Zbigniew Pietrzykowski
Encyclopedia
Zbigniew Pietrzykowski (born October 4, 1934 in Bestwinka
, near Bielsko-Biała
) is a retired Polish boxer.
Three times he took part in the Olympic Games
, every time winning a medal. He won a bronze medal at Melbourne 1956 in the Light middleweight
division, after losing in the semi-final to Hungarian László Papp
. Four years later in Rome, he reached the final of the Light heavyweight
division, where he lost to future heavyweight champion Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali)
. Finally, he won a bronze medal in Tokyo in 1964, in the Light heavyweight
division (defeated by Russian Aleksei Kiselyov).
He participated five times at the European Amateur Boxing Championships
and won 5 medals: a bronze in the Light middleweight
division at Warsaw 1953, and then four gold medals: at West Berlin 1955 in the Light middleweight
division, at Prague 1957 in the Middleweight
division, and at Lucerne 1959 and at Moscow 1963 in the Light heavyweight
division.
Eleven times he won the championship of Poland: in the Light middleweight division in 1954, 1955 and 1956, in the Middleweight division in 1957 and in the Light heavyweight division in 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964 and 1965.
Pietrzykowski is also a champion in relation to his performances in the national Polish team. He fought 44 times, winning 42 times and losing twice.
In his career, he fought 350 fights; he won 334, drew 2 and lost 14.
He was the first winner of the Aleksander Reksza Boxing Award 1986.
Bestwinka
Bestwinka is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Bestwina, within Bielsko County, Silesian Voivodeship, in southern Poland. It lies approximately north of Bestwina, north of Bielsko-Biała, and south of the regional capital Katowice....
, near Bielsko-Biała
Bielsko-Biała
-Economy and Industry:Nowadays Bielsko-Biała is one of the best-developed parts of Poland. It was ranked 2nd best city for business in that country by Forbes. About 5% of people are unemployed . Bielsko-Biała is famous for its textile, machine-building, and especially automotive industry...
) is a retired Polish boxer.
Three times he took part in 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...
, every time winning a medal. He won a bronze medal at Melbourne 1956 in the Light middleweight
Light middleweight
Light Middleweight , is a weight division in professional boxing, above 147 pounds and up to 154 pounds ....
division, after losing in the semi-final to Hungarian László Papp
László Papp
László Papp was a Hungarian boxer, born in Budapest. A southpaw, he won gold medals in the 1948 Summer Olympics in London, the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, and the 1956 Summer Olympics held in Melbourne, Australia...
. Four years later in Rome, he reached the final of the Light heavyweight
Light heavyweight
In boxing, the light heavyweight is a weight division above 168 pounds [12 Stone or 76.204 kilograms] and up to 175 pounds [12.5 stone or 79.38 kilograms]), falling between super middleweight and cruiserweight...
division, where he lost to future heavyweight champion Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali)
Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali is an American former professional boxer, philanthropist and social activist...
. Finally, he won a bronze medal in Tokyo in 1964, in the Light heavyweight
Light heavyweight
In boxing, the light heavyweight is a weight division above 168 pounds [12 Stone or 76.204 kilograms] and up to 175 pounds [12.5 stone or 79.38 kilograms]), falling between super middleweight and cruiserweight...
division (defeated by Russian Aleksei Kiselyov).
He participated five times at the European Amateur Boxing Championships
European Amateur Boxing Championships
The European Amateur Boxing Championships is the highest competition for boxing amateurs in Europe, organised by the continent's governing body EUBC, which stands for the European Boxing Confederation...
and won 5 medals: a bronze in the Light middleweight
Light middleweight
Light Middleweight , is a weight division in professional boxing, above 147 pounds and up to 154 pounds ....
division at Warsaw 1953, and then four gold medals: at West Berlin 1955 in the Light middleweight
Light middleweight
Light Middleweight , is a weight division in professional boxing, above 147 pounds and up to 154 pounds ....
division, at Prague 1957 in the Middleweight
Middleweight
Middleweight is a division, or weight class, in boxing. Early boxing history is less than exact, but the middleweight designation seems to have begun in the 1840s. In the bare-knuckle era, the first middleweight championship fight was between Tom Chandler and Dooney Harris in 1897...
division, and at Lucerne 1959 and at Moscow 1963 in the Light heavyweight
Light heavyweight
In boxing, the light heavyweight is a weight division above 168 pounds [12 Stone or 76.204 kilograms] and up to 175 pounds [12.5 stone or 79.38 kilograms]), falling between super middleweight and cruiserweight...
division.
Eleven times he won the championship of Poland: in the Light middleweight division in 1954, 1955 and 1956, in the Middleweight division in 1957 and in the Light heavyweight division in 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964 and 1965.
Pietrzykowski is also a champion in relation to his performances in the national Polish team. He fought 44 times, winning 42 times and losing twice.
In his career, he fought 350 fights; he won 334, drew 2 and lost 14.
He was the first winner of the Aleksander Reksza Boxing Award 1986.