Richard McTaggart, MBE (15 October 1935 – 9 March 2025) was a Scottish amateur boxer who was Olympic lightweight champion in 1956. In 1960, he won bronze in the same category. In 1956, he received the Val Barker Trophy for best boxing style at the Olympics. At the 1964 Olympics, McTaggart moved to the light-welterweight category but lost in the third bout to the eventual winner Jerzy Kulej. McTaggart won the British ABA title in 1956, 1958, 1960, 1963 and 1965, and retired with a record of 610 wins out of 634 bouts.Dick McTaggart. sshf.co.uk
He was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 1985 Birthday Honours for services to amateur boxing in Scotland.United Kingdom list:
In retirement, McTaggart worked as a boxing coach and prepared the Scottish team to the 1986 and 1990 Commonwealth Games. In 2002, he was inducted into the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame. His four brothers were also amateur boxers.
McTaggart died of complications from dementia on 9 March 2025, at the age of 89. At the time of his death, McTaggart had been living with the disease for nearly two years.
Achievements +YearCompetitionLocationPositionEvent1954ABA ChampionshipsLondon, EnglandFeatherweight1956ABA ChampionshipsLondon, EnglandLightweightOlympic GamesMelbourne, Australia1958ABA ChampionshipsLondon, EnglandCommonwealth GamesCardiff, Wales1960Olympic GamesRome, Italy 1961European Amateur ChampionshipsBelgrade, Serbia IABA Golden Jubilee TournamentDublin, Ireland1962Commonwealth GamesPerth, Western AustraliaLight welterweightABA ChampionshipsLondon, England1963ABA ChampionshipsLondon, England1964ABA ChampionshipsLondon, England1965ABA ChampionshipsLondon, England
1956 Olympic results Last 32: bye Last 16: defeated Chandrasena Jayasuriya (Ceylon) by decision Quarter-final: defeated Andre Vairolatto (France) by decision Semi-final: defeated: Anatoly Lagetko (Soviet Union) by decision Final: defeated Harry Kurschat (West Germany) by decision (won gold medal)
Awards and honours Order of the British Empire – Member (MBE) Member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame Member of the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame Val Barker Trophy (1956) Lifetime Achievement Award - Team Scotland Sports Awards
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