As the winner of two Italian featherweight titles (1962, 1964) and losing finalist at the 1963 European Championships, Giovanni Girgenti was considered a medal contender at the 1964 Games. But the Sicilian didn’t make it past the first round, being upset by later silver medalist Anthony Villanueva. The Marsala native then embarked on a professional career that spanned two decades. He first claimed the Italian professional featherweight in 1968, and gained or defended his title (and later that of the super featherweight) a total of 22 times. Internationally, he was less successful, contesting two EBU title fights without earning a belt. Girgenti fought professionally from 1965-76, ending with a career record of 48 wins (15 by KO), 15 losses, and 5 draws.
Italy