Francisco Rodríguez (boxer, born 1945)

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Francisco Antonio Rodríguez Brito, better known as Morochito Rodríguez, was a Venezuelan boxer born on 20 September 1945 in Cumaná, Venezuela. He won Venezuela’s first Olympic boxing gold medal in 1968, taking the light flyweight (-48 kg) title at the Mexico City Games. He also won gold at the Pan American Games in 1967 (Winnipeg) and 1971 (Cali), and he carried the Venezuelan flag at the opening ceremony of the 1972 Munich Olympics.

Rodríguez fought mainly in the light flyweight and flyweight divisions. He finished his amateur career with 266 wins and 4 losses. After the 1968 Olympics, he briefly considered turning professional, but ultimately did not pursue a pro career following a family incident. He died on 23 April 2024 at the age of 78. In 1988, he was inducted into the Venezuelan Sports Hall of Fame.