Kovács selects from millions of memories, now works to ensure a successor

Hungarian boxing icon István Kovács, an Olympic gold medalist himself, has spoken about the scarcity of Olympic boxing gold for Hungary, a drought that has persisted since his own victory in Atlanta. Kovács, who now leads the Hungarian Boxing Federation, expressed his determination to foster future champions.

"If it didn't happen for him, every professional world champion - even if not the prize money - would gladly trade all of his for the Olympic gold medal. That is the peak in this sport too," Kovács stated firmly. He highlighted that since Gedó György's win in 1972, only Kovács himself has secured an Olympic gold medal for Hungary in boxing, despite numerous other medals being won in the intervening 54 years.

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If it didn't happen for him, every professional world champion - even if not the prize money - would gladly trade all of his for the Olympic gold medal. That is the peak in this sport too.

Kovács admitted that during his athletic career, he was focused on his personal goals and only later realized the significance of ending the long wait for a gold medal. "I had no intention of dealing with this. As an athlete, I concentrated on my own goals, and only later did I face the fact that I won gold for the sport again after 1972. Although there were many medals in the interim period, no gold," he recalled.

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I had no intention of dealing with this. As an athlete, I concentrated on my own goals, and only later did I face the fact that I won gold for the sport again after 1972. Although there were many medals in the interim period, no gold.

Looking ahead to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, Kovács expressed cautious optimism. "We took over a federation that was professionally and morally devastated at the end of 2024. It would not be realistic at all to expect gold immediately in Los Angeles. But a medal, yes." He noted that the work and order established in recent years are already yielding better results domestically, with hopes for a breakthrough at the European Championships this year, followed by the World Championships and the Olympics.

Kovács acknowledged that Hungary currently lacks a boxer with the clear potential for Olympic gold that he possessed before the Barcelona Games. However, he remains hopeful about the sport's future, drawing parallels to his own rise to prominence. The article also provides a historical overview of Hungary's medal count from the Atlanta Olympics, noting that while the total number of medals (21) has not been surpassed since, the gold medal count was not exceptional compared to previous games.

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We took over a federation that was professionally and morally devastated at the end of 2024. It would not be realistic at all to expect gold immediately in Los Angeles. But a medal, yes.