This will not happen again. The most titled fighter in history has passed away
Batraz Tomaev September 2, 2024, 16:30 Moscow time Audio version: Your browser does not support the audio element.
Three-time Olympic champion Alexander Medved has died at the age of 87.
On September 2, 2024, the legendary Soviet freestyle wrestler Alexander Medved passed away. He is one of those people about whom one can absolutely write: there will never be another like him.
The golden path began with defeat.
Alexander Medved’s life began in the Ukrainian town of Bila Tserkva. And wrestling brought him into the army in 1956. Then one of the officers took the guy to the section. Unwittingly, he changed the fate of the soldier and many of his followers in wrestling.
Alexander Medved
Photo by: RIA Novosti
The bear is unique. He lost his first world championship to the German Wilfred Dietrich. It was in 1961 in Yokohama, Japan. The still young freestyle wrestler was then competing with a weight of over 87 kg and was content with third place. From that bronze medal, Alexander’s 11-year golden journey began. Incidentally, he would only lose once more: at the 1965 World Championships, to the Turk Ahmed Ayik. And he would go on to become world champion seven times.
He won his first gold at the 1964 Tokyo Games and the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City became a milestone for him. Here he returned the favour to Crane from Schifferstadt (Dietrich’s nickname).
During the Olympic match, Bear suffered a dislocated thumb. To avoid disqualification, he stuck his own finger in front of his long-time rival and continued the fight. Wilfred did not expect this and lost to his opponent.
How Alexander Medved won three Olympics:
Triple Golden Bear
He knocked down an American weighing 198 kg.
And already at the next Olympic Games in Munich, Alexander Medved, weighing 110 kg, fought with American Chris Taylor, whose weight was 198 kg.
Alexander Medved and Chris Taylor
Photo by: RIA Novosti
Fate brought them together in the first round. But the more agile Belarusian fighter emerged victorious from the fight, even though he injured his back.
By the way, in order to continue performing at the Munich tournament, Bear had to pay the Germans in caviar for a medicine that would allow him to recover. And so the third and last gold of his career came to pass.
After this victory, Alexander Medved became the fighter with the most titles in history.
Alexander Medved
Photo by: RIA Novosti
Why has no one been able to beat the Bear? Perhaps someone lacks the health and motivation to perform so well. Or maybe it is a question of politics, which is now cutting the strings of the athletes’ championship? One thing is clear: such a talent would hardly appear out of nowhere.
Here, too, it should be remembered that fights used to consist of two five-minute periods. During this time, exhausting your opponent and preventing him from getting a second wind is the highest art.
For 52 years, no one has been able to surpass Alexander Medved’s success. Symbolic and indicative.
The legendary fighter remained unbeatable. Champion forever.
