Arnaldo Mesa Bonell (6 December 1967 – 17 December 2012) was an
amateur boxer
Amateur boxing is a variant of boxing practiced at the collegiate level, at the Olympic Games, Pan American Games and Commonwealth Games, as well as many associations.
Amateur boxing bouts are short in duration, comprising three rounds of three ...
from
Cuba
Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...
, who won the silver medal for his native country at the
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXVI Olympiad, also known as Atlanta 1996 and commonly referred to as the Centennial Olympic Games) were an international multi-sport event held from July 19 to August 4, 1996, in Atlanta, ...
in
Atlanta
Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...
,
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
. In the final of the Bantamweight (– 54 kg) division he was defeated by
Hungary
Hungary ( hu, Magyarország ) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning of the Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia a ...
's
István Kovács. A year earlier, at the
Pan American Games
The Pan American Games (also known colloquially as the Pan Am Games) is a continental multi-sport event in the Americas featuring summer sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The competition is held ...
in
Mar del Plata
Mar del Plata is a city on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, in Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. It is the seat of General Pueyrredón district. Mar del Plata is the second largest city in Buenos Aires Province. The name "Mar del Plata" is a s ...
, he captured the gold medal in his division. In 1986 he already won the bronze medal at the
1986 World Amateur Boxing Championships in
Reno
Reno ( ) is a city in the northwest section of the U.S. state of Nevada, along the Nevada-California border, about north from Lake Tahoe, known as "The Biggest Little City in the World". Known for its casino and tourism industry, Reno is the c ...
.
He died due to a heart attack two weeks after his 45th birthday on 17 December 2012.
Cuban Boxing Regrets Death of Arnaldo Mesa
/ref>
Olympic results
*Defeated John Larbi
John Hamed Larbi (born 5 March 1977 in Göteborg, Västra Götaland) is a boxer from Sweden,Zahir Raheem
Zahir Raheem (born November 7, 1976 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an American boxer. Known as "King Raheem", his current professional record stands at 33 wins, 3 losses with 20 knockouts.
After a stellar amateur career, which included a 213 ...
(United States) RSC 1 (2:15)
*Defeated Rachid Bouaita
Rachid Bouaita (born September 20, 1974 in Maubeuge, Nord) is a retired boxer from France, who competed for his native country at two consecutive Summer Olympics, starting in 1996. His best result was finishing in fifth place after being defeat ...
(France) 15-8
*Defeated Raimkul Malakhbekov
Raimkul Khudoynazarovich Malakhbekov (russian: Раимкуль Худойназарович Малахбеков; born 16 August 1974 in Dushanbe, Tajik SSR) is one of highest titled boxers of Russia, who won two Olympic medals in the Men's Bant ...
(Russia) 14-14 (referee's decision)
*Lost to István Kovács (Hungary) 7-14
References
databaseOlympics.com
*
1967 births
2012 deaths
Bantamweight boxers
Boxers at the 1991 Pan American Games
Boxers at the 1995 Pan American Games
Boxers at the 1996 Summer Olympics
Olympic boxers of Cuba
Olympic silver medalists for Cuba
Olympic medalists in boxing
Medalists at the 1996 Summer Olympics
Cuban male boxers
AIBA World Boxing Championships medalists
Pan American Games gold medalists for Cuba
Pan American Games medalists in boxing
Medalists at the 1991 Pan American Games
People from Holguín
20th-century Cuban people
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