Boris Nikolayevich Lagutin (Russian: Борис Николаевич Лагутин; 24 June 1938 – 4 September 2022) was a Soviet light middleweight boxer. He is regarded as one of the most accomplished amateur boxers of his era, having won medals at three consecutive Olympic Games.
Early Life and Career
Lagutin was born in Moscow, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union. He began boxing in 1955 and competed until 1968. Until 1967, he trained at VSS Trud, and subsequently at VSS Spartak. Over the course of his career, he won 241 fights and lost only 11, with a total record of 287 victories in 298 bouts according to some sources.
Olympic Achievements
- 1960 Rome Olympics – Bronze medal (light middleweight). He reached the semifinals, where he lost to American Wilbert McClure by a 2–3 decision.
- 1964 Tokyo Olympics – Gold medal (light middleweight). He defeated Joseph Gonzales of France in the final by a 4–1 decision.
- 1968 Mexico City Olympics – Gold medal (light middleweight). He defeated Rolando Garbey of Cuba in the final by a 5–0 decision.
Other Championships
- European Amateur Championships: Gold medal in 1961 (Belgrade) and 1963 (Moscow), both in light middleweight.
- USSR Championships: Won national titles in 1959, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, and 1968.
Later Career and Setbacks
Following the 1964 Olympics, Lagutin experienced a period of poor results and was temporarily removed from the USSR national team roster. Together with his trainer Vladimir Trenin, he analyzed the causes of his losses, made adjustments, and returned to win both the USSR Championship and the Olympic gold medal in 1968.
Honours and Awards
- Order "For Merit to the Fatherland", 3rd and 4th classes
- Order of the Red Banner of Labour
- Order of Friendship of Peoples
- Order of the Badge of Honour
- Medal "In Commemoration of the 850th Anniversary of Moscow"
- Medal "For Distinguished Labour"
- Honoured Master of Sports of the USSR
Death
Boris Lagutin died on 4 September 2022 in Moscow at the age of 84.
