Boxing legend Teofilo Stevenson passes on

Cuban boxer Teofilo Stevenson, the three-time Olympic heavyweight champion, has died at the age of 60.{{more}}

Stevenson, who was born in Cuba on March 29, 1952, was the son of Theophelus Harold Stevenson, originally from Biabou, St Vincent, who migrated to Cuba in 1929 to work in the sugar industry.

Cuban media reported that he died of heart disease on June 11.

Considered by some to be the most accomplished amateur boxer in history, Stevenson first won gold in 1972 in Munich and followed that up in 1976 at Montreal.

“The Olympic Games in Munich and Montreal are the fondest memories I have from my life, the best stage of my career,” he told The Associated Press earlier this year.

In 1980, he won his third Olympic title in Moscow, becoming the second boxer to win gold at three separate games, after Hungarian Lazlo Papp.

Known affectionately on the island by the nickname “Pirolo,” Stevenson was famous for his punishing right, polished technique, deft hand and footwork, and his sportsmanship.

Stevenson fought in his first match at the age of 14, and two years later won his first international title in the Central American and Caribbean championship.

As his accomplishments grew, boxing fans began salivating over the prospect of a “fight of the century,” pitting him against Muhammad Ali. But Cuba insisted that he not lose his amateur status, and the bout never took place.

After Stevenson won his first world title in 1974, Sports Illustrated ran the headline: “He’d Rather Be Red Than Rich.”

Stevenson won world amateur titles again in 1978 and 1986, and was forced to pass up a shot at a fourth Olympic gold when Cuba did not attend the 1984 Games in Los Angeles. He retired in 1988 after Cuba decided to skip the Seoul Olympics as well.

Stevenson passed up millions by not leaving Communist-run Cuba to turn pro, but expressed no remorse.

“I prefer the affection of 8 million Cubans,” he once said.

In January, Stevenson spent 15 days in intensive care, after doctors detected a clot in an artery near his heart. He was released in early February and was surprised at the outpouring of media reports that his condition was grave.

“People called me from all over Cuba, from other parts of the world, even from Miami,” Stevenson said.

In his later years, Stevenson served as vice president of Cuba’s boxing federation and at the island’s national sports institute. He had two children.

Stevenson last visited St Vincent in April 2009. During that visit, he said his father had five children in Cuba and was an English teacher who taught the language to diplomats. He said his father also taught him a lot about Biabou.

While here, Stevenson met some of his relatives and visited many schools throughout the country.

Stevenson also said that when he visited St Vincent 20 years ago, someone in Biabou told him that his father also played cricket and was so strong, that once he hit a ball that was more than a six, because the ball went over a mountain and ended up in the river. He said that he was going to take the Cuban cricket team to show them where his father hit that ball.