Robert Wangila

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Robert Napunyi Wangila (born September 3, 1967 in Nairobi , † July 24, 1994 in Las Vegas ) was a Kenyan Olympic champion in boxing .

Career

amateur

As an amateur, Wangila won the Featherweight African Games against Shahelu Mekuria in Nairobi in 1987 . In the same year he was third in the World Cup in Belgrade , losing in the semifinals to Siegfried Mehnert , GDR (5-0). A year later, after winning over Djordje Petronijevic, Yugoslavia (RSC 2nd), Khaidan Gantulga, Mongolia (AB 2nd), Hristo Furnigov, Bulgaria (5-0), and Jan Dydak , Poland ( where ), he reached the final of 1988 Olympic Games in which he was on the French Laurent Boudouanimet, which he knocked out in the second round. This made him the first African Olympic champion in boxing and won the only Olympic gold medal for Kenya that was not won in the field of athletics .

professional

After winning the Olympic Games in 1988, Wangila moved to Las Vegas , USA, and in 1989 he turned professional there. During his five-year career, he won 22 fights (16 by KO) and lost 5 (all by KO). His last fight was against David Gonzalez in 1994, which was canceled in the eighth round with a knockout in favor of Gonzales. Shortly after the fight, Wangila fell into a coma , was pronounced brain dead , and died soon after. He was buried in Kenya.

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personal data
SURNAME Wangila, Robert
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Wangila, Robert Napunyi (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Kenyan boxer
DATE OF BIRTH 3rd September 1967
PLACE OF BIRTH Nairobi
DATE OF DEATH July 24, 1994
Place of death Las Vegas