Patrizio Oliva was an excellent novice, successful gold on the Olympics in 1980. Later, as knowledgeable, he claimed the WBA junior welterweight title.
One in all seven youngsters, Oliva was born in Naples, Italy, on January 28, 1959. Boxing was part of his life from a younger age.
“Very tough. I come from poverty,” Oliva advised The Ring about his early years. “I began [boxing] at 8 years previous as a result of earlier than me, my brother Mario was a boxer and Italian champion and was a part of the nationwide staff. He was purported to take part within the 1972 Munich Olympics, however three days earlier than leaving for Munich, he was bitten by an insect, which gave him an an infection on his face and he might not depart. He was the one who began me boxing. Once I first entered the fitness center, I instantly fell in love with boxing.”
Far past simply having fun with the game, nevertheless, Oliva’s want to succeed had deeply private roots.
“Despite the fact that I used to be poor, I by no means fought within the ring for cash,” he stated. “I had an excellent ardour. I promised my brother Ciro, on his deathbed, after I was 12, that I might change into a champion and dedicate all my victories to him and produce the misplaced happiness again to my household, resulting from his demise. I fought within the ring for him.
“As a baby, I stood in entrance of the mirror and would say, ‘Patrizio Oliva, Olympic and world champion.’”
“I walked 15 kilometers to go to the fitness center as a result of I didn’t have the funds for to purchase my bus ticket, and I did this for years. I might get residence at 10 p.m.”
The dedication paid off, as Oliva went on to get pleasure from a extremely adorned novice profession. He received nationwide titles in 1976, ’77 and ’78 (he didn’t compete in ’79) earlier than representing his nation on the 1980 Moscow Olympics.
He stopped his first two opponents, then outpointed Ace Rusevski 3-2 on the quarterfinal stage and Tony Willis 5-0 within the semifinal. He then dominated Serik Konakbayev 4-1 within the ultimate to assert the gold medal. Oliva’s performances had been so spectacular that he was awarded the distinguished Val Barker trophy for finest boxer on the Video games.
through RadioOlimpia on YouTube:
“I noticed the dream I had each night time, successful the Olympic gold and the skilled world title,” recalled Oliva, who went 93-3 within the novice ranks. “As a baby, I stood in entrance of the mirror and would say, ‘Patrizio Oliva, Olympic and world champion.’”
With nothing left to realize in novice boxing, Oliva signed skilled contracts with promoter Elio Cotena and supervisor Rocco Agostino. He made his professional debut with a six-round unanimous choice over the vastly extra skilled Nelson Gomes in October 1980 and was paid 2 million lire (round $2,300 on the time).
Oliva went on to win his first 25 fights after which bested Robert Gambini to change into European champion in January 1983.
“It was an vital second,” he stated proudly. “Gambini was an excellent boxer, however I received by 13 factors on the scorecards. (laughs) I additionally established myself within the European subject.”
Over the subsequent three years, that’s precisely what he did, making eight profitable defenses of his EBU title.
Together with his document standing at 43-0, Oliva’s backers had been in a position to safe a WBA 140-pound title shot at Argentina’s Ubaldo Sacco (47-3-1 on the time) in March 1986. The struggle happened in Monaco.
“It was a really powerful match, 15 hellish rounds,” stated Oliva, who edged the victory by break up choice. “Sacco all the time attacked. I fought a really powerful battle.
“[We had a] small social gathering after the match. I used to be too drained. Then, in Naples, my fellow residents, about 2,000 individuals, celebrated me on my return from Monte Carlo.”
Oliva alongside soccer legend Diego Maradona. (Picture courtesy Oliva)
Nevertheless, not everybody in Naples was proud of Oliva’s title success.
“[Argentine Napoli soccer player Diego] Maradona was rooting for Sacco, so when he misplaced, he was upset,” recalled Oliva. “He didn’t say something to me, however he advised his teammates that his compatriot had received. However then we met in a restaurant in Naples and clarified. The Argentines are very nationalistic.”
Oliva stayed busy with two non-title fights earlier than making his maiden protection at residence in opposition to unbeaten Minnesota native Brian Brunette in September 1986.
“It was very good. Earlier than the match, the match was marketed; automobiles drove across the streets with my photograph and that of Brunette,” he stated. “Then, on the press convention, Brunette’s brothers stated that they had been afraid that I might die in that match, (laughs) as a result of their brother had received all his matches by knockout. So, I stated, ‘In case your brother isn’t nearly as good along with his fists as you’re with phrases, I’ll punch him so much and finish his profession.’”
Oliva’s phrases proved to be prophetic, as he stopped Brunette in three rounds and the American solely fought as soon as extra.
through Marc again to the longer term on YouTube:
Subsequent, the skillful Italian needed to intestine out a scrappy 15-round unanimous choice over aggressive Mexican Rodolfo Gonzalez in Sicily in January 1987.
Nevertheless, the damage and tear of an extended novice {and professional} profession had taken its toll on Oliva. In his subsequent struggle, he was surprisingly crushed in three rounds by then-unheralded Argentine fighter Juan Martin Coggi, who gained a measure of revenge for his compatriot, Sacco, combating exterior of his residence nation for the primary time.
through lucca04 on YouTube:
“Coggi proved he’s a champion. After he beat me, he saved the title for a few years,” remarked Oliva. “I’ve to say that after I confronted Coggi, I had no extra motivation to field. I used to be mentally drained. I had carried out 4 world title fights and two non-title fights in 18 months. So, after I obtained into the ring, my reflexes had been very low, and he shocked me with a really highly effective hook.”
Oliva stepped away from the ring and started working as a commentator for Italian TV. Nevertheless, after two years away, he discovered himself craving a return.
He got here again as a welterweight in July 1989, and after shedding the built-up ring rust, he bested the proficient Kirkland Laing (UD 12) to change into European champion in a second weight class.
through David Kirkwood on YouTube:
Oliva made two defenses, taking Errol McDonald’s unbeaten document when the Brit was disqualified for harmful use of the top in Spherical 12, then outpointing skilled Frenchman Antoine Fernandez (UD 12).
At this level, Oliva had been set to face IBF titlist Maurice Blocker, however the project then unexpectedly shifted to WBC counterpart Buddy McGirt.
“Blocker, a 6-feet-2 tall boxer – so I do all of the preparation with tall sparring companions, however two weeks earlier than the match, they inform me that I’ll struggle the WBC champion, McGirt, 5-feet-6 tall, subsequently utterly totally different from Blocker,” Oliva revealed.
“Within the second spherical, I known as the referee, Arthur Mercante, again to inform him that McGirt was harmful along with his head, as a result of he had already hit me. Then, within the fourth spherical, he lower my eyebrow with a headbutt. Then Mercante indicators to the judges that it was a punch and never a headbutt. (laughs) Anyway, the match was good and McGirt received clearly.”
through Ironbar Boxing on YouTube:
This time, Oliva (57-2, 20 knockouts) determined to bow out for good.
“I used to be nonetheless European champion; I might nonetheless defend the title, however I understood that I not had the fervour for boxing, and so I ended.
“Once I retired from boxing, I used to be head coach of the Italian staff on the 1996 Atlanta and 2000 Sydney Olympics.”
Oliva, together with Corridor of Famer Nino Benvenuti and three-time Olympian Roberto Cammarelle, on the Italian premiere of the film Grudge Match in January 2014. (Picture by Ernesto Ruscio/Getty Photographs)
Trying again, Oliva says throughout his profession there have been two massive fights that had been mentioned.
“My supervisor spoke to me a couple of attainable assembly with [Alexis] Arguello, after which earlier than Coggi with [Hector] ‘Macho’ Camacho.”
Oliva, now 65, is married, has 4 youngsters and nonetheless lives in Naples, the place he stays a preferred determine.
“I’ve a fitness center the place many sporting actions are carried out. I’m head coach of the nationwide schoolboy staff,” he stated. “Then, I do psychological teaching in firms and I’m a movie and theater actor. On the theater, I’m doing a present on my life.”
He graciously took time to talk to The Ring about the most effective he fought in 10 key classes.
BEST JAB
Ubaldo Sacco: “His jab was steady and he did it for 15 rounds however I dodged a lot of them.” (laughs)
BEST DEFENSE
Buddy McGirt: “He had his guard closed and moved his physique properly.”
BEST FOOTWORK
Sacco: “He fought at an excellent tempo for 15 rounds. He all the time got here ahead and by no means stopped, even after I hit him laborious.”
BEST HAND SPEED
Juan Martin Coggi: “He shocked me with a quick and highly effective left hook.”
SMARTEST
McGirt: “He was higher than me.”
STRONGEST
Kirkland Laing: “He was a lot stronger than me bodily. I used my hand velocity and leg mobility to beat him.”
Oliva vs. Ubaldo Sacco (photograph courtesy Oliva)
BEST PUNCHER
Coggi: “He was very quick and highly effective along with his punches.”
BEST CHIN
Antoine Fernandez: “He took some robust punches however resisted.”
BEST BOXING SKILLS
McGirt: “He had an excellent rhythm and good physique work.”
BEST OVERALL
Sacco: “Sacco, Gonzalez, McGirt, Coggi … however for me, Sacco was completely the most effective. He had approach, protection, he was a wonderful striker and he additionally had an excellent punch.”
Questions and/or feedback could be despatched to Anson at [email protected].
