The boxing world is in mourning this week. It was announced by the Italian Olympic Commmittee early Tuesday morning that Giovanni “Nino” Benvenuti has passed away. He was 87 years old and was pronounced dead in Rome, Italy.
While no specific cause of death was given, Benvenuti likely passed away from natural causes. Most boxers don’t live to the age of 87, given that they subject their bodies and brains to cruel punishment in the prime of their lives. Benvenuti’s wife had passed away in early 2023 at age 75 due to an illness.
Giovanni “Nino” Benvenuti was a man of many talents
Born in Izola in modern day Slovenia (then the Kingdom of Italy) back in 1938, Benvenuti rose to prominence during the 1960 Olympics. Taking place in Rome, Benvenuti became a home country hero by capturing the gold medal at welterweight. He turned pro less than a year later and embarked on an epic boxing journey.
Benvenuti ended up fighting 90 total times professionally, winning 82 of them and losing just seven times, with five of those losses coming in the final two years of his career. Along the way, he won world titles in two different weight classes and was undisputed at super welterweight and middleweight. He was eventually inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1992.
Due to his good looks and outgoing personality, Benvenuti delved into the entertainment industry towards the end of his boxing career. He appeared in two Italian films, “Sundance and the Kid” (1969) and “Mark Shoots First” (1975). He also dabbled in TV punditry and restaurant ownership post-boxing.
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