Olympic champion Parisi dies

Former Olympic champion boxer Giovanni Parisi has died in a road accident after the car he was travelling in collided with a truck in Voghera in the Pavia region of Italy.

Parisi claimed gold at the Seoul Olympics in 1988 at featherweight before joining the professional ranks and going on to win world belts at two different weight divisions.

He was driving a BMW when he collided with a truck carrying electrical goods on Wednesday evening, according to Italian news agency Ansa.

Parisi, who was originally from the Calabria region of Italy, died instantly.

During his professional career he held the WBO lightweight and light-welterweight titles but lost a unanimous points decision when he challenged Mexican legend Julio Cesar Chavez for the WBC light-welterweight crown in 1995.

ROME, AFP