The man who escaped via the toilet window from Madison Square garden before his pro-debut!

Emannuel B. Aghassian was an Iranian amateur boxer who represented his country at the 1948 and 1952 summer Olympics. Losing in the first round of both games, he forged a passport to emigrate to the United States where he won the Chicago golden gloves competition. His coach was Tony Zale, the former middleweight champion. This led to his professional debut at Madison Square Garden, New York. Unfortunately for Aghassian, his opponent fell ill, and they matched him up against a better welterweight boxer. Aghassian's son talks about this event in his autobiography:

"He ducked into a bathroom, crawled out of the window above the toilet, then took the train to Chicago. Sneaking out of Iran, sneaking out of the Garden - my father was an escape artist, but there was no escaping him".

Aghassian believed the judges at the Olympics robbed him of a victory both times. He wanted his son to win gold at the summer games. This dream would come true in 1996 at Atlanta, albeit in a different sport.

 

Here is his son winning the gold medal in 1996.

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