By Ken Hissner: The following are Olympic Gold Medalists who became world professional champions. If any are missing, please comment.
Lennox “The Lion” Lewis Super Heavyweight 1988 Seoul Olympics Gold Medal for Canada. 1984 Montreal Olympics lost to Tyrell Biggs. 1988 Olympics defeated Riddick Bowe. WBC, WBA, IBF, and IBO champion from West Ham, London, UK. Pro Record: 41-2-1 (32).
Wladimir “Dr. Steelhammer” Klitschko Super Heavyweight 1996 Atlanta Olympics Gold Medal for Ukraine. WBA, WBO, IBF, and IBO champion from Kiev, Ukraine. Pro Record: 64-5 (53).
Anthony “AJ” Joshua Super Heavyweight 2012 London Olympics Gold Medal for Great Britain. WBA, WBO, IBF, and IBO champion from Watford, Hertfordshire, UK. Pro Record: 24-2 (22).
Floyd Patterson Middleweight Helsinki 1952 Olympics Gold Medal for the USA. NBA and NYSAC Heavyweight champion from Brookly, NY.
“Smokin” Joe Frazier Heavyweight 1964 Tokyo Olympics Gold Medal for the USA. Lost to Buster Mathis twice. NYSAC, WBC, and WBA champion from Philadelphia, PA. Pro Record: 32-4-1 (27).
“Big” George Foreman Heavyweight 1968 Mexico Olympics Gold Medal for the USA. WBC, WBA, and IBF champion from Houston, Texas, USA. Pro Record: 76-5 (68).
Evander “The Real Deal” Holyfield 1984 Montreal Olympics Gold Medal for the USA. WBA, WBC, and IBF Cruiserweight, WBA, WBC, and IBF Heavyweight champion from Atlanta, Georgia. Pro Record: 44-10-2 (29).
Cassius Clay Light Heavyweight 1960 Rome Olympics Gold Medal for the USA. Cassius Clay, aka Muhammad “The Greatest” Ali. NYSAC, WBC, and WBA Heavyweight champion from Louisville, KY. Pro Record: 56-5 (37).
Leon “Neon” Spinks Light Heavyweight 1976 Montreal Olympics Gold Medal for the USA. WBA and WBC Heavyweight champion from St. Louis, MO. Pro Record: 26-17-3 (14).
Michael “Jinx” Spinks Middleweight 1976 Montreal Olympics Gold Medal for the USA. WBA, WBC, and IBF Light Heavyweight champion. IBF Heavyweight champion from St. Louis, MO. Pro Record: 31-1 (21).
Mate Parlov Light Heavyweight 1972 Munich Olympics Gold Medal for Croatia. WBC Light Heavyweight champion from Pula, Croatia. Pro Record: 24-3-2 (12).
Slobodan Kacar Light Heavyweight 1980 Moscow Olympics Gold Medal for Yugoslavia. IBF Light Heavyweight champion from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Belgrade, Serbia. Pro Record: 22-2 (12).
Vassili “The Tiger” Jirov Light Heavyweight 1996 Atlanta Olympics Gold Medal for Kazakhstan. Beat Sven Ottke, Julio Cesar Gonzalez, and Antonio Tarver. IBF Cruiserweight champion from Balqash, KAZ, and Scottsdale, AZ. Pro Record: 38-3-1 (32).
Andre “S.O.G.” Ward Light Heavyweight 2004 Athens Olympics Gold Medal for the USA. WBA and WBC Super Middleweight champion. WBO, WBA, and IBF Light Heavyweight champion from Oakland, CA. Pro Record: 32-0 (16).
Henry “Gentleman” Maske Middleweight 1988 Seoul Olympics Gold Medal for East Germany. Beat Sven Ottke and Jose Gomez. IBF Light Heavyweight champion from Cologne, Germany. Pro Record: 31-1 (11).
James “Chunky” DeGale Middleweight 2008 Beijing Olympics Gold Medal for Great Britain. Beat Shawn Porter. IBF Super Middleweight champion from St. Albans, Hertfordshire, UK. Pro Record: 25-3-1 (15).
Ryota Murata Middleweight 2012 London Olympics Gold Medal for Japan. Beat Esquiva Falcao twice. WBA Middleweight champion from Tokyo, Japan. Pro Record: 16-2 (13).
Frank Tate Light Middleweight 1984 Los Angeles Olympics Gold Medal for the USA. Beat Reggie Johnson won and lost to Michael Nunn. IBF Middleweight champion from Houston, Texas. Pro Record: 41-5 (24).
David “American Dream” Reid Light Middleweight 1988 Atlanta Olympics Gold Medal for the USA. WBA Light Middleweight champion from Philadelphia, PA. Pro Record: 17-2 (7).
Giovanni “Nino” Benvenutti Welterweight 1960 Rome Olympics Gold Medal for Italy. WBA and WBC Light Middleweight and WBA and WBC Middleweight champion from Slovenia and Trieste. Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy. Pro Record: 82-7-1 (35).
Mark Breland Welterweight 1984 Montreal Olympics Gold Medal for the USA. WBA Welterweight champion from New York, NY. Pro Record: 35-3-1 (25).
Daniyar Yeleussinov Welterweight 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics Gold Medal for Kazakhstan. IBO Welterweight champion from Kayindy, KAZ, and Miami, Florida. Pro Record: 11-0 (6).
“Sugar” Ray Leonard Light Welterweight Montreal Olympics Gold Medal for the USA. WBC and WBA Welterweight, WBA Light Middleweight, WBC Middleweight, WBC Super Middleweight, and WBC Light Heavyweight champion from Palmer Park, Maryland. Pro Record: 36-3-1 (25).
Pernell “Sweet Pea” Whitaker Lightweight 1984 Montreal Olympics Gold Medal for the USA. WBA, WBC, and IBF Lightweight, IBF Light Welterweight, WBC Welterweight, and WBA Light Middleweight champion from Norfolk, VA. Pro Record: 40-4-1 (17).
Meldrick “The Kid” Taylor Featherweight 1984 Montreal Olympics
Gold Medal for the USA. IBF Light Welterweight and WBA Welterweight champion from Philadelphia, PA. Pro Record: 38-8-1 (20).
Giovanni “Flash” Parisi Featherweight 1988 Seoul Olympics Gold Medal for Italy. WBO Light Welterweight and WBO Light Welterweight champion from Voghera, Lombardia, Italy. Pro Record: 41-5-1 (29).
Vasyl “Loma” Lomachenko Featherweight 2008 London Olympics Gold Medal and Lightweight 2012 Beijing Olympics from Ukraine. WBO Featherweight, WBO Super Featherweight, and WBO, WBA, and WBC Lightweight champion from Bilhorod- Dinistrovskyi, Ukraine. Pro Record: 16-2 (11).
Patrizio Oliva Light Welterweight 1980 Moscow Olympics Gold Medal for Italy and WBA Light Welterweight champion from Napoli, Campania, Italy. Pro Record: 57-2 (20).
Leo Randolph Flyweight 1976 Montreal Olympics Gold Medal for the USA. WBA Super Bantamweight champion from Spanaway, Washington.
Johnny “Bump City” Bumphus 139 lb 1984 Moscow Olympics Gold Medal for the USA. WBA Light Welterweight champion from Nashville, TN. Pro Record 29-2 (20).
“King” Kennedy McKinney Bantamweight 1988 Seoul Olympics Gold Medal for USA and IBF and WBO Super Bantamweight champion from Las Vegas, Nevada. Pro Record: 36-6-1 (19).
Joel “El Cepillo” Casamayor Bantamweight 1992 Barcelona Olympics Gold Medal for Cuba and WBA Super Featherweight and WBC Lightweight champion from Guantanamo, Cuba and Miramar, Florida. Pro Record: 38-6-1 (22).
Oscar “Golden Boy” De La Hoya Lightweight 1992 Barcelona Olympics Gold medal for the USA and WBO Super Featherweight, WBO and IBF Lightweight, WBC Light Welterweight, WBC Welterweight, and WBC and WBA Light Middleweight and WBO Middleweight champion from Los Angeles, California. Pro Record: 39-6 (30).
Pascual “El Leon Mendocino Terrier” Perez 1948 London Olympics Gold Medal for Argentina and World Flyweight champion from Ciudad Mendoza, Argentina. Pro Record: 84-7-1 (57).