Teófilo Stevenson was the first boxer to win the gold medal in the same division three times. Competing in what is now known as the super-heavyweight division, Stevenson began his Olympic career at the 1972 Munich Games.

At the previous year's Pan American Games, Stevenson had been defeated by Duane Bobick of the United States. This time he met Bobick in the quarterfinals and stopped him in the third round. Stevenson's semifinal victim, Peter Hussing of Germany, said, "I have never been hit so hard in all my 212 bouts. You don't see his right hand. All of a sudden it is there - on your chin." Stevenson's opponent in the final forfeited because of a broken thumb.

In 1976, Stevenson disposed of his first three opponents in a record 7 minutes and 22 seconds. In the final, Mircea Simion of Romania managed to make it to the third round before his handlers threw in the towel. In the semifinals of the 1980 Olympics, István Levai of Hungary ran around the ring for three rounds to become the first Olympic boxer to go the distance against Stevenson. By defeating Pyotr Zayev of the USSR in the final, Stevenson earned his third gold medal.

As late as 1986, he proved that he was still the best amateur boxer by winning the world championship at the age of 36.

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