Nowadays, with the IPL in progress, almost daily, we read news about how much money different players have earned. Some of them have not even played a single match for India but have earned in crores. There are also reports about some players who prioritize the IPL over playing for the national team.
In the midst of all this, the mind goes back to the decision that was once made by one of the greatest boxers in history. His name was Teofilo Stevenson, and he ruled the Olympic boxing rings for a marathon career that stretched for two decades. In the cruel world of boxing, that is a humongous number. Boxing careers seldom last for more than six to eight years.
In the course of his career, Stevenson won gold medals in three different Olympic Games, three world championships, and a total of 17 gold medals in different tournaments. One man with 17 gold medals to his name – difficult to imagine such a stupendous feat. Wherever he went, he won the gold.
Fearsome reputation
At the Munich Olympic Games in 1972, he knocked out his opponent Ludwick Denderys of Poland in only 30 seconds. He had such a fearsome reputation that on more than 20 occasions his opponents preferred to give a walkover instead of fighting with him in the ring.
In all, he fought 332 bouts and lost only 22. That too at the fag end of his career. At his peak, he was unbeatable. He stood 6 feet 5 inches tall (two inches taller than Muhammad Ali) and had long arms, which enabled him to hammer in punches from a long distance. His opponents rarely had the chance to come close and hit back.
Offered 5 million USD
As his fame spread across the world, boxing promoters and fans were intrigued with the question, who was the greatest champion? Was it Muhammad Ali or Teofilo Stevenson? It did not take long for a sponsor to announce a purse of 5 million USD for Stevenson if he agreed to fight just one single bout with Muhammad Ali. Even if he lost, he would still get 5 million, he was told. That would surely have been the Match of the Century.
This offer came in 1976 when 5 million for a single boxing match was an enormous amount. It was a hugely tempting offer because Cuban athletes coming from their Communist background were not wealthy, unlike American athletes. Stevenson’s parents were poor immigrants, and he had never experienced luxuries in his life.
But if Stevenson participated in a professional boxing event where money was involved, he would become ineligible for the Olympic boxing competitions, which were restricted only to amateur sportsmen. He did not hesitate to make a decision. He turned down the offer and said: “The love of my people in Cuba is more important to me than millions of dollars from the USA. Whenever I box, it will be for my nation.”
US media shocked
The American media was shocked by his response. Who in their right mind would turn down such a lucrative offer? They did not understand the principles that prompted Stevenson to spurn the offer. But one man did – that was Ali himself. Ali, too, was a boxer who had strong beliefs and principles. Years later, he told the media that if he were in Stevenson’s place, he would have done the same.
Inspired generations
Stevenson died comparatively early – at the age of 60 – but he inspired many boxers from his nation, such as Felix Savon, Roberto Balado, and many others who followed in his footsteps. They gave their country numerous medals in boxing. For about three decades, Cuban boxers were ranked as the top boxers in the Olympic Games. All of them proudly carried the Cuban flag as amateur sportsmen. But it was Teofilo Stevenson who was the first to reject cash and put his country above everything else. He showed everyone that the country’s honour was greater than money.
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