Francisco Cabañas

When Francisco Cabañas lost the final of the Olympic flyweight boxing competition, he was considered to be Mexico’s first Olympic medallist – media being unaware of the country’s involvement in polo at the 1900 Olympics. Cabañas had stumbled into boxing at age 14, walking into a gym and becoming interested in the bout going on in there. He was unable to attend the 1928 Olympics, and had to pay own his way to Los Angeles in 1932. After his silver medal, Cabañas was appointed team leader of the Mexican boxing team, and he served in that function at the 1936 and 1948 Olympics.