Oleg Grigoryev

Oleg Grigoryev took up boxing in 1951, rising to fame in 1957 when he took silver at the Soviet Championships and then surprisingly won gold at the European Championships as a bantamweight. Next year, Grigoryev won the first of his six Soviet titles, the next four in a row from 1962-65 and the last in 1967. Grigoryev also won his second Soviet silver in 1960. Grigoryev was European bantamweight champion in 1963 and 1965 and took silver in 1959. Grigoryev won a gold medal in bantamweight at the 1960 Olympic Games and was the main favorite for gold at the 1964 Olympics, but surprisingly lost to Mexican Juan Fabila by decision. Grigoryev also won the gold at the 1961 and 1962 World Army Championships and took silver in 1963. Grigoryev retired from boxing in 1968 with a record of 176 wins out of 196 bouts.