National champion in the 48kg division for ten consecutive years, Moroccan Mahjoub M’jirih grew up with a love for sport, and boxing in particular, from the earliest days of his childhood. He joined his local Atlas club in 1976 and, within two years, he had already been crowned Moroccan Champion in his weight division, rapidly etching his name into the country’s boxing scene. He joined the national team in 1980 and began capturing numerous gold medals and trophies on the international scene in addition to participating in two Summer Olympic Games. In 1984 he was eliminated by Agapito Gómez of Spain in the opening round, but made it all the way to the quarter-finals in 1988, eventually defeated by future bronze medalist Leopoldo Serrantes of the Philippines. M’jirih began a coaching career in the 1990s, but left the profession after finding it difficult to provide for his family, and has since struggled with poverty, lacking governmental support despite his former status as a national titleholder.
Morocco