Horace Gwynne

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Horace "Lefty" Gwynne (October 5 1913 – April 16 2001) was a bantamweight professional boxer from Canada, who competed in the 1930s and won the gold medal at the 1932 Summer Olympics. He was still an amateur when he won the gold medal.

Born in Toronto, Gwynne left school after grade 8, weighing only 65 lb (29.5 kg). When he started to grow, he began working out in Stokley's Gym in Toronto to lose weight in order to become a jockey.

Amateur career

At age nineteen he won the Canadian amateur flyweight championship in London, Ontario. He entered the 1932 Olympic trials as a bantamweight, a class permitting up to 118 lb (53.5 kg); he weighed 116.

He won the Canadian amateur bantamweight title, which sent him to the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, despite his having fought only fifteen bouts. He won the Olympic gold medal match against the German Hans Ziglarski, knocking him down in the second round and winning on points.

Olympics Results

*Defeated Vito Melis (Italy) PTS
*Defeated José Villaneuva (Philippines) PTS
*Defeated Hans Ziglarski (Germany) PTS

Pro career

Immediately after the Olympics he turned professional. He won the Canadian professional bantamweight title in 1935 and held it until 1939, retiring undefeated.

Honors

Gwynne has been inducted into the Canadian Boxing Hall of Fame and the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame. He died in Toronto.

References

* [http://72.232.38.190/EN/athletes/query/details2.php?id=35997 Canadian Olympic Committee]
* [http://www.tomhawthorn.com/?a=2 Obituary]

External links