Ilkka Koski

Ilkka Rikhard Koski ( born June 10, 1928 in Jyväskylä, † February 28, 1993 in Helsinki) was a Finnish boxer in the heavyweight division and bronze medalist of the Olympic Games 1952.

Boxing career

Koski won from 1951 to 1956 and 1958, seven times the Finnish Championships in the heavyweight division. In the 15th Summer Olympics in Helsinki, Finland, he defeated in the second round László Bene from Hungary by Ko in the second round and in the quarter-finals Eddie Hearn from Great Britain 3-0 on points. In the semifinals, he lost then only with 1:2 Judge voices against the Swede Ingemar Johansson and thus won bronze.

In 1956 he also took at the 16th Summer Olympic Games in Melbourne in part, but where he retired in the second round against the Italian Giacomo Bozzano.

From 1958 to 1962, he played nine professional fights in Finland, Germany and Sweden, including seven wins and a draw. He suffered his only defeat in 1960 in Berlin by Ko in the second round against Ulli Nitzschke.

In 2008 he was inducted into the Finnish Boxing Hall of Fame.