Overview

• Nino Benvenuti, celebrated as one of Italy's greatest boxers, passed away in Rome at the age of 87 after a prolonged illness.
• He achieved Olympic glory in 1960, winning gold in welterweight boxing at the Rome Games and earning the prestigious Val Barker Trophy for technical excellence.
• Benvenuti held professional world titles in two weight classes—super-welterweight (1965–1966) and middleweight (1967–1970)—a unique accomplishment for an Italian boxer.
• His career was defined by iconic rivalries, including a trilogy of matches against Emile Griffith, with their first bout named Fight of the Year in 1967.
• Inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1992, Benvenuti remained a beloved figure in Italian sports and culture, inspiring generations with his elegance and skill both in and out of the ring.