Light-Heavyweight, Freestyle (≤87 kg), Men

Only four wrestlers made it to the mat in this class. Thure Sjöstedt (SWE) was the defending champion and was back in Los Angeles. He was challenged by American Peter Mehringer, Canadian Harry Madison, and Australian Eddie Scarf. Madison was a slight favorite but he lost by fall in round one to Scarf, as Mehringer defeated Sjöstedt by fall. When Mehringer also pinned Madison in round two, that left the Canadian out of the medals. Mehringer secured the gold with a workmanlike decision over Scarf in the final round, the silver going to Sjöstedt.

Mehringer was much better known in the United States as a football player, but would later turn to professional wrestling, mostly in New Zealand, as well as playing briefly in the NFL with the Chicago Cardinals. Scarf would later win a gold medal at the 1938 British Empire Games. In 1934 Sjöstedt would win the freestyle heavyweight class at the European Championships.