Patrizio Oliva
Encyclopedia
Patrizio Oliva (born January 28, 1959 in Naples
, Italy
) is an Italian
former boxer
, who won the gold medal
in the light welterweight division
at the 1980 Moscow Olympics
as an amateur
and the WBA
World light welterweight title as a professional.
Oliva was introduced to boxing through his father Rocco and his brother Mario's passion for the sport. One of his brother, Ciro, died and Oliva dedicated a number of his fights to the memory of Ciro and also named his first son after him.
At international level Oliva won the 1978 European Junior Championships in Dublin, Ireland
and silver medal at the 1979 European Senior Championships in Cologne
, West Germany
. Oliva was beaten by Russian boxer Serik Konakbaev in the final of the Cologne championship and stated that his fight against Konakbaev was the hardest of his career. The following year he represented his country and boxed at the Olympic Games
for Italy
and would again face Konakbaev.
, which were held in Moscow
, USSR.
Oliva competed in the Light Welterweight (– 63.5 kg) division. He defeated African Aurelien Agnan in his first contest after referee stopped contest in first round. In his second contest he stopped Syria
n Farez Halabi in the third round and beat Yugoslavian Ace Rusevski
in the quarter final. In the semi final Oliva faced British
boxer Tony Willis
. This fight went the full three round distance and Oliva was once again victorius after all five judges gave him the decision.
On 2 August 1980, Oliva once again met his opponent from the final of the 1979 European championships, Serik Konakbaev, in the final of the Olympics. This time Oliva reversed the result by beating Konakbaev in front of his home crowd to take the gold medal and win the Val Barker Trophy
for being "Outstanding Boxer" at the 1980 Olympics.
ian Nelson Gomes in Naples, Italy. Oliva defeated Gomes on points over six rounds to secure his first victory as a professional.
, he then went on a run of victories. From October 1980 to August 1981, Oliva won thirteen straight fights before he fought for his first title belt, the Italian light welterweight title against Giuseppe Russi on 4 November 1981 in Ischia
. Oliva handled Russi with ease winning the title with in second round knockout
. Oliva followed his first title win by winning a further eleven straight fight between November 1981 and October 1982.
Robert Gambini for a chance to win for his first major title
, the European light welterweight title. Oliva was again victorious and took the title from Gambini on points over twelve rounds. Gambini retired from boxing after the fight.
Oliva continued his run of career victories by winning his first 48 fights, including a victory over Ubaldo Nestor Sacco
in 1986 to capture the WBA Light Welterweight Title. Oliva defended the title four times prior to losing to Juan Martin Coggi
by KO
in 1987. After a two year rest, Oliva came back and went on to win his next 9 fights, setting up a shot at WBC Welterweight Title holder James McGirt in 1992. Oliva lost via unanimous decision, and retired after the bout with a record of 57-2-0.
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
) is an Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
former boxer
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
, who won the gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
in the light welterweight division
Olympic medalists in boxing
This is the complete list of Olympic medalists in boxing from 1904 to 2008.-Light flyweight:*1968 - : up to 48 kg.-Flyweight:*1904: up to 105 lb *1920-1936: up to 112 lb *1948-1964: up to 51 kg...
at the 1980 Moscow Olympics
1980 Summer Olympics
The 1980 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Moscow in the Soviet Union. In addition, the yachting events were held in Tallinn, and some of the preliminary matches and the quarter-finals of the football tournament...
as an amateur
Amateur boxing
Amateur boxing is practised at the collegiate level, at the Olympic Games and Commonwealth Games, and in many other venues sponsored by amateur boxing associations. Amateur boxing bouts are short in duration and fighters wear head protection, so this type of competition prizes point-scoring rather...
and the WBA
World Boxing Association
The World Boxing Association is a boxing organization that sanctions official matches, and awards the WBA world championship title at the professional level. It was previously known as the National Boxing Association before changing its name in 1962...
World light welterweight title as a professional.
Background
Patrizio is one of seven brothers born to Rocco and Catena Oliva.Oliva was introduced to boxing through his father Rocco and his brother Mario's passion for the sport. One of his brother, Ciro, died and Oliva dedicated a number of his fights to the memory of Ciro and also named his first son after him.
Amateur career
Oliva had a successful amateur career and won 93 of his 96 fights winning the Italian, European and Olympic titles.At international level Oliva won the 1978 European Junior Championships in Dublin, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
and silver medal at the 1979 European Senior Championships in Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
, West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
. Oliva was beaten by Russian boxer Serik Konakbaev in the final of the Cologne championship and stated that his fight against Konakbaev was the hardest of his career. The following year he represented his country and boxed at the Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
for Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and would again face Konakbaev.
Moscow Olympics
Following two years of winning European title Oliva competed in the blue vest of Italy at the 1980 Summer Olympics1980 Summer Olympics
The 1980 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Moscow in the Soviet Union. In addition, the yachting events were held in Tallinn, and some of the preliminary matches and the quarter-finals of the football tournament...
, which were held in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, USSR.
Oliva competed in the Light Welterweight (– 63.5 kg) division. He defeated African Aurelien Agnan in his first contest after referee stopped contest in first round. In his second contest he stopped Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
n Farez Halabi in the third round and beat Yugoslavian Ace Rusevski
Ace Rusevski
Ace Rusevski is a retired Macedonian boxer, who represented Yugoslavia at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, Canada. There he won the bronze medal in the lightweight division after being defeated in the semifinals by eventual gold medalist Howard Davis Jr...
in the quarter final. In the semi final Oliva faced British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
boxer Tony Willis
Tony Willis
Anthony "Tony" Willis is a British former boxer who won a Light Welterweight Bronze medal at the 1980 Summer Olympics...
. This fight went the full three round distance and Oliva was once again victorius after all five judges gave him the decision.
On 2 August 1980, Oliva once again met his opponent from the final of the 1979 European championships, Serik Konakbaev, in the final of the Olympics. This time Oliva reversed the result by beating Konakbaev in front of his home crowd to take the gold medal and win the Val Barker Trophy
Val Barker Trophy
The Val Barker Trophy, named for boxer Val Barker, is presented every four years to an Olympic boxing athlete who exemplifies style during competition.-Recipients:...
for being "Outstanding Boxer" at the 1980 Olympics.
List of fights at the Moscow Olympics
- Defeated Aurelien Agnan
BeninBeninBenin , officially the Republic of Benin, is a country in West Africa. It borders Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east and Burkina Faso and Niger to the north. Its small southern coastline on the Bight of Benin is where a majority of the population is located...
RSC 1 - Defeated Farez Halabi
SyriaSyriaSyria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
RSC 3 - Defeated Ace RusevskiAce RusevskiAce Rusevski is a retired Macedonian boxer, who represented Yugoslavia at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, Canada. There he won the bronze medal in the lightweight division after being defeated in the semifinals by eventual gold medalist Howard Davis Jr...
YugoslaviaYugoslaviaYugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
) 3-2 - Defeated Tony WillisTony WillisAnthony "Tony" Willis is a British former boxer who won a Light Welterweight Bronze medal at the 1980 Summer Olympics...
Great Britain 5-0 - Defeated Serik Konakbaev
Soviet UnionSoviet UnionThe Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
4-1
Debut
Within two months of winning gold at the Moscow Olympics, Oliva turned professional. His fight fight was on 11 October 1980 against Italian based BrazilBrazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian Nelson Gomes in Naples, Italy. Oliva defeated Gomes on points over six rounds to secure his first victory as a professional.
Early fights
After Oliva's first win in the professional ranksProfessional Boxing
Professional boxing, or prizefighting, emerged in the early twentieth century as boxing gradually attained legitimacy and became a regulated, sanctioned sport. Professional boxing bouts are fought for a purse which is divided among the fighters and promoters as determined by contract...
, he then went on a run of victories. From October 1980 to August 1981, Oliva won thirteen straight fights before he fought for his first title belt, the Italian light welterweight title against Giuseppe Russi on 4 November 1981 in Ischia
Ischia
Ischia is a volcanic island in the Tyrrhenian Sea. It lies at the northern end of the Gulf of Naples, about 30 km from the city of Naples. It is the largest of the Phlegrean Islands. Roughly trapezoidal in shape, it measures around 10 km east to west and 7 km north to south and has...
. Oliva handled Russi with ease winning the title with in second round knockout
Knockout
A knockout is a fight-ending, winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, mixed martial arts, Karate and others sports involving striking...
. Oliva followed his first title win by winning a further eleven straight fight between November 1981 and October 1982.
European title
This left Oliva with a record of 25 victories with no losses and earned him a fight against FrenchmanFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
Robert Gambini for a chance to win for his first major title
Championship belt
A championship belt is a large, extravagantly designed belt used primarily in combat sports such as boxing, mixed martial arts and professional wrestling to signify the champions of the promotion or company, much like a cup or trophy in other sports...
, the European light welterweight title. Oliva was again victorious and took the title from Gambini on points over twelve rounds. Gambini retired from boxing after the fight.
Oliva continued his run of career victories by winning his first 48 fights, including a victory over Ubaldo Nestor Sacco
Ubaldo Nestor Sacco
Ubaldo Nestor Sacco was an Argentine boxer.- Professional career :Known as "Uby", Sacco turned pro in 1978 and won the World Boxing Association light welterweight title by TKO over Gene Hatcher in 1985. He lost the belt the following year to Patrizio Oliva by decision.- External links :*...
in 1986 to capture the WBA Light Welterweight Title. Oliva defended the title four times prior to losing to Juan Martin Coggi
Juan Martin Coggi
Juan Martin Coggi is a former boxer from Argentina. A native of Santa Fe , which was also the birthplace of Carlos Monzón, Coggi was a three time world light welterweight champion. He had 75 wins, 5 losses and 2 draws, with 44 wins by knockout...
by KO
Ko
Ko or KO may refer to:* Ko , a Tamil action movie directed by K.V. Anand released in April 2011* Ko , the romanization of the Japanese kana こ and コ* Ko Mountain, the second highest peak in Sikhote-Alin*Ko, Lamphun, Thailand...
in 1987. After a two year rest, Oliva came back and went on to win his next 9 fights, setting up a shot at WBC Welterweight Title holder James McGirt in 1992. Oliva lost via unanimous decision, and retired after the bout with a record of 57-2-0.