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Mate Parlov
Mate Parlov
	Parlov in 1972
Born	Mate Parlov; 16 November 1948; Split, PR Croatia, FPR Yugoslavia
Died	29 July 2008 (aged 59); Pula, Croatia
Nationality	Yugoslavian
	Statistics
Weight(s)	light heavyweight, cruiserweight
Height	1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Stance	Southpaw
	Boxing record
Total fights	29
Wins	24
Wins by KO	12
Losses	3
Draws	2
No contests	0
Representing Yugoslavia
Olympic Games
World Amateur Championships
European Amateur Championships

Mate Parlov (16 November 1948 – 29 July 2008) was a Croatian-Yugoslavian boxer and Olympic gold medalist who was European and World Champion as an amateur and as a professional.^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]^[5]^[6]^[7] Parlov was voted the Best Balkan Athlete of the Year for 1974.^{[citation needed]}

Background

Mate Parlov was born in Split, the youngest of four children in a Croatian family originally from Imotski. In 1958, the family moved to Pula.

Amateur

In his amateur career he participated in 310 matches and lost 13.^[8] He was eight-time champion of Yugoslavia in the light heavyweight category (1967–1974), five-time champion of the Balkans (1970–1974), two-time champion of Europe (1971 in Madrid, and 1973 in Belgrade), and world champion at the inaugural 1974 World Championships in Havana, Cuba. He won the Golden Glove award twice, in 1967 and 1969. He participated in the Munich 1972 Summer Olympics, winning the gold medal in the light heavyweight division.^[9]

Professional career

Parlov won twelve of his first thirteen fights as a professional boxer before successfully challenging for the European light-heavyweight title. In 1976, he faced the future world champion Matthew Saad Muhammad. In their first fight in Milan, scheduled for eight rounds, he was defeated following the referee's decision. In a rematch, he and Muhammad struggled to a ten-round draw. After successfully defending the European title three times, he met Miguel Angel Cuello in Milan for the WBC world light-heavyweight title in January 1978. The two men had been scheduled to meet in the quarter-finals at the Munich Olympics, but Cuello withdrew due to an injury. Parlov knocked out Cuello in the ninth round to become the first professional world champion from a communist country. Parlov lost the title on his second defense and would later challenge for the world cruiser-weight title without success.

Retirement

In retirement, Parlov ran a coffee bar in Pula. He returned to boxing as coach of the Yugoslavian Olympic team prior to the 1984 Olympics,^[9] when Yugoslav boxers achieved their best results ever: one gold, one silver and two bronzes. He later moved to Fažana near Pula, away from boxing and the public. In March 2008, he was diagnosed with lung cancer, and died four months later.

Private life

Mate Parlov was married to Laura Parlov with whom he had two children, daughter Mira and son Matko. He was an economist by profession, and had one graduate exam left before gaining the title of Master of Economics.^[10]

Honors and awards

Golden Gloves: 1967, 1969
Croatian Sportsman of the Year: 1971, 1972, 1973
Yugoslavian Sportsman of the Year: 1971, 1972, 1974
Balkan Sportsman of the Year: 1974
Golden Badge award for best athlete of Yugoslavia: 1972, 1974
Istrian Sportsman of the 20th century
Croatian Sportsman of the 20th century^[9]^[11]
Lifetime Honorary President of Croatian Boxing Federation
WBC Honorary Champion: 2006
Croatian Walk of Fame: 2008
Mate Parlov Sport Centre, a multi-functional hall in Pula named after him since 2008
In 2013 he was posthumously assigned the Order of Duke Branimir with necklace by the President of the Republic of Croatia
Franjo Bučar State Award for Sport - Award for Life Achievement: 2018^[12]
A statue in his honour was unveiled in Fažana in 2018
A newly discovered species of underground spider was named Harpactea mateparlovi in 2020
A statue in his honour was unveiled in Pula in 2021

Amateur highlights

Record: 310–13
Eight-time champion of Yugoslavia
Five-time champion of the Balkans

Silver at the 1969 European Championships: Bucharest, Romania (Middleweight):

Defeated Ewald Jarmer (West Germany) by decision
Defeated Janusz Gortat (Poland) by decision
Defeated Reima Virtanen (Finland) by decision
Lost to Vladimir Tarasenko (Soviet Union) by decision

Represented Yugoslavia at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City, Mexico (Middleweight):

Defeated Lahcen Ahidous (Morocco) by decision
Defeated Jan van Ispelen (Netherlands) by decision
Lost to Chris Finnegan (England) by decision

Gold at the 1971 European Championships: Madrid, Spain (Light Heavyweight):

Defeated Anthony Roberts (Wales) by decision
Defeated Vladimir Metelev (Soviet Union) RSC 2
Defeated Janusz Gortat (Poland) by decision
Defeated Horst Stump (Romania) by decision
Defeated Ottomar Sachse (East Germany) by decision

Gold at the 1972 Olympics in Munich, Germany (Light Heavyweight):

Defeated Noureddine Aman Hassan (Chad) KO 2
Defeated Imre Toth (Hungary) KO 2
Defeated Miguel Angel Cuello (Argentina) by walkover
Defeated Janusz Gortat (Poland) by decision
Defeated Gilberto Carrillo (Cuba) RSC 2

Gold at the 1973 European Championships: Belgrade, Yugoslavia (Light Heavyweight):

Defeated Michael Imrie (Scotland) RSC 1
Defeated William Knight (England) RSC 3
Defeated Oleg Karatayev (Soviet Union) RSC 2
Defeated Janusz Gortat (Poland) by decision

Gold at the 1974 World Championships, Havanna, Cuba (Light Heavyweight):

Defeated Constantin Dafinoiu (Romania) by decision
Defeated Gilberto Carrillo (Cuba) by decision
Defeated Ottomar Sachse (East Germany) by decision
Defeated Oleg Karatayev (Soviet Union) RSC 2

Professional boxing record

29 fights	24 wins	3 losses
By knockout	12	1
By decision	12	2
Draws	2

No.	Result	Record	Opponent	Type	Round, time	Date	Location	Notes
29	Loss	24–3–2	Marvin Camel	UD	15	31 March 1980	Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.	For inaugural WBC World Cruiserweight title.
28	Draw	24–2–2	Marvin Camel	PTS	15	8 December 1979	Sportski Centar Gripe, Split, Yugoslavia	For inaugural WBC World Cruiserweight title.
27	Win	24–2–1	Tony Mundine	PTS	12	26 September 1979	Gorizia, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy	WBC World Cruiserweight title eliminator.
26	Win	23–2–1	Joe Maye	KO	5	28 July 1979	Munich, Bavaria, West Germany
25	Loss	22–2–1	Marvin Johnson	TKO	10	2 December 1978	Palazzo Dello Sport, Marsala, Sicily, Italy	Lost WBC World Light Heavyweight title.
24	Win	22–1–1	John Conteh	SD	15	17 June 1978	Red Star Stadium, Belgrade, Yugoslavia	Retained WBC World Light Heavyweight title.
23	Win	21–1–1	Tony Greene	TKO	6	28 April 1978	Sarajevo, Yugoslavia
22	Win	20–1–1	Miguel Ángel Cuello	KO	9	7 January 1978	Palasport di San Siro, Milan, Lombardy, Italy	Won WBC World Light Heavyweight title.
21	Win	19–1–1	Leo Kakolewicz	TKO	6	21 August 1977	Rijeka, Yugoslavia
20	Win	18–1–1	Harald Skog	UD	15	9 July 1977	Basel, Switzerland	Retained EBU Light Heavyweight title.
19	Win	17–1–1	Francois Fiol	PTS	15	5 April 1977	Morges, Switzerland	Retained EBU Light Heavyweight title.
18	Win	16–1–1	Christian Poncelet	PTS	10	5 March 1977	Velenje, Yugoslavia
17	Draw	15–1–1	Matthew Saad Muhammad	PTS	10	3 December 1976	Trieste, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy
16	Win	15–1	Aldo Traversaro	PTS	15	15 October 1976	Palasport di San Siro, Milan, Lombardy, Italy	Retained EBU Light Heavyweight title.
15	Win	14–1	Al Bolden	KO	9	11 September 1976	Zagreb, Yugoslavia
14	Win	13–1	Domenico Adinolfi	TKO	11	10 July 1976	Belgrade, Yugoslavia	Won EBU Light Heavyweight title.
13	Loss	12–1	Matthew Saad Muhammad	PTS	8	21 May 1976	Palasport di San Siro, Milan, Lombardy, Italy
12	Win	12–0	Maile Haumona	PTS	10	20 March 1976	Windsor Regis Hotel, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
11	Win	11–0	Sentiki Qata	PTS	10	6 March 1976	Hordern Pavilion, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
10	Win	10–0	Macka Foley	TKO	2	6 February 1976	Trieste, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy
9	Win	9–0	Onelio Grando	PTS	8	26 December 1975	Reggio Emilia, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
8	Win	8–0	Billy Freeman	PTS	10	22 November 1975	Skopje, Yugoslavia
7	Win	7–0	Karl Zurheide	KO	1	30 October 1975	PalaLido, Milan, Lombardy, Italy
6	Win	6–0	Johnny Griffin	TKO	5	6 October 1975	Zagreb, Yugoslavia
5	Win	5–0	Jose Evaristo Gomez	PTS	8	13 September 1975	Pula, Yugoslavia
4	Win	4–0	Jose Galvez Vasquez	PTS	8	22 August 1975	Split, Yugoslavia
3	Win	3–0	Horst Lang	KO	1	12 July 1975	Arenzano, Liguria, Italy
2	Win	2–0	Robert Amory	TKO	5	20 June 1975	Milan, Lombardy, Italy
1	Win	1–0	Dante Lazzari	KO	1	31 May 1975	Opatija, Yugoslavia

References

^ Giuliano Lebanore. Parlov: Mislim da će sve proć' dobro. boks-savez.hr
^ IN MEMORIAM: MATE PARLOV / Odlazak boksača koji je volio pjesnike. gloria.com.hr
^ [1]^{[dead link‍]}
^ Mate Parlov se bori s teškom bolesti pluća – Vijesti. Index.hr (31 March 2008). Retrieved on 2016-04-19.
^ Nina Tomljanović; Petra Horvat (30 July 2008). "Umro Mate Parlov" [Mate Parlov dies]. Nacional (in Croatian). Archived from the original on 25 February 2012. Retrieved 22 July 2012.
^ Umro Mate Parlov. vjesnik.hr (30 July 2008)
^ Home | Radio 101. Radio101.hr. Retrieved on 19 April 2016.
^ Mate Parlov. BoxRec. Retrieved on 19 April 2016.
^ ^a ^b ^c Mate Parlov. sports-reference.com
^ "Slobodna Dalmacija - Sugrađani legende: Mate je zadužio Istru, Hrvatsku i bivšu Jugoslaviju!". 30 July 2008.
^ (in Slovene) Umrl boksarski šampion Mate Parlov. RTV Slovenia (30 July 2008)
^ "Nagrada "Franjo Bučar" za životno djelo Milki Babović, Vladimiru Jankoviću i posmrtno Mati Parlovu" (in Croatian). Hrvatska Radiotelevizija. 9 October 2018. Retrieved 4 December 2018.

External links

Boxing record for Mate Parlov from BoxRec (registration required)
Mate Parlov at Olympedia (archive)

Sporting positions
Regional boxing titles
Preceded by Domenico Adinolfi	EBU light heavyweight champion 10 July 1976 – 1977 Vacated	Vacant Title next held by Aldo Traversaro
World boxing titles
Preceded by Miguel Ángel Cuello	WBC light heavyweight champion 7 January 1978 – 2 December 1978	Succeeded by Marvin Johnson
Awards and achievements
Previous: Miroslav Cerar Marijan Beneš	Yugoslav Sportsman of the Year 1971 – 1972 1974	Next: Marijan Beneš Nenad Stekić
Previous: Sreten Damjanović Marijan Beneš	The Best Athlete of Yugoslavia 1972 1974	Next: Marijan Beneš Nenad Stekić
Light heavyweight status
Preceded by Víctor Galíndez	Latest born world champion to die July 29, 2008 – March 10, 2012	Succeeded by Julio César González