Félix Savón

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Savón and the second or maternal family name is Fabre.

Félix Savón Fabre (born 22 September 1967) is a Cuban former amateur boxer who competed from 1980 to 2000. Considered one of the all-time greatest amateurs,^[2] he became three-time Olympic gold medalist, and the World Champion six times in a row,^[3] all in the heavyweight division. In 1988, when he was favored by many to win the gold medal at the 1988 Summer Olympics, the Cuban government boycotted the event.^[4] Savón is particularly known for having rejected numerous multimillion-dollar offers to defect and leave Cuba permanently to fight Mike Tyson as a professional.^[5]

Félix Savón
Savón (right) in 1987
Born	Félix Savón Fabre (1967-09-22) 22 September 1967 (age 57) San Vicente, Cuba
Other names	Niñote ("Big Kid")
Statistics
Weight(s)	Heavyweight
Height	6 ft 5 in (196 cm)[1]
Reach	82 in (208 cm)
Stance	Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights	288
Wins	258
Wins by KO	158
Losses	10
Medal record Men's amateur boxing Representing  Cuba Event 1st 2nd 3rd Olympic Games 3 0 0 World Championships 6 1 0 Jr World Championships 1 0 0 Central American Championships 5 0 0 North American Championships 1 0 0 Pan American Games 3 0 0 Central American and Caribbean Games 4 0 0 World Cup 4 0 0 Goodwill Games 2 0 0 Total 29 1 0 Olympic Games 1992 Barcelona Heavyweight 1996 Atlanta Heavyweight 2000 Sydney Heavyweight World Championships 1986 Reno Heavyweight 1989 Moscow Heavyweight 1991 Sydney Heavyweight 1993 Tampere Heavyweight 1995 Berlin Heavyweight 1997 Budapest Heavyweight 1999 Houston Heavyweight Junior World Championships 1985 Bucharest Heavyweight Central America and the Caribbean Championships 1984 Managua Heavyweight 1985 Maturín Heavyweight 1988 Guatemala City Heavyweight 1995 Mexico City Heavyweight 1996 Guadalajara Heavyweight North American Championships 1987 Toronto Heavyweight Pan American Games 1987 Indianapolis Heavyweight 1991 Havana Heavyweight 1995 Mar del Plata Heavyweight Central American and Caribbean Games 1986 Santiago Heavyweight 1990 Mexico City Heavyweight 1993 Ponce Heavyweight 1998 Maracaibo Heavyweight World Cup 1987 Belgrade Heavyweight 1990 Dublin Heavyweight 1994 Bangkok Heavyweight 1998 Chongqing Heavyweight Goodwill Games 1994 Saint Petersburg Heavyweight 1998 New York Heavyweight

Early life

He was born in San Vicente, in Guantánamo Province, Cuba. His ring debut occurred in 1980, in Guantánamo.

Savón's inspiration to become a boxer was his renowned countryman, three-time Olympic champion Teófilo Stevenson^[4] (he later was perceived by the Western media as Stevenson's successor^[6])

Career

During his career, in which he did not turn professional, he managed a career record of 362–21, with the majority of his losses avenged.^[7][8] The only boxers, who got away with knockout victories over Savón unavenged were Soviet Usman Arsaliyev and North Korean Li Dal-Chen, whom he met only once.

He won his first important titles in 1985. At 19 he beat America's Michael Bentt on his way to win the 1987 Pan Am games.^[9] Besides winning the Cuban heavyweight title (which he would win each year until his retirement, except 1999 and 2000 when he lost to Odlanier Solís, who he would lose to twice and defeat once in their three meetings), he also won the Junior World Championships in 1985.^[10]

This set off his career, in which he would win six World Championships; his victory at the 1997 tournament was the result of the disqualification of an opponent, future professional world champion Ruslan Chagaev (whom Savón had previously beaten), who beat Savón in the final, but was later stripped of the gold medal for having two professional fights prior to the championships.^[11] Chagaev was reinstated as an amateur the following year when these fights were declared exhibitions, but did not regain the gold medal.^[12]

"He's just a great guy and he deserves everything he's got.

—Boxer Michael Bennett on Savón.^[13]

In 1998 during the Heavyweight final of the Goodwill Games from New York, Savón had an amazing knockout over U.S. Amateur Champion DaVarryl Williamson.^[14] At the 1999 tournament, he was to fight American Michael Bennett in the final, but the whole Cuban team retired from the competition to protest the result of another Cuban boxer in the tournament whom they considered had been "robbed" by the judges, meaning that Bennett won the final on default.^[15] In their bout at the 2000 Summer Olympics Bennett would lose 23–8 to Savón.^[16]

Savón won three Olympic gold medals, a feat shared with only two other boxers, László Papp and compatriot Teófilo Stevenson. He could have been a four-time Olympic gold medalist, had the Cuban government allowed its team to participate in the 1988 Seoul, South Korea.^[4]

Savón's critics said that he is a puncher instead of a boxer who is not satisfied with a decision, risking losses by going after knockouts even when he is far ahead on points. Roosevelt Sanders, a U.S. boxing coach, said Savon would have been immediately ranked between 5th and 10th in the world's professional boxing heavyweight division if he turned pro after the 1990 Goodwill Games.^[4] "Cuba, since 1974 has been the king of amateur boxing in the world", he said. "That is why the media of other countries keep asking why we don't box professionally. Professionalism will abolish humanism and society." Savon said amateur athletes are revered in Cuba. "Athletes are the most important thing in Cuba since Castro took over. We practice sports from the age of 8."^[17]

Highlights

Local match-up (71 kg), Guantánamo, Cuba, 1980 (debut): Defeated (no data available) (Cuba) KO XVI National Cadet Games (71 kg), Cuba, July 1981: Finals: Defeated Lino Famide (Cuba) KO National Youth Championships (71 kg), Cuba, 1982: 1/2: Lost to (no data available) (Cuba) KO National Friendship Games (81 kg), Cuba, 1983: (no data available) National Youth Championships (81 kg), Cuba, 1983: (no data available) International Youth Tournament (91 kg), Berlin, East Germany, June 1984: Finals: Defeated Uli Klimm (East Germany) RSC 1 XV Central America and the Caribbean Championships (91 kg), Managua, Nicaragua, 1984: (no data available) XXIV Playa Girón National Championships (91 kg), Nueva Gerona, Cuba, January 1985: 1/2: Defeated Aurelio Toyo Pérez (Cuba) by decision Finals: Defeated Hermenegildo Báez (Cuba) by decision XXXVI Strandzha Cup (91 kg), Sofia, Bulgaria, February 1985: Finals: Defeated Deyan Kirilov (Bulgaria) by majority decision, 4–1 XIV Chemistry Cup (91 kg), Halle, East Germany, March 1985: Finals: Defeated Michael Ernst (East Germany) by unanimous decision, 5–0 Trofeo Italia (91 kg), Mestre, Venice, Italy, March 1985: Finals: Defeated Gyula Alvics (Hungary) by unanimous decision, 5–0 XVIII Giraldo Córdova Cardín Tournament (91 kg), Ciego de Ávila, Cuba, March 1985: 1/2: Defeated Ramzan Sebiyev (Soviet Union) Finals: Defeated Hermenegildo Báez (Cuba) RSC 2 National Youth Championships (91 kg), Cuba, 1985: (no data available) XVI Central America and the Caribbean Championships (91 kg), Maturín, Venezuela, September 1985: Finals: Defeated H. Hidalgo (Venezuela) RSC 1 III Junior World Championships (91 kg), Bucharest, Romania, September 1985: 1/8: Defeated Ilie Corbu (Romania) RSC 1 1/4: Defeated Andrey Cholakin (Soviet Union) by majority decision, 4–1 1/2: Defeated Attila Árvai (Hungary) by walkover Finals: Defeated Andrzej Golota (Poland) RET 2 XXV Playa Girón National Championships (91 kg), Havana, Cuba, January 1986: Finals: Defeated Roberto Balado (Cuba) KO 2 XXXVII Strandzha Cup (91 kg), Sofia, Bulgaria, February 1986: Finals: Defeated Rudolf Gavenčiak (Czechoslovakia) RSC 3 XVII Chemistry Cup (91 kg), Halle, East Germany, March 1986: Finals: Defeated Sven Lange (East Germany) RET 3 Ústí Grand Prix (91 kg), Ústí nad Labem, Czechoslovakia, March 1986: Finals: Defeated Anatoliy Savkin (Soviet Union) by unanimous decision, 5–0 XIX Giraldo Córdova Cardín Tournament (91 kg), Camagüey, Cuba, May 1986: Finals: Defeated Renat Trishev (Soviet Union) by majority decision, 4–1 IV World Championships (91 kg), Reno, Nevada, May 1986: 1/8: Defeated Gyula Alvics (Hungary) by unanimous decision, 5–0 1/4: Defeated Luis Castillo (Ecuador) KO 2 (the bout stopped for Castillo hitting below the belt; later ruled a knockout) 1/2: Defeated Svilen Rusinov (Bulgaria) RSC 2 Finals: Defeated Arnold Vanderlyde (Netherlands) by unanimous decision, 5–0 XV Central American and Caribbean Games (91 kg), Santiago, Dominican Republic, June–July 1986: 1/4: Defeated Emilio Payne (Costa Rica) KO 1 1/2: Defeated José Acosta (Venezuela) KO 1 Finals: Defeated Rodolfo Marín (Puerto Rico) RSCH 1 National Team Championships (91 kg), Cuba, October 1986: Lost to Juan Delis Causse (Cuba) KO USA–Cuba Duals (91 kg), New Orleans, Louisiana, December 1986: Defeated Orbit Pough (United States) by unanimous decision, 5–0 USA–Cuba Duals (91 kg), Sacramento, California, December 1986: Defeated Huland Copeland (United States) RSC 1 XXVI Playa Girón National Championships (91 kg), Holguín, Cuba, January 1987: Finals: Defeated Roberto Balado (Cuba) by decision XVIII Chemistry Cup (91 kg), Halle, East Germany, March 1987: Finals: Defeated Sven Lange (East Germany) RSC 2 Ústí Grand Prix (91 kg), Ústí nad Labem, Czechoslovakia, March 1987: 1/2: Lost to Usman Arsaliyev (Soviet Union) KO 3 XX Giraldo Córdova Cardín Tournament (91 kg), Santa Clara, Cuba, June 1987: Finals: Defeated Juan Delis Causse (Cuba) by unanimous decision, 5–0 X Pan American Games (91 kg), Indianapolis, Indiana, August 1987: 1/4: Defeated Julio Sanchez (Puerto Rico) RSC 1 1/2: Defeated Michael Bentt (United States) by unanimous decision, 5–0 Finals: Defeated Juan Antonio Díaz Nieves (Argentina) KO 2 (1:48) North American Championships (91 kg), Toronto, Canada, August 1987: Finals: Defeated Michael Bentt (United States) by unanimous decision, 3–0 (Savón was given a standing eight count in the 1st rd) V World Cup (91 kg), Belgrade, Yugoslavia, October 1987: 1/4: Defeated Fred Kaddu (Uganda) by unanimous decision, 5–0 1/2: Defeated Ramzan Sebiyev (Soviet Union) by unanimous decision, 5–0 Finals: Defeated Arnold Vanderlyde (Netherlands) by majority decision, 4–1 Cuba–USA Duals (91 kg), Santa Clara, Cuba, December 1987: Defeated Jerry Goff (United States) RSC 1 (1:37) XXVII Playa Girón National Championships (91 kg), Sancti Spiritus, Cuba, January 1988: Finals: Defeated Roberto Balado (Cuba) by unanimous decision, 5–0 Ústí Grand Prix (91 kg), Ústí nad Labem, Czechoslovakia, March 1988: 1/2: Defeated Henrik Satyka (Poland) RET 1 Finals: Defeated Rudolf Gavenčiak (Czechoslovakia) RET 3 Gee-Bee Tournament (91 kg), Helsinki, Finland, April 1988: Finals: Defeated Yevgeni Sudakov (Soviet Union) by unanimous decision, 5–0 USA–Cuba Duals (91 kg), Caesars Atlantic City, Atlantic City, New Jersey, April 1988: Defeated Ray Mercer (United States) by split decision, 2–1 XXI Giraldo Córdova Cardín Tournament (91 kg), Las Tunas, Cuba, June 1988: Finals: Defeated Juan Delis Causse (Cuba) by unanimous decision, 5–0 Leningrad International Tournament (91 kg), Leningrad, Soviet Union, June 1988: Finals: Defeated Ramzan Sebiyev (Soviet Union) by unanimous decision, 5–0 TSC Tournament (91 kg), Berlin, East Germany, July 1988: Finals: Defeated Maik Heydeck (West Germany) by unanimous decision, 5–0 XIX Central America and the Caribbean Championships (91 kg), Guatemala City, Guatemala, October 1988: Finals: Defeated Luis Godoy (Guatemala) RET 1 XXVIII Playa Girón National Championships (91 kg), Guantánamo, Cuba, January 1989: Finals: Defeated Roberto Balado (Cuba) by unanimous decision, 5–0 AIBA International Challenge (91 kg), Casablanca, Morocco, February 1989: Defeated Baik Hyun-man (South Korea) by unanimous decision, 5–0 XXII Giraldo Córdova Cardín Tournament (91 kg), Pinar del Río, Cuba, June 1989: Finals: Defeated Yuri Vaulin (Soviet Union) by walkover VII Military Spartakiad of the Friendly Armies of the Socialist Countries (91 kg), Sliven, Bulgaria, June 1989: Finals: Lost to Li Dal-Chen (North Korea) KO 1

V World Championships (91 kg), Moscow, Soviet Union, September 1989: 1/8: Defeated Arnold Vanderlyde (Netherlands) RSCH 1 1/4: Defeated Hamayak Shabazian (Sweden) 32–1 1/2: Defeated Axel Schulz (East Germany) by walkover Finals: Defeated Yevgeni Sudakov (Soviet Union) 18–8 Cuba–USA Duals (91 kg), Havana, Cuba, 1989: Defeated (no data available) (United States) Battle of Carabobo International Tournament (91 kg), Venezuela, 1989: (no data available) XXIX Playa Girón National Championships (91 kg), Cienfuegos, Cuba, January 1990: Finals: Defeated Alberto Almeida (Cuba) RSC 1 AIBA International Challenge (91 kg), West Berlin, West Germany, March 1990: Defeated Bert Teuchert (West Germany) 52–12 (5 rds) XXIII Giraldo Córdova Cardín Tournament (91 kg), Manzanillo, Cuba, June 1990: Finals: Defeated Freddy Rojas (Cuba) RET 1 U.S. Olympic Cup, North America–Europe Duals (91 kg), Salt Lake City, Utah, June 1990: Defeated Rafael Akopov (Soviet Union) RET 1 (Akopov's corner threw in the towel at 2:56) II Goodwill Games (91 kg), Seattle Center Coliseum, Seattle, Washington, July 1990: 1/4: Defeated Javier Álvarez (United States) by unanimous decision, 5–0 1/2: Defeated Viktor Akshonov (Soviet Union) by unanimous decision, 5–0 (Savón reportedly elbowed Akshonov the groin while rising from a crouch in the 2nd rd) Finals: Defeated Yevgeniy Sudakov (Soviet Union) by unanimous decision, 5–0 VI World Cup (91 kg), Dublin, Ireland, August 1990: 1/4: Defeated Sean O'Regan (Ireland) RSC 1 1/2: Defeated René Monse (East Germany) RET 1 Finals: Defeated Bert Teuchert (West Germany) 29–3 (5 rds) Cuba–USA Duals (91 kg), Havana, Cuba, 1990: Defeated (no data available) (United States) XVI Central American and Caribbean Games (91 kg), Mexico City, Mexico, December 1990: 1/2: Defeated Víctor Alarcón (Colombia) Finals: Defeated José Marrero (Puerto Rico) XXX Playa Girón National Championships (91 kg), Camagüey, Cuba, January 1991: Finals: Defeated Freddy Rojas (Cuba) on points King's Cup (91 kg), Bangkok, Thailand, February 1991: Finals: Defeated Bert Teuchert (Germany) by unanimous decision, 5–0 XXIV Giraldo Córdova Cardín Tournament (91 kg), Sancti Spiritus, Cuba, June 1991: Finals: Defeated Joel Donatien (Cuba) RSCH 2 USA–Cuba Duals (91 kg), Fort Bragg, North Carolina, August 1991: Defeated John Bray (United States) RSC 1 XI Pan American Games (91 kg), Havana, Cuba, August 1991: 1/2: Defeated Tom Glesby (Canada) RET 1 (2:15) Finals: Defeated Shannon Briggs (United States) RSC 1 (Briggs knocked down at 2:08; referee stopped the contest at 2:45) VI World Championships (91 kg), Sydney, Australia, November 1991: 1/4: Defeated Kirk Johnson (Canada) RET 2 1/2: Defeated David Tua (New Zealand) KO 1 (0:22) Finals: Defeated Arnold Vanderlyde (Netherlands) 39–15 XXXI Playa Girón National Championships (91 kg), Pinar del Río, Cuba, January 1992: Finals: Defeated Freddy Rojas (Cuba) on points BOXAM Cup (91 kg), Barcelona, Spain, February 1992: 1/2: Defeated Aleksey Chudinov (Russia) RET 2 Finals: Defeated Kirk Johnson (Canada) 14–5 AIBA International Challenge (91 kg), Tampa, Florida, April 1992: Defeated Chae Sung-bae (South Korea) RSC 1 XXV Giraldo Córdova Cardín Tournament (91 kg), Santiago de Cuba, Cuba, May 1992: Finals: Defeated Freddy Rojas (Cuba) on points XXV Summer Olympics (91 kg), Barcelona, Spain, July 1992: 1/32: Defeated Krzysztof Rojek (Poland) RSC 2 1/16: Defeated Bert Teuchert (Germany) 11–2 1/4: Defeated Danell Nicholson (United States) 13–11 1/2: Defeated Arnold Vanderlyde (Netherlands) 23–3 Finals: Defeated David Izonritei (Nigeria) 14–1 XXXII Playa Girón National Championships (91 kg), Matanzas, Cuba, January 1993: 1/16: Defeated Dagoberto Ordoñez (Cuba) RET 2 1/8: Defeated Esteban Fuentes (Cuba) RET 1 1/4: Defeated Alexis Echeverría (Cuba) RET 1 1/2: Defeated Pedro Montalvo (Cuba) 20–6 (4 rds) Finals: Defeated Freddy Rojas (Cuba) RSC 1 AIBA International Challenge (91 kg), Istanbul, Turkey, February 1993: Defeated Sergei Sakharov (Russia) RSC 4 Europe–North America Duals (91 kg), Berlin, Germany, March 1993: Defeated Vojtěch Rückschloss (Czech) RSC 3 XXVI Giraldo Córdova Cardín Tournament (91 kg), Sancti Spiritus, Cuba, May 1993: Finals: Defeated Diosdado Ortega (Cuba) VII World Championships (91 kg), Tampere, Finland, June 1993: 1/8: Defeated Derrell Dixon (United States) KO 3 1/4: Defeated Alexei Lezin (Russia) 13–7 1/2: Defeated Stéphane Allouane (France) RSC 2 Finals: Defeated Georgi Kandelaki (Georgia) by walkover USA–Cuba Duals (91 kg), Biloxi, Mississippi, September 1993: Defeated Derrell Dixon (United States) by unanimous decision, 5–0 XVII Central American and Caribbean Games (91 kg), Ponce, Puerto Rico, November 1993: 1/2: Defeated Julian Skeete (Guyana) RSC 2 Finals: Defeated Edgardo Santos (Puerto Rico) RSC 2 XXXIII Playa Girón National Championships (91 kg), Ciego de Ávila, Cuba, January 1994: Finals: Defeated Freddy Rojas (Cuba) on points AIBA International Challenge (91 kg), Dublin, Ireland, March 1994: Defeated Georgios Stefanopoulos (Greece) RSCI 2 XXVII Giraldo Córdova Cardín Tournament (91 kg), Cienfuegos, Cuba, May 1994: 1/2: Defeated Santiago Palavecino (Argentina) RSC 1 Finals: Lost to Freddy Rojas (Cuba) 8–9 VIII World Cup (91 kg), Bangkok, Thailand, June 1994: 1/2: Defeated Georgi Kandelaki (Georgia) 19–4 (5 rds) Finals: Defeated René Monse (Germany) RSC 4 III Goodwill Games (91 kg), Saint Petersburg, Russia, July–August 1994: 1/4: Defeated Christophe Mendy (France) 8–6 1/2: Defeated Peter Müller (Germany) RSC 2 Finals: Defeated Sergei Mochalov (Russia) KO 1 USA–Cuba Duals (91 kg), Ledyard, Connecticut, October 1994: Defeated Robert Greer (United States) RSC 1 (1:40) XXXIV Playa Girón National Championships (91 kg), Manzanillo, Cuba, January 1995: Finals: Defeated Freddy Rojas (Cuba) XXVIII Giraldo Córdova Cardín Tournament (91 kg), Matanzas, Cuba, February 1995: Finals: Defeated Luis Álvarez (Cuba) RSC XII Pan American Games (91 kg), Mar del Plata, Argentina, March 1995: 1/4: Defeated Angus Lewis (US Virgin Islands) KO 1 1/2: Defeated Santiago Palavecino (Argentina) RSCH 1 Finals: Defeated Lamon Brewster (United States) RET 2 (2:15) World Championships (91 kg), Berlin, Germany, May 1995: 1/8: Defeated Joon Hyon Yoon (South Korea) RSC 1 1/4: Defeated Georgi Kandelaki (Georgia) by walkover 1/2: Defeated Christophe Mendy (France) 9–6 Finals: Defeated Luan Krasniqi (Germany) RSC 2 (9–0) (Krasniqi knocked down at 0:08 of the 1st rd; Krasniqi was given a standing eight count at 2:25 of the 1st rd, and at the 1:08 of the 2nd rd; Krasniqi disqualified for holding at 2:45 after being repeatedly warned by the referee) National match-up (91 kg), Havana, Cuba, July 1995: Defeated Luis Álvarez (Cuba) RSC XXI Central America and the Caribbean Championships (91 kg), Mexico City, Mexico, September 1995: 1/2: Defeated O. Vasquez (Venezuela) RET 1 Finals: Defeated Julio Pacheco (Mexico) RET 1

AIBA International Challenge (91 kg), Macon, Georgia, October 1995: Defeated Sinan Şamil Sam (Turkey) 11–2 (5 rds) USA–Cuba Duals (91 kg), Ledyard, Connecticut, November 1995: Defeated Nate Jones (United States) 6–2 XXXV Playa Girón National Championships (91 kg), Santiago de Cuba, Cuba, January 1996: Finals: Defeated Freddy Rojas (Cuba) on points XLVII Strandzha Cup (91 kg), Sofia, Bulgaria, February 1996: 1/4: Defeated Nedjadi Belahouel (Algeria) RET 3 1/2: Defeated Gioacchino Mocerino (Italy) RET 2 Finals: Defeated Christophe Mendy (France) by walkover Ústí Grand Prix (91 kg), Ústí nad Labem, Czech Republic, February 1996: 1/4: Defeated Peter Müller (Germany) RET 1 1/2: Defeated Wojciech Bartnik (Poland) 14–0 Finals: Defeated Sergey Dychkov (Belarus) RET 2 XXVII Chemistry Cup (91 kg), Halle, Germany, February–March 1996: 1/2: Defeated Oleg Belikov (Ukraine) RSC 1 Finals: Defeated Luan Krasniqi (Germany) RET 3 XXIX Giraldo Córdova Cardín Tournament (91 kg), Camagüey, Cuba, April–May 1996: 1/4: Defeated Juan Delis Causse (Cuba) RSC 3 1/2: Defeated Roberto Camilo (Cuba) RSC 2 Finals: Defeated Michel López Núñez (Cuba) RSC 2 XXII Central America and the Caribbean Championships (91 kg), Guadalajara, Mexico, May 1996: Finals: Defeated Benjamín García (Mexico) RSC 1 XXVI Summer Olympics (91 kg), Atlanta, Georgia, July–August 1996: 1/32: Defeated Andrey Kurnyavka (Kyrgyzstan) 9–3 (Kurnyavka was given a standing eight count at 0:48 of the 2nd rd) 1/16: Defeated Kwamena Turkson (Sweden) RSC 1 (2:29) 1/4: Defeated Georgi Kandelaki (Georgia) 20–4 (Kandelaki was given a standing eight count at 0:54 of the 3rd rd) 1/2: Defeated Luan Krasniqi (Germany) by walkover Finals: Defeated David Defiagbon (Canada) 20–2 Copenhagen Cup (91 kg), Copenhagen, Denmark, November 1996: 1/4: Defeated Sergei Volodin (Russia) KO 1 1/2: Defeated Mark Simmons (Canada) by walkover Finals: Defeated Rune Lillebuen (Norway) RET 2 XXXVI Playa Girón National Championships (91 kg), Holguín, Cuba, February 1997: 1/4: Lost to Juan Delis Causse (Cuba) KO 2 (1:35) XXX Giraldo Córdova Cardín Tournament (91 kg), Pinar del Río, Cuba, June 1997: 1/4: Defeated Benjamín García (Mexico) RSC 2 1/2: Defeated Mark Simmons (Canada) 12–8 (5 rds) Finals: Defeated Freddy Rojas (Cuba) 14–4 (5 rds) National match-up (91 kg), Havana, Cuba, August 1997: Defeated Juan Delis Causse (Cuba) on points (5 rds) Pan American Tournament (91 kg), Medellín, Colombia, September 1997: 1/2: Defeated Leo Simonis (Argentina) RSC 2 Finals: Defeated John Arroyo Escobar (Colombia) RSCH 1 World Championships (91 kg), Budapest, Hungary, October 1997: 1/16: Defeated Kwamena Turkson (Norway) 4–2 (5 rds) 1/8: Defeated Igor Kshinin (Russia) 25–4 (5 rds) 1/4: Defeated Mark Simmons (Canada) 15–4 (5 rds) 1/2: Defeated Tue Bjørn Thomsen (Denmark) RSC 3 Finals: Lost to Ruslan Chagaev (Uzbekistan) 4–14 (5 rds) On 8 February 1998, the AIBA stripped the championship of Chagaev for having 2 professional bouts in the United States before the tournament. XXXVI Playa Girón National Championships (91 kg), Villa Clara, Cuba, January–February 1998: 1/4: Defeated Michel López Núñez (Cuba) RET 3 1/2: Defeated Yusmel García (Cuba) RSC 2 Finals: Defeated Juan Delis Causse (Cuba) 19–6 (5 rds) Ahmet Cömert Memorial (91 kg), Istanbul, Turkey, February 1998: 1/4: Defeated Zoltán Kiss (Hungary) RET 1/2: Defeated Roman Sukhoterin (Kazakhstan) RSC 1 Finals: Defeated Giacobbe Fragomeni (Italy) by walkover Beijing Open Tournament (91 kg), Beijing, China, March 1998 Finals: Defeated Ma Jing Wei (China) XXXI Giraldo Córdova Cardín Tournament (91 kg), Havana, Cuba, June 1998: 1/4: Defeated José Gonzalez (Venezuela) RSC 1 (0:55) 1/2: Defeated Leo Simonis (Argentina) RSC 1 (0:57) Finals: Defeated Juan Delis Causse (Cuba) 19–2 (5 rds) IX World Cup (91 kg), Chongqing, China, June 1998: 1/4: Defeated Georges Akono (Cameroon) RSC 1 1/2: Defeated Ma Jing Wei (China) RSC 1 Finals: Defeated Giacobbe Fragomeni (Italy) by walkover IV Goodwill Games (91 kg), New York City, July 1998: 1/4: Defeated Dmitry Gerasimov (Russia) RSCO (11–2) 1/2: Defeated Malcolm Tann (United States) RET 3 (1:20) Finals: Defeated DaVarryl Williamson (United States) KO 1 (0:55) XVIII Central American and Caribbean Games (91 kg), Maracaibo, Venezuela, August 1998: 1/2: Defeated Alejandro Virgen (Mexico) 26–8 (4 rds) Finals: Defeated Jhony Molina (Venezuela) RSC 2 (1:00) XXXVII Playa Girón National Championships (91 kg), Sancti Spiritus, Cuba, January 1999: 1/8: Defeated Luis Ortíz (Cuba) RET 4 1/4: Defeated Alexis Castillo (Cuba) RSC 4 1/2: Defeated Freddy Rojas (Cuba) 17–2 (4 rds) Finals: Lost to Odlanier Solís (Cuba) 2–4 (4 rds) Strandzha Cup (91 kg), Plovdiv, Bulgaria, February 1999: Finals: Lost to Ruslan Chagaev (Uzbekistan) 2–7 (4 rds) Ústí Grand Prix (91 kg), Ústí nad Labem, Czech Republic, March 1999: 1/4: Defeated Zoltán Kiss (Hungary) RSC 2 1/2: Lost to Radim Marovski (Czech) 2–4 (4 rds) National Tournament of Champions (91 kg), Havana, Cuba, April 1999: 1/4: Lost to Noel Pérez Bió (Cuba) KO 2 XXXII Giraldo Córdova Cardín Tournament (91 kg), Villa Clara, Cuba, June 1999: 1/2: Defeated Noel Pérez Bió (Cuba) 15–3 (4 rds) Finals: Defeated Mohamed Azzaoui (Algeria) RSC 2 X World Championships (91 kg), Houston, Texas, August 1999: 1/16: Defeated Deividas Nekrašas (Lithuania) RSCH 3 (1:46) 1/8: Defeated Andrei Kombarov (Russia) 7–5 (4 rds) 1/4: Defeated Ruslan Chagaev (Kazakhstan) 9–1 (4 rds) 1/2: Defeated Kevin Evans (Wales) RET 4 (0:51) Finals: Lost to Michael Bennett (United States) due to boycotting the final XXXVIII Playa Girón National Championships (91 kg), Guantánamo, Cuba, January 2000: 1/8: Defeated Alexis Castillo (Cuba) RSC 1 1/4: Defeated Freddy Rojas (Cuba) RSC 4 1/2: Defeated Alberto Almeida (Cuba) RSC 1 Finals: Lost to Odlanier Solís (Cuba) 3–6 (4 rds) Ústí Grand Prix (91 kg), Ústí nad Labem, Czech Republic, March 2000: 1/2: Defeated Sultan Ibragimov (Russia) 10–4 (4 rds) Finals: Defeated Alexander Povernov (Germany) by walkover Ukraine–Cuba Duals (91 kg), Kyiv, Ukraine, March 2000: Defeated Alexandr Yatsenko (Ukraine) (4 rds) Defeated Vitali Nayasov (Ukraine) by unanimous decision, 3–0 (4 rds) National Olympic Trials (91 kg), Havana, Cuba, June 2000: 1/4: Defeated Yusmel García (Cuba) RSCO 3 1/2: Defeated Alexis Castillo (Cuba) RSC 3 Finals: Defeated Noel Pérez Bió (Cuba) 6–4 (4 rds) XXXIII Giraldo Córdova Cardín Tournament (91 kg), Las Tunas, Cuba, July 2000: 1/4: Defeated Yusmel García (Cuba) by walkover 1/2: Defeated Mahomed Adamov (Kazakhstan) RSC 3 (1:10) Finals: Defeated Odlanier Solís (Cuba) 4–3 (4 rds) XXVII Summer Olympics (91 kg), Sydney, Australia, September 2000: 1/16: Defeated Ojemaye Rasmus (Nigeria) RSCO 2 (18–3) 1/4: Defeated Michael Bennett (United States) RSCO 3 (23–8) 1/2: Defeated Sebastian Köber (Germany) 19–8 (4 rds) Finals: Defeated Sultan Ibragimov (Russia) 21–13 (4 rds) (Savón suffered a deep cut under his left eye at 1:41 of the 4th rd)

Retirement

Savón announced his retirement from the ring, but helped train Cuba's fighters for the 2004 Athens Olympics.^[18] After winning his third Olympic gold at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Savón announced his retirement at age 33.^[19]

Later life

In February of the following year with Fidel Castro also present, Savón had the song "You Love Us" dedicated to him by the Manic Street Preachers, who became the first western rock band to play in Cuba.

In 2018, Savón was arrested amid accusations that he had raped an underage boy.^[20]

References

1. "Olympic Bio: Felix Savón". Sports Illustrated. 7 April 2000. Archived from the original on 16 July 2012. Retrieved 24 January 2013.
2. "Savon makes boxing history". BBC News. 30 September 2000. Retrieved 21 December 2012.
3. Golden hat-trick for battered Savon, Kingston Gleaner, 1 October 2000, p. 29.
4. Cuban Heavyweight (Associated Press,) St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 3 August 1990, p. 22.
5. Butler, Brin-Jonathan (2014). A Cuban Boxer's Journey: Guillermo Rigondeaux, from Castro's Traitor to American Champion. Picador.^{[page needed]}
6. Goodwill (United Press International,) Detroit Free Press, 29 July 1990, p. 40.
7. "Felix Savon - Olympics Athletes - 2008 Summer Olympics - Beijing, China". ESPN. 2008. Archived from the original on 4 November 2012. Retrieved 21 December 2012.
8. "Felix Savon Amateur Boxing Record". Boxing-Scoop.com. Retrieved 24 January 2013.
9. Moran, Malcolm (21 August 1987). "Savon of Cuba Dominates Bent". The New York Times. Retrieved 21 December 2012.
10. Janofsky, Michael (3 August 1990). "A Punching Patriot From Cuba". The New York Times. Retrieved 21 December 2012.
11. "Sorry". Indianexpress.com. Retrieved 21 December 2012.^{[permanent dead link]}
12. Padgett, Tim (11 September 2000). "Felix Savon". Time. Archived from the original on 2 July 2009. Retrieved 21 December 2012.
13. Just happy to be free: Once jailed, American boxer Bennett can't complain after quarterfinal loss By Tim Dahlberg (The Associated Press,) Doylestown Intelligencer, September 27, 2000, p. 22.
14. "YouTube". YouTube. Archived from the original on 23 April 2016. Retrieved 29 November 2016.
15. "Plus: Boxing - World Amateur Championships; Cubans Withdraw In Angry Protest". The New York Times. Associated Press. 27 August 1999. Retrieved 21 December 2012.
16. Pennington, Bill (26 September 2000). "Sydney 2000: Boxing: Savon Is Easy Winner Over Benett". The New York Times. Retrieved 21 December 2012.
17. Victorious Cuban Heats Up Cold War by Les Bowen, Philadelphia Daily News, 2 August 1990, p. 63.
18. "Plus: Boxing; Cuban Champion To Become a Coach". The New York Times. Reuters. 7 January 2001. Retrieved 21 December 2012.
19. "Felix Savon". CNN.com. 7 July 2008. Retrieved 21 December 2012.
20. Castillo, Elisinio (8 November 2018). "Felix Savon in Jail, Allegations of Sexual Assault of a Minor". Boxing Scene. Retrieved 15 November 2019.

External links

• Cuba portal

• Félix Savón at BoxRec (registration required)
• Félix Savón at Olympics.com
• Félix Savón at Olympedia
• Amateur career of Félix Savón (in Spanish) compiled by Pedro Cabrera Isidrón of the Cuban Olympics Committee. Last updated: September 17, 2008
• Félix Savón at Olympics at Sports-Reference.com (archived)
• Félix Savón at IMDb
• Boxing record for Félix Savón from BoxRec (registration required)