Christophe Mendy
Encyclopedia
Christophe Mendy is a retired boxer
who competed for France in the heavyweight
division (– 91 kg) during the 1990s. He won the bronze medal at the 1995 World Amateur Boxing Championships
in Berlin
, Germany
, where he was defeated in the semifinals by Cuba
n legend Félix Savón
. A year later he ended up second at the 1996 European Amateur Boxing Championships
in Vejle
, Denmark
. A couple of months later Mendy represented France at the 1996 Summer Olympics
in Atlanta, Georgia
.
, Normandy
, a region of Western France. He began boxing at the age of 10 and soon came to be noticed by the local trainers, becoming an amateur boxer in the cruiser-weight division at the age of 17. He won various local championships and became vice-champion of France. He then came to be noticed by scouts for the French national team.
In 1991 he joined the National Institute for the Study of Sports and Physical Fitness (INSEP). There he studied for 5 years while representing France at various international meetings and tournaments collecting various medals and awards. At Almeria, Spain, he beat German Kraulenko and loses a decision to Željko Mavrović
(Croatia).
The following month, a tournament takes place at Boulogne sur Mer. Christophe beats Raymond Meygerse (Germany) and Igor Andreev
(Russia) to gain the silver medal. He loses a decision in the final bout to Arnold Vanderlijde (Holland).
In Athens, Greece, at the Mediterranean Games of 1991, Christophe again faces Željko Mavrović and loses in a decision. In Ankara, Turkey, he boxes Rebua and Georgi Kandelaki
(Geo.) and wins Gold. The day after the final of the 1992 championship, he leaves for Halle, Germany, to take part in the qualifying tournament for the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona. This time, he will finish fourth and will not go to Barcelona. Disappointed, he leaves the French team and returns Home to Normandy. After a few months of reflection and soul searching, he joins the ranks of the Semi-professionals and wins two contests.
In 1993, the French national team asked Christophe to rejoin to take part in several important competitions. In the Super Heavyweight division, he wins a bout against American, Allan Cromp, in Marseilles. In the Mediterranean Games of 1993 in Béziers, France Christophe won the Gold Medal in the Super Heavyweight category by beating Egyptian, Ahmed El Sayed and the Italian, Paolo Vidoz
.
In February 1994 Djakarta, Indonesia was the location of a of a qualifying bout for the 1996 Olympic Games. Christophe meets an Australian fighter, the famous Ukrainian Champ Vitali Klitschko
and in the finals, the Pakistani Safarash Khan. Christophe won Gold. The following month, a tournament takes place in Venice, Italy. He is, again, the gold medallist of the super heavyweight class.
Then, at the 1994 World Cup of Boxing, in Bangkok, Thailand, he fights the Cuban, Roberto Balado
, the number One Super Heavyweight. In spite of a beautiful and dominating effort by Christophe, the Cuban wins on points.
Subsequently, Christophe requested the national team return him to the Heavyweight class. He then meets the 1993 French title holder and finally wins the Heavyweight title.
France was invited to take part in the 1994 Goodwill Games in St Petersburg, Russia. The first bout pitted Christophe against Cuban, Félix Savón
. After a beautiful and well executed fight, the Cuban is declared victorious by a slim two point advantage. Félix Savón, during a TV interview (TV5), would go on to say that Christophe is the only boxer able to beat him. In 1995, Christophe Mendy is elected third best heavyweight boxer in the world by the A.I.B.A (International Association of Amateur Boxing).
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
who competed for France in the heavyweight
Heavyweight
Heavyweight is a division, or weight class, in boxing. Fighters who weigh over 200 pounds are considered heavyweights by the major professional boxing organizations: the International Boxing Federation, the World Boxing Association, the World Boxing Council, and the World Boxing...
division (– 91 kg) during the 1990s. He won the bronze medal at the 1995 World Amateur Boxing Championships
1995 World Amateur Boxing Championships
thumb|German stamp from 1995The Men's 1995 World Amateur Boxing Championships were held in the Deutschlandhalle in Berlin, Germany from May 4 to May 15. The eighth edition of this competition, held a year before the Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia, was organised by the world governing body for...
in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, where he was defeated in the semifinals by Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
n legend Félix Savón
Félix Savón
Félix Savón Fabre is a Cuban heavyweight boxer, a winner of three gold medals at the Olympic Games. Savón is considered a legend in amateur boxing and has won six world titles....
. A year later he ended up second at the 1996 European Amateur Boxing Championships
1996 European Amateur Boxing Championships
The Men's 1996 European Amateur Boxing Championships were held in Vejle, Denmark from March 30 to April 7. The 31st edition of the bi-annual competition, in which 304 fighters from 35 countries participated this time, was organised by the European governing body for amateur boxing, EABA.- Medal...
in Vejle
Vejle
Vejle is a town in Denmark, in the southeast of the Jutland Peninsula at the head of Vejle Fjord, where the Vejle and Grejs Rivers and their valleys converge. It is the site of the councils of Vejle Municipality and the Region of Southern Denmark...
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
. A couple of months later Mendy represented France at the 1996 Summer Olympics
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
in Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
.
Early life
Mendy was born in RouenRouen
Rouen , in northern France on the River Seine, is the capital of the Haute-Normandie region and the historic capital city of Normandy. Once one of the largest and most prosperous cities of medieval Europe , it was the seat of the Exchequer of Normandy in the Middle Ages...
, Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
, a region of Western France. He began boxing at the age of 10 and soon came to be noticed by the local trainers, becoming an amateur boxer in the cruiser-weight division at the age of 17. He won various local championships and became vice-champion of France. He then came to be noticed by scouts for the French national team.
Amateur career
In 1990, his first international tournament in Medan, Indonesia, he was the gold medallist. When he returned home, he joined the Battalion of Joinville, E.I.S. (National Army School for Sports) reserved for the French sports elite. This year he also became the Heavyweight Champion of France.In 1991 he joined the National Institute for the Study of Sports and Physical Fitness (INSEP). There he studied for 5 years while representing France at various international meetings and tournaments collecting various medals and awards. At Almeria, Spain, he beat German Kraulenko and loses a decision to Željko Mavrović
Željko Mavrovic
Željko Mavrović is a retired male boxer from Croatia turned enterpreneur.-Background:Mavrović was born in Zagreb, in the neighbourhood Srednjaci ....
(Croatia).
The following month, a tournament takes place at Boulogne sur Mer. Christophe beats Raymond Meygerse (Germany) and Igor Andreev
Igor Andreev
Igor Valerievich Andreev is a Russian professional tennis player, born in Moscow.-2003:Andreev made his ATP debut in September 2003 at Bucharest, Romania as a qualifier and defeated top seed Nikolay Davydenko 7–5, 6–7, 6–0 in the first round, before losing in the next round to José Acasuso.At the...
(Russia) to gain the silver medal. He loses a decision in the final bout to Arnold Vanderlijde (Holland).
In Athens, Greece, at the Mediterranean Games of 1991, Christophe again faces Željko Mavrović and loses in a decision. In Ankara, Turkey, he boxes Rebua and Georgi Kandelaki
Georgi Kandelaki
Georgi Kandelaki is a former boxer and current boxing administrator...
(Geo.) and wins Gold. The day after the final of the 1992 championship, he leaves for Halle, Germany, to take part in the qualifying tournament for the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona. This time, he will finish fourth and will not go to Barcelona. Disappointed, he leaves the French team and returns Home to Normandy. After a few months of reflection and soul searching, he joins the ranks of the Semi-professionals and wins two contests.
In 1993, the French national team asked Christophe to rejoin to take part in several important competitions. In the Super Heavyweight division, he wins a bout against American, Allan Cromp, in Marseilles. In the Mediterranean Games of 1993 in Béziers, France Christophe won the Gold Medal in the Super Heavyweight category by beating Egyptian, Ahmed El Sayed and the Italian, Paolo Vidoz
Paolo Vidoz
Paolo Vidoz is a boxer from Italy, who won the Olympic bronze medal, twice won the bronze medal at the World Amateur Boxing Championships: 1997 and 1999 and also won a silver medal at the European Championships....
.
In February 1994 Djakarta, Indonesia was the location of a of a qualifying bout for the 1996 Olympic Games. Christophe meets an Australian fighter, the famous Ukrainian Champ Vitali Klitschko
Vitali Klitschko
Vitaliy Volodymyrovych Klychko is a Ukrainian professional heavyweight boxer and the current WBC heavyweight champion. He is a leader of the political party Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reform and a member of the Ukrainian delegation to the Congress of the Council of Europe. He previously...
and in the finals, the Pakistani Safarash Khan. Christophe won Gold. The following month, a tournament takes place in Venice, Italy. He is, again, the gold medallist of the super heavyweight class.
Then, at the 1994 World Cup of Boxing, in Bangkok, Thailand, he fights the Cuban, Roberto Balado
Roberto Balado
Roberto Balado Méndez was a Cuban boxer. At the 1992 Summer Olympics he won a Gold medal in the men's Super Heavyweight category. Roberto Balado Mendez was marry to Anita Dorena Washington Who giving birth to his Son known as Rob Scott After his grandmother gave him the legacy of his father...
, the number One Super Heavyweight. In spite of a beautiful and dominating effort by Christophe, the Cuban wins on points.
Subsequently, Christophe requested the national team return him to the Heavyweight class. He then meets the 1993 French title holder and finally wins the Heavyweight title.
France was invited to take part in the 1994 Goodwill Games in St Petersburg, Russia. The first bout pitted Christophe against Cuban, Félix Savón
Félix Savón
Félix Savón Fabre is a Cuban heavyweight boxer, a winner of three gold medals at the Olympic Games. Savón is considered a legend in amateur boxing and has won six world titles....
. After a beautiful and well executed fight, the Cuban is declared victorious by a slim two point advantage. Félix Savón, during a TV interview (TV5), would go on to say that Christophe is the only boxer able to beat him. In 1995, Christophe Mendy is elected third best heavyweight boxer in the world by the A.I.B.A (International Association of Amateur Boxing).
Amateur Highlights
Member of the 1996 French Olympic Team as a Heavyweight. His results were:- Defeated Ovidiu Bali (Romania) TKO 2
- Lost to David DefiagbonDavid DefiagbonDavid Dejiro Defiagbon was a Nigerian boxer. Nicknamed "The Dream", Defiagbon fought for Canada and won the heavyweight silver medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics.-Amateur:...
(Canada) DQ 3