A Short Biography of László Papp

(1926 – 2003)

Married, children: one son

1945-1956 amateur boxer

1957-1964 professional boxer

Clubs:

BVSC, Vasas         

László Papp was born on 25^th March 1926 in Budapest. His father was a car driver working for a big firm. He was interested in boxing and took his son to watch boxing matches. Unfortunately László Papp was young when his father died, he was only 11 years old. That time his mother bought a little grocery and was working hard to keep the family – his younger sister and him. Early morning before going to school he had to carry away the ordered milk and baker’s ware to houses and from the market he had to obtain goods for the grocery. One time a friend of him took him into a boxing club but on the first training he got a big beating and he kept away from visiting the training hall and he rather was playing football. After finishing elementary school Papp learned to be a mechanic in a big factory. In 1943 in the factory’sboxing club he began boxing again. In 1944 German army took him into Germany but the war had come to the end before he should have to fight. It took a long time while he arrived home on foot. He had long hair and beard so his mother could not recognize him. After the Second World War he returned to boxing but he changed club. From that time he was always engaged in boxing.  

Results:  Olympic gold medals:          1948 London

                                                             1952 Helsinki

                                                             1956 Melbourne

                European championships:   1949 Oslo

                                                             1951 Milan

                Seven times national champion

 

Professional results:

29 professional fights: 27 win, 2 draw

Seven times European professional middleweight champion

In January 1965 his professional contract expired and he did not get permission for further matches including the World Championship from the Hungarian Sport Office. After two years interruption he joined a famous Hungarian sport club as a trainer.

From 1969-1992 (except one year when he was training children) with his trainer Zsigmond Adler Papp was the head coach of the Hungarian National Boxing Team.

 

His boxer’s results:   1 Olympic Gold medal-1972 Munich

                                    1 World championship Gold medal 1991-Sydney

                                    8 European championships Gold medal

and many silver and bronze medals on the different championships.

 

He retired in 1993 and till 1998 he was training young boxers.

 

Awards:

         Silver Medal of the International Olympic Committee

         International Fair Play Prize

         Honored professional World Champion of WBC

         Member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame and Museum  (In Canastota)