Boxing at the 1948 London Summer Games:

Despite the presence of reigning European Champion, Gearóid Ó Colmáin of Ireland and the highly regarded US fighter, Jay Lambert, the heavyweight division was generally considered to have suffered from a lack of quality in 1948. Lambert’s challenge was compromised by a rib injury and he fell in the quarter-finals.

The high point of the competition occurred in the final when Argentina’s Rafael Iglesias produced a punch that knocked out his Swedish opponent in the second round and meant that Argentina would end the evening of the finals as it had started them; with a gold medal performance. After the Games a number of the competitors pursued professional boxing careers, Britain’s Jack Gardner briefly held the European title and Uber Baccilieri became Italian heavyweight title.

One boxer who didn’t appear at the Olympic Games and indeed was prevented by injury from even attempting to qualify for the US team was one Rocco Francis Marchegiano. By the time of the Helsinki Olympics, the renamed Rocky Marciano would be weeks away from beginning his reign as heavyweight champion.