Pertti Purhonen

Pertti Purhonen

Personal information
Born	14 June 1942 Helsinki, Finland
Died	5 February 2011 (aged 68) Porvoo, Finland
Height	181 cm (5 ft 11 in)
Weight	60–70 kg (132–154 lb)
Sport
Sport	Boxing
Medal record Representing Finland Olympic Games 1964 Tokyo Welterweight

Pertti Ilmari Purhonen (14 June 1942 – 5 February 2011) was a Finnish boxer who won a bronze medal at the 1964 Olympics. Domestically he collected nine consecutive Finnish titles in lightweight (1960–61), light-welterweight (1962) and welterweight divisions (1963–68); he was also a Nordic champion in 1961, 1963 and 1967. In 1969 he turned professional, but retired the same year after winning his both bouts, one by knockout. He then founded a non-profit organization Kriisipalveluyhdistys (Crisis Service) that trains workers how to behave in crisis situations. During his last six years Purhonen suffered from Alzheimer's disease. He died in 2011, aged 68, three years after being inducted into the Finnish Boxing Hall of Fame. He was buried in the Malmi Cemetery.