From 1979 to 1984 Mark Breland, one of the best amateur fighters in the USA, won the coveted Golden Gloves. In 1982, in Munich, Mark Breland won gold in the amateur World Championship. In 1984 he went on to become an Olympic Champion in Los Angeles. Later on, Mark became a World Champion again, only this time professionally.

Golden Gloves welterweight open champ Mark Breland knocks Antonio Ratliff to the canvas during the 1984 semifinal at the Felt Forum

Riddick Bowe won his first Golden Gloves in 1985. In 1988, at the Seoul Olympics, it took Lenox Lewis to keep him from winning the gold. After the Olympic Games Riddick went on to become one of the best professional Heavyweight Champions.

Future world heavyweight champion Riddick "Bid Daddy" Bowe posed for the 1985 Golden Gloves program