Paul Griffin competed in the men’s featherweight boxing at the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games. Ranked fifth in the world and European champion, Griffin was Ireland’s leading medal prospect for Barcelona. However, his Olympic dreams lasted less than four minutes and ended in nightmarish circumstances. His opponent, the strong Zambian southpaw Steven Chungu, was cautioned for slapping and use of his head before landing a smashing left hook that floored Griffin in the final minute of the first round. At the end of the round Griffin was behind 4-1 on the newly introduced computerised scoring system. He was floored again sixteen seconds into the second round but bounced immediately to his feet – however, the Italian chairman of the Medical Commission, Professor Antonio Francome, intervened to stop the contest.

A broken jaw received in an earlier international against Spain had interrupted his preparation, and the automatic qualification earned through winning the European Championship meant he had fought only three serious bouts since November 1991.