Mate Parlov, one of the greatest Croatian boxers of all time, was a favorite of Josip Broz Tito. His career is full of historic achievements, and the story of his relationship with the lifelong president of Yugoslavia still fascinates today.
As discussions heat up about Filip Hrgović's upcoming world title fight, it's impossible not to draw parallels with the giants of Croatian boxing history. Among them, one stands out: Mate Parlov, an eight-time champion of the former Yugoslavia, five-time Balkan champion, two-time world champion, and one-time European champion, as well as the winner of the gold Olympic medal in Munich in 1972. Throughout his professional career, in 29 bouts, he recorded 24 wins, three losses, and two draws.
Born on November 16, 1948, in Imotski, Parlov began boxing in Pula at the age of sixteen. After less than three years of training, he became the Yugoslav champion in the light heavyweight division. At just 21, in 1969 in Budapest, he reached the final of the European Championships, and two years later in Madrid, he became European champion. He successfully defended that title at the 1973 European Championships in Belgrade.
His greatest achievement in his amateur career came at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich. In the Olympic boxing tournament, he won all five of his bouts, becoming Olympic champion in impressive fashion. In the first round, he defeated Aman Hasasan of Chad, and in the second, Imre Toth of Hungary, both by knockout. In the third round, he faced the excellent Argentine Miguel Angel Cuello. Despite Cuello's fierce resistance, Parlov forced him to surrender with a precise punch. The Argentine's trainer threw in the towel, and the newspapers wrote: "Trainer saves his protégé".
In the semifinals, he outpointed Poland's Janusz Gortat, and in the final, he faced Cuba's boxing school representative, Gilberto Carillo. Carillo was considered the favorite and indeed gave Parlov a tough time. Both fighters hit the canvas, and heavy punches flew. At one point, Parlov managed to avoid a dangerous situation in a clinch and evade a series of Carillo's punches. Angry at the potential complications in the fight, Parlov landed a precise punch to Carillo's chest in the second round. The referee ruled it a technical knockout. Before that, Carillo had "survived" three trips to the canvas.
Parlov was undeniably a great favorite of the lifelong president of Yugoslavia, Josip Broz Tito. Tito arranged a reception for him three times, something no other athlete in the former country experienced. However, Tito never attended his fights, not even those in Belgrade, where a hundred thousand spectators gathered at Marakana. Witnesses say that Tito enjoyed watching the final bout from Munich, jumping out of his armchair every now and then out of nervousness. Finally, he exclaimed with delight: "Toooo!" Adding, once he calmed down: "Send him a telegram right away!"
Later, in 1974 in Havana, Parlov also became world champion. His matches were also watched by Cuban president Fidel Castro, but live, while Tito watched from behind his television screen. When Parlov decided to turn professional, the then communist party looked unfavorably on that decision. Press reports suggested he might be banned from competing in Yugoslavia if he turned pro. However, insiders whispered to Parlov that "Tito would sort things out." He didn't believe it himself, but suddenly things started to go smoothly. Parlov entered the professional ranks and continued to shine there.
In Belgrade, against Italy's Adinolfi, a hundred thousand people watched him. With the victory over the Italian, he won the European light heavyweight title. He won the world title in 1976. His opponent was Argentine Cuello, whom he had already beaten in the third round of the Olympic tournament in Munich. After a single punch, Cuello's head, and then his body, simply slumped. That scene was, for many years, the opening sequence of sports highlights in the former country.
When he was reproached for being Tito's favorite, he paid no attention. Nor did he when they claimed he was a Croatian nationalist. "What's wrong with everyone? I was Tito's favorite, he loved me... I boxed for that Yugoslavia. And where am I supposed to place myself now, and for whom? I don't depend on anyone, so everyone can just forget about me", Parlov would say.
For the other claim, he would retort: "Nonsense! How can I be a nationalist if I'm a world champion? Many don't understand that. They weren't even champions of their own country, and often couldn't even defeat themselves. The world admired my results, and everywhere I went, people accepted me as one of their own, black or white, it didn't matter. I got to know the world, and I can only be a cosmopolitan. That's how I view both sports and life".
Mate Parlov passed away on July 29, 2008, leaving behind a career that still serves as a benchmark of greatness in Croatian sports.
