wondered what happened to him. Another great job Rich! Bravo!! 💪😃🎉🐜
Another excellent mini documentary, Rich. I'd seen all of Stevenson's Olympic victories, when I was a kid & always wondered what would've happened had he turned pro. It was great to hear you had the English commentary with Harry Carpenter at the 76 Olympics. It's a shame the 84 Olympics were boycotted by Cuba, as Stevenson may have stood alone as a 4 time champ I really appreciate the back story as I knew little of it. Bless up bro 👊
*was studying..and again met him at the Barcelona Olympics he was a special invitee and finally got a picture taken with him and the other great Felix Savon.Teofilo..an inspiration to many Boxers..siempre the best..The Cuban school always brings out great amateurs..Savon,Horta,Aldama ,Balado,Espinoza..julio..etc.and etc
The best Amateur Boxer to date.I was at the Moscow Olympics when he won his 3rd Olympic Gold.I fought in the 57kg for The Seychelles.The Cuban team were AWESOME.met him in Cuba at the Playa Giron..in Cienfuegos where I wad studying
Great athlete and a elegant yet devastating boxer to watch..Obviously he had the amateur boxing political elite protecting his reputation and record but boy what a puncher he was, you still can’t argue against the great equaliser when his right hand lands, and that was a show of greatness with his knockout of Biggs considering that his best years had passed. Who knows what would of happened if he turned pro and personally I believe it’s very honourable that he viewed personal achievement and love from his nation and supporters above chasing the dollar (Some will argue him being misguided and used though) but it may of been to late and be unable to adjust and develop into a professional boxer by the time he was being offered the pro fights. Great documentary Rich, you are so good at doing this, I’m very appreciative, thanks. Viva Cuba 🇨🇺and God bless America 🇺🇸
Every true boxing fan must save a copy of this documentary for their archives. I doubt very much that we will ever see such a dominant heavyweight in the amateur ranks again. As a student in Romania in the 70s I had the opportunity to follow closely the careers of boxers from the Eastern Block, and of course political ally Cuba. I remember boxers like Igor Visotzky, Mircea Simon, the Cutov brothers Simon and Calistrat, Sixto Soria etc., all so remarkably talented, but among them all Teofilo Stevenson remains unmatched in terms of accomplishments and historical stature. Thanks Rich, for a real gem!
I lived and boxed out of the same gym as Big John and we ran 6 days a week early in the morning and trained at night. R.I.P. Warrior and former World Heavyweight Champion Big John Tate!
I remember the shock when Stevenson KO'd Bobick back in the day when American heavyweights had dominated the Olympics for three straight games. Stevenson would not have been able to jump from being an amateur to fighting pros without a year or so of intensive preparation. He certainly had the tools, but preferred being Castro's pet. At least that's the American point of view. Is there another perspective to his legacy?
Coming from a die hard boxing fan, you have the best channel I’ve ever seen. I hope it picks up more traction. It’s well done, and I can tell you love the sport. You are quite the historian.
A very good video Rich! Thank you! I always loved Stevenson as an amateur but I could imagine him doing very well as a pro. He hung around the sport long enough to face some really young undeveloped fighters and by knocking them out , he rose to the top of the amateur world. Having said that, he had great power in his right and he was very good at setting that punch up. Thanks for giving a window into his life outside the ring. I knew very little about that side of him.
Man I cant keep up. Excellent work again Rich, and thanks for the rush of content lately! I know its impossible to keep up, but you're really killing it!🤙
One of the best right hands ever. Speculation with how he would have fared as a pro is interesting I suppose. He was composed and patient. A well balanced athlete with excellent timing. The comparisons with Lennox Lewis's right hand make sense. I'm a huge Lewis fan but I think that the right hand of Stevenson was more natural and quicker. Incredible knockout ratio for an amateur. He was content with his life it seemed. Politics aside there is a lesson to be learned there. Great work Rich! Thank you once again.
My man,he was fighting 17yrs olds,high school kids,didn't have the heart to fight professionally, second teir guys like,Shavers,Lyle, even Jimmy Young would beat him, Dukes would beat him,the Cuban was one dimensional
@@stephengeorge3507 I agree with you on his competition but he was not allowed to fight pros because he was communist. You have to realize this. Stevenson was a national hero and pampered where he was. His fear of Castro and the communism was never going to make him leave his comfort zone. Ali, Frazier, Foreman, Norton and Holmes would have beat him as a pro anyways.
I just couldn't imagine winning an Olympic gold medal that many times in the sport of boxing whereas so many were robbed of their opportunity to do so. That's what I meant.
Damn I never knew he beat Or fought Tyrrel Biggs. Impressive for sure. Especially he was so much older at the time. And Biggs was no Joke and pretty much the Top American Olympic Heavyweight at that time
Unbelievable athlete, he was a perfect heavyweight specimen, height,size, reach ,speed, power and fundamentals to go along with his physical gifts. Could have been a serious problem if turnt professional.
@@TheBatugan77depends what foreman we talking about and what kind of fight. Pro fight, we have to favor foreman just based on foreman having the experience. Amateurs a young foreman would have lost he was sloppy. He got better when he became a pro. If you wanna do some kind of weird pro foreman but in an amateur fight, maybe foreman. 4 rounds he would just unleash no pacing.
2.23 Peter Hussing from West Germany who won the bronze medal and was 16 times amateur champion of his home country, won 4 medals at European championships.
Yessss the Cubans are some of my favorite boxers ever!! There rare and highly skilled amazing fighters but are so held back and economically chained down that there boxing lure/history is shrouded with a blanket of oppression I wonder how many Cuban champions and great fighters we would have known if it wasn’t for this ..teofilo and Felix Savon viva Los cubanos
Rich, this was excellent. I remember my dad talking Stevenson up a lot. With that size and power, one can only wonder what he would’ve done in the pros.
Great job Rich and I never thought you make a video on an amateur legend in Teofilo Stevenson. The fighter he beat in the 1976 Olympic Heavyweight Finals Mircea Simon beat Trevor Berbick in the earlier rounds and I wonder what happens had Berbick beat Simon, then in other rounds before facing Stevenson. I bet Berbick would be another victim of Stevenson's knockout punches as bad as Tyson destroy Berbick in the pros. I wonder how many amateur knockout records that Stevenson scored and I bet he may scored over 200. Keep it up Rich.
Nada, just like his Marielito comrades who made it to San Diego. All excellent top international fighters who failed the minute they discovered convenience stores.
Muy orgulloso de el, soy descendiente de West indies second generation, en Cuba nos llamaba a todos pichon de jaimaquino. Mis tios son del central delicias y la otra parte de la familia de Solas camaguey mi tio el mas pequeno crecio con el, ya que su papa era de Barbado Como el papa de Stevenson. Pocas gente saben que el ingles fue su primera lengua de ahi su problema al hablar espanol
I remember him. Too bad Castro would not let him fight Ali. As all things Socialist, the truth of how good he actually was, is hard to discern. Great video.
Had Castro allowed Stevenson to compete professionally or Teofilo defected from Cuba, I have no doubt that with the right training he would have become a top contender.
Look at the American pride back in 1980 both white and black in Charlotte North Carolina. We are all on Jimmy Clark side. Look how far we have went back in the last 50 years. So sad!
@@k.k8291 I know who owns and controls the media but Im not allowed to say in or it's antisemitism. I'm Extremely aware of what your saying. I preach it to anyone who will listen.
They set aside the fact that Clark was black due to the anti communist indoctrination from their first day at school. Remember that Castro led a revolution against the bastards that were part of the conspiracy to kill JFK.
He's the greatest olympic boxer of all time and also the greatest Cuban boxer because of his Olympic Boxing gold medals and World Amateur Championships
Teofilo Stevenson Amature career record: 302-22-8 = 332 matches. - Olympic Order Award 1987. - 3x Olympic heavyweight gold medalist: 1972, 1976 & 1980. - 3x World Championship heavyweight gold medalist: 1974, 1978 & 1986. = Total of International medals: 17 gold medals + 2 bronze medals = 19 medals. # Stevenson is the first man ever to win 3 Olympic gold medals in the heavyweight class. Only fellow Cuban Felix Savon have repeated that feat (1992, 1996 & 2000). Stevenson was not allowed to compete in the 1984 & 1988 Olympic games due to political issues that made Cuba boycoting the Olympics. Something that many means stole 2 medals away from his career, with the 1984 games likley to have been his 4rd straight gold medal. Stevenson had already won a match against eventual super heavyweight gold medal winner Tyrell Biggs. In 1988 it would IMO likley have been a bronze medal due to advanced age. Ray Mercer won in heavyweight and Lennox Lewis in the super heavyweight class.
Could have fought Ali or Frazier, Foreman, Holmes for millions but wouldn't . Not saying he was scarred but he and Castro weren't going to risk his stature as a Cuban Hero .
Stevenson stopped my old roommate in the gym Big John Tate he could hit Big John won the Bronze Medal then turned professional and won the World Heavyweight Championship as a professional. A damn good fighter and a better man.
The ref gave Jimmy Clark a raw deal in 3rdbout as Jimmy had him figured out clearly. I remember watching thinking what bullshit the ref was causing and Cosell calling it as it was. Later on, Tony Tubbs told me Stevenson was highly talented, however, very protected in tournaments, if you didn’t KO him, they would halt the action to give him a break when he got caught with counters. Nevertheless, one of greatest amateurs ever.
I was talking too much on here with personal recollections. Rich, highly well prepared documentary that remains as close to Stevenson's origin as anyone could know. you missed nothing, if anything, I thank you for such a well prepared documentary.
This guy,if he had turned pro, would have been one of the greatest World Champion for sure. This is what George Foreman said about him. George Forman all respect to the man. He gave credit where due. Ref- ruclips.net/video/YH47xHF4ScI/видео.html
I remember in the early 70s people talked about the possibility of him and Ali going head to head but with the political situation that would never materialise. Wow, that would have been a fight.
If Stevenson had turned pro, odds are he would have turned out like any other Cuban heavyweight we've ever seen. He would have indulged and gotten fat living the high life in the U.S., then fail to realize his full potential.
The best Cuban 🇨🇺 boxer ever in my opinion. Too bad he wasn't allowed to go pro. Imagine what could've been, if Stevenson was in the pro ranks 🤔🤔🤔??? Ali would've beat Stevenson.That legendary voice of Howard Cosell ...I remember him on ABC Wide World of Sports 👍... ."Pops"#truschoolsports🥊🥊
@@waynemorris8649 no way to know. The jump from amateur to pro is enormous. Lots of big punchers had only that. His chin was not tested in the amateurs. Nor his durability or endurance.
@@billycrotty4102 and this proves what? It' speculation. I don't agree with big George. His opinion is no more valuable than anyone else. Stevenson never had a pro fight so NO ONE knows how he would have done.I am not disrespecting him but No ONE knows.
I remember watching that fight w/ Jimmy Clark hoping the crowd would not let the referee out of that ring w/o getting an ear full !!!!!!! Those olympic ref's have been known to CHEAT !!!!!!!!
I believe that when trying to assess how he would of fared as a professional, one should remember the following: * He never faced any amateur with the punching 👊 power of a Shavers, Norton, or Foreman as an amateur * Stevenson never faced anyone who had the type of left hook as a Frazier or the speed of an Ali * Ali is correct about what would he have done when a fight went into the later rounds * a particular flaw in his fighting style was how he often stood straight up in a more rigid style. For example, could he bob and weave effectively? As for him not wanting to turn professional, he already was a professional. All Soviet Bloc athletes were professional. Their athletic activities and livelihoods were subsidized by their country. The difference between Stevenson and someone like Ali was that Stevenson sold his athletic skill cheaply and not at fair market value.
Also you miss that neither Ali, Foreman or Frazier faced someone with the long reach of Stevenson, a decent boxing skills and a terrible and wicked punch power. Nobody knows what could have happened, due to fighting styles possibly Frazier could have had the better chance but Stevenson was a rare combination of styles, was a top slugger mixed with some decent style. Ali was older by late 70s so the age was a real factor, the same with a possible fight Stevenson vs Tyson in 1986, youth would be a factor. A key point is that Ali was clever enough to deny the choice of 5 fights under amateur rules of 3 rounds. If someone like Ali said no, you can wonder why
So Underrated Him and Felix Savon Hold the best amateur records. The Cubans ran the Boxing Olympics because they were not allowed to go pro at the time
Well another great job Rich. I'm going to hold out on my thoughts this time everyone has hit on my views so I will keep quiet. Thanks for this video buddy
Have to being the taller fighter tip tap ya don't stop just keep pumping em out , extremely tough the Cubans, looking forward to this nice one Richie 👍
@@RichtheFightHistorian before my time but I don't doubt it I was built like him when I had a growth spurt and my brother like beanpoles lol , time to start lifting or become a victim.
In the mid 1970s there were rumours about a fight between Teofilo and Ali. It did not materialize because Stevenson wanted to fight only under the amateur rules and over three rounds. In 1986 german Uli Kaden won a decision over Stevenson after he losing controversal at the world championship tournament.
I specifically remember the Clark fight driving my father insane because of the home cooking. He pointed to that fight and said if Stevenson was serious about ever fighting professionals pressure guys like Frazier and Norton would break him mentally and better schooled and conditioned boxers like Ali or Holmes would have him exhausted by round 5 and easy pickings.
@Soccerman1963 his output and style would absolutely change and be nowhere near as effective. In a 3 round fight he was exhausted keeping Clark away from him exhausting his resources to do it. He was very unlikely to have dealt with mid level 70s heavyweight pressure let alone the elite guys. His style was perfect for what he was, but it's unlikely he'd have been more. There are a lot more great amateurs who don't excel as pros and mediocre amateurs who become excellent pros in those days. Elite level amateurs now are different because of how much better their fundamentals are. Stevenson was what he was and that was unlikely to be anything more.
@Soccerman1963 Henry Cooper is who hurt and dropped Ali. Not Henry Clark. You're mixing him up with Lamar Clark who Ali bested early on in his career. You're out of your element. Move on.
No home cooking, just watched that fight. 2 knockdowns gave him a split decision. It’s not like the fight was in Cuba. Also very rarely are mediocre pros great fights. The vast majority of great pros rn, p4p list, world champions were excellent amateurs. What a myth.
@@acetofresh1 the referee called numerous phantom fouls and unwarranted point deductions. He also broke the action multiple times when Clark hurt Stevenson or pressed him. The referee was Cuban. That is indeed home cooking
I saw an interview of him in his late years, he sadly showed a deteriorated speech. So much so that the commenters on the video assumed he was straight up drunk.
You have to ask the question. Are the rewards he received from the cuban government for his accomplisments any different than the rewards received by others in democratic countries???????????
He was no longer an athlete and he was obese when he died. Being an “ athlete “ does not prevent you from having a heart attack. In fact it’s common knowledge now most long time endurance athletes have heart arrhythmias and suffer from congestive heart failure. I know of what I speak.
Indeed it was. According to the Washington Post, he had over 188 KOs. With around 300 wins that’s a KO rate over 50% one of the highest KO rates in the history of the amateur sport.
My late father who was a boxer in the 50's often spoke about Teofilo Stevenson and what a great fighter he was.
This one was special for me because I remember seeing him fight as a kid and I always wondered what happened to him. Another great job Rich! Bravo!! 💪😃🎉🐜
Thanks, soprano4ny
Another excellent mini documentary, Rich. I'd seen all of Stevenson's Olympic victories, when I was a kid & always wondered what would've happened had he turned pro. It was great to hear you had the English commentary with Harry Carpenter at the 76 Olympics. It's a shame the 84 Olympics were boycotted by Cuba, as Stevenson may have stood alone as a 4 time champ I really appreciate the back story as I knew little of it. Bless up bro 👊
Thanks, Nick.
Too bad the country he was from made him an unintentional sandbagger.
@@gooberman51 Just look what your country made of you. It's terrible, isn't it?
Good to see you, Nick. Salute! 🥊
@@surrealistidealist Big up buddy. I hope you're well 🥊
*was studying..and again met him at the Barcelona Olympics he was a special invitee and finally got a picture taken with him and the other great Felix Savon.Teofilo..an inspiration to many Boxers..siempre the best..The Cuban school always brings out great amateurs..Savon,Horta,Aldama ,Balado,Espinoza..julio..etc.and etc
The best Amateur Boxer to date.I was at the Moscow Olympics when he won his 3rd Olympic Gold.I fought in the 57kg for The Seychelles.The Cuban team were AWESOME.met him in Cuba at the Playa Giron..in Cienfuegos where I wad studying
So you never noticed him getting KOed by Vysotsky
How do people from Seychelles say shells?
😮😮😳😱
They were basically professional boxes fighting three Rounders😮
I honestly thought that was about 10/15 minutes not 30?
Brilliant 👏
Thanks again Rich. 👍
My pleasure, Nicholas
Damn Rich. You did it again. This must be the first documentary I ever saw abt Teofilo. Good job
Hey thanks, Cedric.
TEOFILO STEVENSON THE GREATEST AMATEUR BOXER OF ALL TIME GEAT DOCUMENTARY RICH THANK YOU 🔥 🔥 🔥
Thanks, H Money
Great athlete and a elegant yet devastating boxer to watch..Obviously he had the amateur boxing political elite protecting his reputation and record but boy what a puncher he was, you still can’t argue against the great equaliser when his right hand lands, and that was a show of greatness with his knockout of Biggs considering that his best years had passed. Who knows what would of happened if he turned pro and personally I believe it’s very honourable that he viewed personal achievement and love from his nation and supporters above chasing the dollar (Some will argue him being misguided and used though) but it may of been to late and be unable to adjust and develop into a professional boxer by the time he was being offered the pro fights. Great documentary Rich, you are so good at doing this, I’m very appreciative, thanks. Viva Cuba 🇨🇺and God bless America 🇺🇸
Thanks, Brett. I appreciate your even-handed take on Stevenson.
Every true boxing fan must save a copy of this documentary for their archives. I doubt very much that we will ever see such a dominant heavyweight in the amateur ranks again. As a student in Romania in the 70s I had the opportunity to follow closely the careers of boxers from the Eastern Block, and of course political ally Cuba. I remember boxers like Igor Visotzky, Mircea Simon, the Cutov brothers Simon and Calistrat, Sixto Soria etc., all so remarkably talented, but among them all Teofilo Stevenson remains unmatched in terms of accomplishments and historical stature. Thanks Rich, for a real gem!
I'm not old because I remember Teofilo Stevenson. I'm old because I remember John Tate and Duane Bobick. When I forget them, I'm gonna be really old.
Ha! And remember all three at their respective amateur peaks.
Me too !
I lived and boxed out of the same gym as Big John and we ran 6 days a week early in the morning and trained at night. R.I.P. Warrior and former World Heavyweight Champion Big John Tate!
I remember the shock when Stevenson KO'd Bobick back in the day when American heavyweights had dominated the Olympics for three straight games. Stevenson would not have been able to jump from being an amateur to fighting pros without a year or so of intensive preparation. He certainly had the tools, but preferred being Castro's pet. At least that's the American point of view. Is there another perspective to his legacy?
He was technically excellent.
Greatest Heavyweight never to turn professional
A true legend. One of boxing finest.
I can't believe you did a doc on Teofilo. This is great 🥊 Not a lot of people know of him
Coming from a die hard boxing fan, you have the best channel I’ve ever seen. I hope it picks up more traction. It’s well done, and I can tell you love the sport. You are quite the historian.
I appreciate that, thanks for the support LobotomyMeat.
Thank you again. I've always loved watching this man fight. Stayed true to his country. What a loss for the pro's.
A very good video Rich! Thank you! I always loved Stevenson as an amateur but I could imagine him doing very well as a pro. He hung around the sport long enough to face some really young undeveloped fighters and by knocking them out , he rose to the top of the amateur world. Having said that, he had great power in his right and he was very good at setting that punch up. Thanks for giving a window into his life outside the ring. I knew very little about that side of him.
My pleasure, Sylvester
I was wondering what happen to this guy,He was a hell of a boxer!! Great Documentary
Thanks, Roy.
He was a professional fighter fighting amatures...
Thank you for this documentary. Many people wondered what became of him after his Olympic triumphs.
My pleasure, ambindia
Man I cant keep up. Excellent work again Rich, and thanks for the rush of content lately! I know its impossible to keep up, but you're really killing it!🤙
I try, Seti, thank you.
One of the best right hands ever. Speculation with how he would have fared as a pro is interesting I suppose. He was composed and patient. A well balanced athlete with excellent timing. The comparisons with Lennox Lewis's right hand make sense. I'm a huge Lewis fan but I think that the right hand of Stevenson was more natural and quicker. Incredible knockout ratio for an amateur. He was content with his life it seemed. Politics aside there is a lesson to be learned there. Great work Rich! Thank you once again.
Sure thing, James.
This the guy that won the Olympic gold medal three times!? Incredible record!
My man,he was fighting 17yrs olds,high school kids,didn't have the heart to fight professionally, second teir guys like,Shavers,Lyle, even Jimmy Young would beat him, Dukes would beat him,the Cuban was one dimensional
@@stephengeorge3507 I agree with you on his competition but he was not allowed to fight pros because he was communist. You have to realize this. Stevenson was a national hero and pampered where he was. His fear of Castro and the communism was never going to make him leave his comfort zone. Ali, Frazier, Foreman, Norton and Holmes would have beat him as a pro anyways.
@@msw8966 don’t make excuses for him. Other Cubans left the island to pursue professional fighting. He just liked being the big fish in a small pond.
I just couldn't imagine winning an Olympic gold medal that many times in the sport of boxing whereas so many were robbed of their opportunity to do so. That's what I meant.
@@stephengeorge3507 excellent analysis!
The voice of our Harry Carpenter always soothes me. Thanks Rich 🙏
Sure thing, E D
Damn I never knew he beat Or fought Tyrrel Biggs. Impressive for sure. Especially he was so much older at the time. And Biggs was no Joke and pretty much the Top American Olympic Heavyweight at that time
A peoples champion all-around nice dedicated good guy I think the sports world needs more people like him. RIP champ
Unbelievable athlete, he was a perfect heavyweight specimen, height,size, reach ,speed, power and fundamentals to go along with his physical gifts. Could have been a serious problem if turnt professional.
Yes & if he could have taken that corrupt Cuban referee with him he could have retired undefeated!!
I think Foreman cashiers him.
@@TheBatugan77depends what foreman we talking about and what kind of fight. Pro fight, we have to favor foreman just based on foreman having the experience. Amateurs a young foreman would have lost he was sloppy. He got better when he became a pro.
If you wanna do some kind of weird pro foreman but in an amateur fight, maybe foreman. 4 rounds he would just unleash no pacing.
2.23 Peter Hussing from West Germany who won the bronze medal and was 16 times amateur champion of his home country, won 4 medals at European championships.
Deontay Wilder with elite footwork & boxing skills.
Yessss the Cubans are some of my favorite boxers ever!! There rare and highly skilled amazing fighters but are so held back and economically chained down that there boxing lure/history is shrouded with a blanket of oppression I wonder how many Cuban champions and great fighters we would have known if it wasn’t for this ..teofilo and Felix Savon viva Los cubanos
Remember Cubans could not go pro the only way they could go pro is if they left the country of Cuba
Один из небожителей этого прекрасного вида проявления настоящей мужской силы...
Rich, this was excellent. I remember my dad talking Stevenson up a lot. With that size and power, one can only wonder what he would’ve done in the pros.
Thanks, Blue Lives Matter71
Great job Rich and I never thought you make a video on an amateur legend in Teofilo Stevenson. The fighter he beat in the 1976 Olympic Heavyweight Finals Mircea Simon beat Trevor Berbick in the earlier rounds and I wonder what happens had Berbick beat Simon, then in other rounds before facing Stevenson. I bet Berbick would be another victim of Stevenson's knockout punches as bad as Tyson destroy Berbick in the pros. I wonder how many amateur knockout records that Stevenson scored and I bet he may scored over 200. Keep it up Rich.
As always, TOP box doc ! Thanks again, Rich !
My pleasure, grahamdoe
Been waiting for this one , thanks so much🥊🥊
No problem 👍
Thanks for this amazing history lesson! What an interesting boxer as well as a personality!
My pleasure, terra.
Imagine how much this beast could've impacted the heavyweight division in the 70s and 80s.
Nada, just like his Marielito comrades who made it to San Diego. All excellent top international fighters who failed the minute they discovered convenience stores.
@@nastybastardatlive True- Going 15 rounds against crafty Ali or later, Iron Mike...Total other world.
Fighters who faced him quit in their corner and gave up before the first bell in fear of this guy
@@JOEFABULOUS. Most of them were 16 to 18 year old kids--that's a big reason why.
No good on the back foot.
Muy orgulloso de el, soy descendiente de West indies second generation, en Cuba nos llamaba a todos pichon de jaimaquino. Mis tios son del central delicias y la otra parte de la familia de Solas camaguey mi tio el mas pequeno crecio con el, ya que su papa era de Barbado Como el papa de Stevenson. Pocas gente saben que el ingles fue su primera lengua de ahi su problema al hablar espanol
I remember him. Too bad Castro would not let him fight Ali. As all things Socialist, the truth of how good he actually was, is hard to discern. Great video.
Jimmy Clarke has some heart boy. Stevenson was a MONSTER...wish I could've seen a Tyson match.
Tyson ht. is 5'11" Stevenson is 6'5"
Had Castro allowed Stevenson to compete professionally or Teofilo defected from Cuba, I have no doubt that with the right training he would have become a top contender.
Look at the American pride back in 1980 both white and black in Charlotte North Carolina. We are all on Jimmy Clark side. Look how far we have went back in the last 50 years. So sad!
Cough cough
Look up who owns your media, stoking all these racial tensions.
@@k.k8291 I know who owns and controls the media but Im not allowed to say in or it's antisemitism. I'm Extremely aware of what your saying. I preach it to anyone who will listen.
@@k.k8291 I think you made another comment but of course it was deleted.
They set aside the fact that Clark was black due to the anti communist indoctrination from their first day at school. Remember that Castro led a revolution against the bastards that were part of the conspiracy to kill JFK.
Thanks for the video Rich
Thank you again for another brilliant boxing documentary
My pleasure, Gareth.
He's the greatest olympic boxer of all time and also the greatest Cuban boxer because of his Olympic Boxing gold medals and World Amateur Championships
Teofilo Stevenson
Amature career record: 302-22-8 = 332 matches.
- Olympic Order Award 1987.
- 3x Olympic heavyweight gold medalist: 1972, 1976 & 1980.
- 3x World Championship heavyweight gold medalist: 1974, 1978 & 1986.
= Total of International medals: 17 gold medals + 2 bronze medals = 19 medals.
# Stevenson is the first man ever to win 3 Olympic gold medals in the heavyweight class. Only fellow Cuban Felix Savon have repeated that feat (1992, 1996 & 2000).
Stevenson was not allowed to compete in the 1984 & 1988 Olympic games due to political issues that made Cuba boycoting the Olympics.
Something that many means stole 2 medals away from his career, with the 1984 games likley to have been his 4rd straight gold medal. Stevenson had already won a match against eventual super heavyweight gold medal winner Tyrell Biggs.
In 1988 it would IMO likley have been a bronze medal due to advanced age. Ray Mercer won in heavyweight and Lennox Lewis in the super heavyweight class.
Thank you Rich!
Could have fought Ali or Frazier, Foreman, Holmes for millions but wouldn't . Not saying he was scarred but he and Castro weren't going to risk his stature as a Cuban Hero .
Thanks for another winner, rich
Well, if the right hand didn’t get you, the refs and judges damn sure would. Great fighter but had officials on the take for him.
Excellent documentary! Great fighter and clearly a decent man. Thanks a lot, Rich!
My pleasure!
Stevenson stopped my old roommate in the gym Big John Tate he could hit Big John won the Bronze Medal then turned professional and won the World Heavyweight Championship as a professional. A damn good fighter and a better man.
Muchas gracias por honorar a nuestro campeón, ni la télévision nacional cubana ha hecho un mejor trabajo que este que acaba de hacer usted,
I remember the Clark-Stevenson fight. That referee...wow.
Clark was swindled Big time by the referee.
Great video coverage Rich 💯 Telifimo Stevenson had a great career HOF 🥊🥊💯💣💥
High school hall of fame,he was fighting kids
Thanks, Samuel
A man of character
He was essentially an old pro boxer fighting young Amateurs.
No different than Loma or Rigo.
You’re saying that to say what?
Very good Rich!! I saw a lot of Stevenson fights back in the day....
The ref gave Jimmy Clark a raw deal in 3rdbout as Jimmy had him figured out clearly. I remember watching thinking what bullshit the ref was causing and Cosell calling it as it was. Later on, Tony Tubbs told me Stevenson was highly talented, however, very protected in tournaments, if you didn’t KO him, they would halt the action to give him a break when he got caught with counters. Nevertheless, one of greatest amateurs ever.
The Cuban ref was clearly more afraid of Castro than fans booing. Make no mistake Castro was ruthless .
@@ronmailloux8655 Well he was a commie , what else would you expect .
@@patprr1756 I would expect he was evil but somehow the young people overlook or refuse to believe these things .I should say some young people .
Clark gave a good fight but he was clearly knocked down and exhausted in the 3.
Unscathed and shocked, but nothing unusual in amateur boxing.
I was talking too much on here with personal recollections. Rich, highly well prepared documentary that remains as close to Stevenson's origin as anyone could know. you missed nothing, if anything, I thank you for such a well prepared documentary.
Always a pleasure, Benny
Looking forward to this one!!! Imagine if he had have gone pro!!!
I THOUGHT HIS FAMILY WAS ORIGINALLY FROM JAMAICA.
Stevenson didn't turn pro, but his skilful attacks, especially his right hand, lethal.
I've never seen one punch power like that. My lord!
I remember him too I am 63 he was one of a kind
This guy,if he had turned pro, would have been one of the greatest World Champion for sure. This is what George Foreman said about him. George Forman all respect to the man. He gave credit where due. Ref- ruclips.net/video/YH47xHF4ScI/видео.html
Great documentary thank you so much.
Glad you enjoyed it!
17:02 vs Clark. It is Definitely a knockdown if he would have fallen if not for the ropes, and he would have. At least he got that one right.
Rich, you are the best!!
Thanks, romin388
I remember in the early 70s people talked about the possibility of him and Ali going head to head but with the political situation that would never materialise. Wow, that would have been a fight.
If Stevenson had turned pro, odds are he would have turned out like any other Cuban heavyweight we've ever seen. He would have indulged and gotten fat living the high life in the U.S., then fail to realize his full potential.
I MET HIM IN 1986 AT THE WORLD AMATEUR BOXING CHAMPIONSHIPS
The best Cuban 🇨🇺 boxer ever in my opinion. Too bad he wasn't allowed to go pro. Imagine what could've been, if Stevenson was in the pro ranks 🤔🤔🤔??? Ali would've beat Stevenson.That legendary voice of Howard Cosell ...I remember him on ABC Wide World of Sports 👍...
."Pops"#truschoolsports🥊🥊
The biggest jump in sports is going from amateur boxing to professional boxing. Certainly no guarantee Stevenson would be a pro champion
Perhaps, but we must admit his legacy is an unprecedented one in the annals of the sport.
Stevenson in his prime would have beaten them all
There arent too many people that would have stood up to that right hand of Teophelo Stevenson.
@@waynemorris8649 no way to know. The jump from amateur to pro is enormous. Lots of big punchers had only that. His chin was not tested in the amateurs. Nor his durability or endurance.
@@Thelategreatjohnnybratton George foreman said himself Stephenson would have beat any heavyweight, Iv heard it.
@@billycrotty4102 and this proves what? It' speculation. I don't agree with big George. His opinion is no more valuable than anyone else. Stevenson never had a pro fight so NO ONE knows how he would have done.I am not disrespecting him but No ONE knows.
Lol @ the ref in the Jimmy Clark fight
I remember watching that fight w/ Jimmy Clark hoping the crowd would not let the referee out of that ring w/o getting an ear full !!!!!!! Those olympic ref's have been known to CHEAT !!!!!!!!
Duran stated to Castro that Clay will kill him if they fought
Ali didn’t kill any boxer in his career,he was mostly struggling after the 1975.
Roberto would know.
Thank you for this great podcast love from Canada bro.
Thanks, Rado.
I believe that when trying to assess how he would of fared as a professional, one should remember the following:
* He never faced any amateur with the punching 👊 power of a Shavers, Norton, or Foreman as an amateur
* Stevenson never faced anyone who had the type of left hook as a Frazier or the speed of an Ali
* Ali is correct about what would he have done when a fight went into the later rounds
* a particular flaw in his fighting style was how he often stood straight up in a more rigid style. For example, could he bob and weave effectively?
As for him not wanting to turn professional, he already was a professional. All Soviet Bloc athletes were professional. Their athletic activities and livelihoods were subsidized by their country. The difference between Stevenson and someone like Ali was that Stevenson sold his athletic skill cheaply and not at fair market value.
Also you miss that neither Ali, Foreman or Frazier faced someone with the long reach of Stevenson, a decent boxing skills and a terrible and wicked punch power. Nobody knows what could have happened, due to fighting styles possibly Frazier could have had the better chance but Stevenson was a rare combination of styles, was a top slugger mixed with some decent style. Ali was older by late 70s so the age was a real factor, the same with a possible fight Stevenson vs Tyson in 1986, youth would be a factor. A key point is that Ali was clever enough to deny the choice of 5 fights under amateur rules of 3 rounds. If someone like Ali said no, you can wonder why
So Underrated Him and Felix Savon Hold the best amateur records. The Cubans ran the Boxing Olympics because they were not allowed to go pro at the time
Well another great job Rich. I'm going to hold out on my thoughts this time everyone has hit on my views so I will keep quiet. Thanks for this video buddy
Always a pleasure, Ron
He was one of my favorite heavyweight boxers. 😉
One of my favorite amateur boxers.
Huge talent
It was a golden age of professional boxing during his prime. He should've turned pro.
He was fighting "tomato cans". What would he do against top level pro fighters? I think well but he would find it much tougher sledding.
Have to being the taller fighter tip tap ya don't stop just keep pumping em out , extremely tough the Cubans, looking forward to this nice one Richie 👍
More of what he has reach height vicious intent every shot picked especially while young you'd have to shoot me.
Needed waking up a bit lol no offense to anyone ok.
Yeah, Stevenson had such great velocity on that straight right.
@@RichtheFightHistorian before my time but I don't doubt it I was built like him when I had a growth spurt and my brother like beanpoles lol , time to start lifting or become a victim.
Was he really Cuban? It said Jamaica at the beginning same area but we talk completely different.
Great video Rich, it was good to hear the back story of the legend that was Stevenson.
Thanks, Get Smart.
really enjoyed this one, I never knew he destroyed Tyrell so easily, sad he died so young.
Biggs was never that great of a fighter...he fought scared....
Biggs was a pussy. Stevenson broke his ribs in one of their fights
Western healthcare might have kept him alive longer
Thanks Rich.
In the mid 1970s there were rumours about a fight between Teofilo and Ali. It did not materialize because Stevenson wanted to fight only under the amateur rules and over three rounds. In 1986 german Uli Kaden won a decision over Stevenson after he losing controversal at the world championship tournament.
I specifically remember the Clark fight driving my father insane because of the home cooking. He pointed to that fight and said if Stevenson was serious about ever fighting professionals pressure guys like Frazier and Norton would break him mentally and better schooled and conditioned boxers like Ali or Holmes would have him exhausted by round 5 and easy pickings.
Hmm. I just can not readily agree that Teo would have been easy for even greats of that era. We will never know.
@Soccerman1963 his output and style would absolutely change and be nowhere near as effective. In a 3 round fight he was exhausted keeping Clark away from him exhausting his resources to do it. He was very unlikely to have dealt with mid level 70s heavyweight pressure let alone the elite guys. His style was perfect for what he was, but it's unlikely he'd have been more. There are a lot more great amateurs who don't excel as pros and mediocre amateurs who become excellent pros in those days. Elite level amateurs now are different because of how much better their fundamentals are. Stevenson was what he was and that was unlikely to be anything more.
@Soccerman1963 Henry Cooper is who hurt and dropped Ali. Not Henry Clark. You're mixing him up with Lamar Clark who Ali bested early on in his career. You're out of your element. Move on.
No home cooking, just watched that fight. 2 knockdowns gave him a split decision. It’s not like the fight was in Cuba. Also very rarely are mediocre pros great fights. The vast majority of great pros rn, p4p list, world champions were excellent amateurs. What a myth.
@@acetofresh1 the referee called numerous phantom fouls and unwarranted point deductions. He also broke the action multiple times when Clark hurt Stevenson or pressed him. The referee was Cuban. That is indeed home cooking
His left hand was strong, too. He would been an excellent pro in America.
imagine if this guy was given more opportunities in the heavyweight division
I saw an interview of him in his late years, he sadly showed a deteriorated speech. So much so that the commenters on the video assumed he was straight up drunk.
Good video 👊🥊🙏
You always do some super dope shit this here is unprecedented doc...
You have to ask the question. Are the rewards he received from the cuban government for his accomplisments any different than the rewards received by others in democratic countries???????????
Makes me scared getting older because he was only 60 and an ex althete who died from a heart attack. How
He was no longer an athlete and he was obese when he died. Being an “ athlete “ does not prevent you from having a heart attack. In fact it’s common knowledge now most long time endurance athletes have heart arrhythmias and suffer from congestive heart failure. I know of what I speak.
A bottle of rum with his dinner...daily...uh...that should do it
He had a thunderous straight right hand. It was as good or better than the right hand of Lennox Lewis, and that's saying something.
You're the only one saying that
Indeed it was. According to the Washington Post, he had over 188 KOs. With around 300 wins that’s a KO rate over 50% one of the highest KO rates in the history of the amateur sport.
Of all the right hands to pick from...Lennox Lewis?
He was more like Wilder but with skills...