Nino Benvenutilegend of Italian sport, world champion of the middle weights of boxing and gold medal in Rome ’60 is dead.
Who was Nino Benvenuti
Nino Benvenuti was the legend of Italian and world boxing. Born on April 26, 1938 in Isola di Istria, then Italian territory, Benvenuti left an indelible imprint in the history of sport. His career began with the triumph at the Rome Olympics in 1960, where he conquered the gold medal in the Welter weights. Passed to professionalism, he distinguished himself by technique and determination, winning the world title of Superwelter weights in 1965 against Sandro Mazzinghi. In 1967, he defeated Emile Griffith at Madison Square Garden, becoming the world champion of average weights. Their meeting trilogy remained in the history of boxing. Welcome to the career with a record of 90 meetings: 82 wins (35 per ko), 7 defeats and 1 draw. In 1992, he was included in the International Boxing Hall of Fame, the first Italian to receive this recognition. In addition to the ring, Benvenuti dedicated himself to the cinema, starring in films such as “Live or preferably dead” (1969) and “Mark The policeman shoots first” (1975). In 2016, he represented Italy at the funeral of Muhammad Ali, underlining the importance of the Olympic and sporting values. His disappearance leaves a void in the world of sport and in the Italian collective memory. Nino Benvenuti will forever remain a symbol of excellence, courage and passion.