Boxing at the 1984 Summer Olympics

The 1984 boxing events were held at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, a multi-purpose sports facility that had been built in 1959. It has been home to numerous professional teams in Los Angeles, and had a seating capacity of about 16,000 for 1984 boxing. The boxing tournament increased to 12 classes in 1984, adding a heavyweight class with an upper weight limit of 91 kg (200½ lbs), similar to the professional cruiserweight class, while the heaviest class was now termed the super-heavyweights.

Boxing in 1984 was definitely affected by the Soviet-led boycott, far more than the 1980 Olympic boxing had been affected by the US-led boycott. This was because the boycott prevented Cuba, the USSR, East Germany, and Poland from competing. Cuba was by 1984 the top amateur boxing nation in the world, and the other countries were near the top. In their absence the Americans dominated, winning nine gold medals, and probably losing out on another one for future professional champion Evander Holyfield in a highly-disputed disqualification in his light-heavyweight semi-final bout.