Vadim Yemelyanov

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Vadim Mikhaylovich Yemelyanov (April 25, 1942 – May 27, 1977) was a Soviet heavyweight boxer. He was born in Konyok, Krasnodar Krai, Russian SFSR, and was 188 cm tall and weighed 97 kg. He began boxing while serving in the Soviet Navy in Leningrad Oblast and boxed for the Soviet Army club.

In 1964, he won a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics in the heavyweight division. He reached the semifinals but lost to Joe Frazier, who went on to win the gold. Yemelyanov also won the European Cup and the World Army Championships in 1963. He never won a Russian national title, finishing as a runner-up in 1961, 1965, and 1967. Over his career he won 141 of 158 bouts.

A career naval officer, Yemelyanov worked as a boxing coach in Severomorsk after retiring from competition. He died in an accident on May 27, 1977, in Severomorsk at the age of 35. Since 1985, Severomorsk has held an annual boxing tournament in his honor.