The 1971 Pan American Games, officially known as the VI Pan American Games (Spanish: VI Juegos Panamericanos) and commonly known as Cali 1971, were held in Cali, Colombia, from 30 July to 13 August 1971.

On 22 July 1967, Cali was selected over Santiago and Champ, Missouri by a vote of 12 to 11 to 6, respectively, by PASO at its general assembly, held at the Manitoba Medical College in Winnipeg, Canada, to host the VI Pan American Games.

Boxing was staged in the Plaza de Toros Cañaveralejo, a Cali bullring.

In an effort to protect the athletes from students who had protested the amount of money that Colombia was spending on the games, security-minded officials surrounded the athletes' village with barbed wire and guards carrying rifles.

[7] Other concerns centered on mosquitoes, the altitude, faulty plumbing, dysentery and pickpockets.