Teofilo Stevenson: the champion who gave up million dollars in the name of Cuba

Teofilo Stevenson died on 11th June 2012 in his loved Cuba. A name well-known by boxers fans, even if Stevenson never had a professional match. Three times Olympic champion (Munich 72, Montreal 76, Mosca 80) three times world amateur champion, Stevenson had both physical and technical features to be a great of the heavyweight category. In those years, Joe Frazier, Ken Norton, George Foreman and Cassius Clay were part of the circus. To challenge Clay, american promoters offered Stevenson a very big purse, in the hope to organize a dramatic clash. But the Cuban, who loved his people and was a deep believer  of “his” revolution, gave up the money: <<What is one million dollars compared to the love of eight million Cubans?>>. Elegant and tenacious in the ring, professional outside, Stevenson had everything to become an icon. Nothing to do with nowadays boxers, often known for scandals or no-sense ostentation. He retired in 1986, after 321 fights (301-20). Maybe he lost the chance to win another medal at Los Angeles 1984, but Cuba boycott that edition. Maybe he lost the chance to win a world professional title. But his stature, for sure, will never fall down.