Zygmunt CHYCHLA

One of the top Polish boxers shortly after the war, Chychła first entered the ring at age ten. When he turned 18, he was forced to serve in the German army. He managed to escape, and joined the Free Polish Army in Italy. After the liberation, Chychła immediately picked up training again. He was picked to represent Poland at the 1947 European Championships and 1948 Olympics, reaching the quarter-finals in both events. From then on, he wouldn't lose a single bout until the end of his career. In 1951, he won the European welterweight title, and he added an Olympic gold the following year. Suffering from tuberculosis, Chychła decided to retire. But when Poland didn't have a suitable successor, he was forced to compete in the 1953 European Championships, which were held in Warszawa. While Chychła again won the title, his condition suffered greatly, and he would never box again. In the 1970s, Chychła moved to Hamburg in Germany, his wife’s hometown, living there until his death in 2009.