Boxing at the 1924 Summer Olympics – Middleweight

The men's middleweight event was part of the boxing programme at the 1924 Summer Olympics. The weight class was the third-heaviest contested, and allowed boxers of up to 160 pounds (72.6 kilograms). The competition was held from Tuesday July 15, 1924 to Sunday July 20, 1924. Twenty-three boxers from 15 nations competed.[1]

Middleweight boxing
at the Games of the VIII Olympiad
VenueVélodrome d'hiver
DatesJuly 15–20
Competitors23 from 15 nations
Medalists
1st place, gold medalist(s) Harry Mallin
 Great Britain
2nd place, silver medalist(s) John Elliott
 Great Britain
3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Joseph Beecken
 Belgium
← 1920
1928 →

This competition saw one of the most controversial bouts in Olympic history, when Frenchman Roger Brousse and defending Olympic champion Harry Mallin from Great Britain faced each other in the quarterfinals. Near the end of the fight Mallin complained to the Belgian referee that Brousse had bitten him. Mallin showed the referee bite marks on his chest and shoulder. His protest was overruled by the judges and the bout was awarded to the French boxer on points (2:1). An appeal launched by Swedish official and IOC member Oscar Söderlund brought forward medical evidence that Mallin had been bitten. Manuel Gallardo also came forward with a complaint about being bitten by Brousse in their bout. Brousse was disqualified and Mallin became the winner, even though the jury declared that the foul had not been intentional.[2] French fans had to be restrained by the police from charging the ring.[3]

Two days later the French crowd were still incensed when Mallin boxed in the final against John Elliott. Brousse came in his boxing attire and his fans lifted him up into the ring. Only after intervention by the police were the two British opponents able to contest the final.

Results

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Round of 32
July 15
Round of 16
July 17
Quarterfinals
July 18
Semifinals
July 19
Final
July 20
  Roger Brousse (FRA) PTS
  Manuel Gallardo (ARG) L
  Roger Brousse (FRA) DIS
  Harry Mallin (GBR) W
  Erich Siebert (SUI) L
  Harry Mallin (GBR) PTS   Harry Mallin (GBR) RSC2
  Trygve Stokstad (NOR) L   Harry Mallin (GBR) PTS
  Ben Funk (USA) PTS   Joseph Beecken (BEL) L
  Raymond Jones (AUS) L   Ben Funk (USA) L
  Joseph Beecken (BEL) PTS
  Joseph Beecken (BEL) PTS
  Daniel Daney (FRA) L
  Germain Van Haelen (BEL) L
  Daniel Daney (FRA) KO3   Daniel Daney (FRA) PTS
  Emilio Bonfigli (ITA) L   Harry Mallin (GBR) PTS
  Leslie Black (CAN) PTS   John Elliott (GBR) L
  Pierre Feidt (LUX) L   Leslie Black (CAN) KO2
  Adolphe Lefkowitch (USA) L
  Leslie Black (CAN) PTS
  William Murphy (IRL) L
  William Murphy (IRL) KO1
  Eugeniusz Nowak (POL) L
  Leslie Black (CAN) L
  John Elliott (GBR) PTS
  John Elliott (GBR) KO1 Bronze medal bout
  Georges Givel (SUI) PTS   Georges Givel (SUI) L
  Jules Steichen (LUX) L   John Elliott (GBR) PTS   Joseph Beecken (BEL) W
  Harry Henning (CAN) PTS   Harry Henning (CAN) L   Leslie Black (CAN) w/o
  Orlando Leopardi (ITA) L   Harry Henning (CAN) RSC2
  Øivind Jensen (NOR) PTS   Øivind Jensen (NOR) L
  Louis Meeuwessen (NED) L

References

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  1. ^ "Boxing at the 1924 Paris Summer Games: Men's Middleweight". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 6 November 2018.
  2. ^ Wallechinsky, David (1984). The Complete Book of the Olympics. England: Penguin Books. p. 179. ISBN 0140066322.
  3. ^ "Great Olympians – biographies – MA". Archived from the original on 2018-04-24. Retrieved 2008-03-15.
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