Cuban boxing is back to professionalism after more than 60 years at a function in Mexico

After a bracket of six decades and as the end of a process that began eight years ago, Cuban boxing will be fully re -incorporated into a professional concert this Friday, when six representatives of the Caribbean team will star in the hires. against a night it takes. venue held in Aguascalientes (Mexico) and that can be seen via ESPN 2 and Star + from 22.

The festival, which will also feature the participation of Venezuelan José Uzcategui, former super middleweight world champion of the International Boxing Federation (he faces Mexican Felipe Romero), will be the first to take place after the signing in April of an agreement between the Federation Cubana de Boxeo (FCB) and the promoter Golden Ring so that the island’s top boxers, dominant in the amateur field, measure forces with professional peers. The plan expects that this year, at least four events will be held on Mexican soil.

Initially, the Tamers of Cuba (the name by which the pick has presented himself in various competitions in which he has participated since 2014) will place three of their four champions in Tokyo 2020 and also a bronze medalist. “I don’t remember the debut of four Olympic medalists in one night. We will witness a historic event, ”said Gerry Saldívar, CEO of Golden Ring Promotions.

The Antillean delegation will be led by Julio César La Cruz, two -time Olympic champion, five -time amateur world champion and captain of the Tamers. Camagüeyan, who registered 90,400 kilos on Thursday at the weigh-in held at the Morelos Theater in Aguascalientes, will face Colombian Deivis Casseres (89,100), a man with a long career in professionalism: he has a record of 27 wins (21 new). the limit) and 15 losses. The duel, framed in the cruise category, will be six rounds, as will all Cubans starring.

“In amateur boxing we won everything. Today we want to start walking into this professional world, summon the best boxers in the world and face them to confirm what we have accomplished in amateur boxing. We are going into the history of Cuba and it is a pleasure, an honor, ”explained La Cruz, who denied that this invasion was in response to a desire for collection. “We don’t look at the economic part or what professional boxing can bring us to the economy,” he emphasized.

Beyond the basic motivations of each athlete, participation in these nights will result in increased revenue, as the agreement signed by the FCB established that boxers will receive a bonus for every fight they participate in. Of that bonus, 80% will remain in your hands, 15% will be collected by your coach and 5% will go to the medical team.

La Cruz will not be the only two-time Olympic champion to step on the rope in Aguascalientes. Guantanamo medium heavyweight Arlen López (78,600) will face local Fernando Galván, who has a record of 7 wins and 4 losses; and super welterweight from Pinar del Río Roniel Iglesias (69,600) will face fellow Mexican Brandon Pérez (69,600), owner of a service record that includes 7 wins, 1 loss and 1 draw. All opponents of their representatives for this debut have been approved by the FCB.

The fourth member of the Cuban Olympic poker monarchs, the brilliant super featherweight Andy Cruz, will also be part tonight, but he was not included in the delegation hours before embarking on the trip due to poor condition. “Our collective of coaches considered it better that he did not come. But that doesn’t mean he’s separated from the team. He trains at the National Boxing School and continues to be part of the Tamers of Cuba. It depends on him that he can participate in the next events, as we want everything ”, explained Alberto Puig de la Barca, president of FCB.

Cruz’s spot will be chased by Osvel Caballero (58,500), Pan American champion in Lima 2019, who will face Mexican Jhosman Reyes (57,900). They will also have local rivals Lázaro Álvarez (62,700), triple Olympic medalist, who will face Francisco Mercado (63,900); and Yoenlis Feliciano Hernández (77,600), division champion up to 75 kilos at the 2021 Belgrade World Cup, who will face Juan Carlos Reynosa (79,900) in the medium heavyweight category.

Although this night will mark the re -entry of Cuban boxing into the rented universe, after the revolutionary government abolished the paid sport in 1961, for the last eight years boxers from the Antilles largest have had a feud with professionals. to rival and participate in tournaments. with money at stake, in accordance with changes promoted by the old International Amateur Boxing Association (which even removed the word “amateur” from its name) and after numerous evacuations to the selected team during international tournaments and training camps in out of the country.

Since 2014, Domadores has participated in the World Series of Boxing, a tournament organized by AIBA in which novices and professionals are allowed to participate in five rounds, three -minute fights, without headers or mesh. Caribbean was champion in three of the five editions in which they competed and runner-up in two more. In addition, AIBA changed its regulations in 2016 so that from the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Games, professional boxers can participate in Olympic competitions.

In June last year, as part of preparations for the Tokyo Games, eight members of the Cuban team fought in Aguascalientes over six rounds and under the rules of hired boxing against professional rivals (mostly Mexican) , including Miguel Puppet Vázquez, lightweight world champion of the International Boxing Federation between 2010 and 2014. The balance is seven wins and one draw for the Caribbean.

That expedition into hydro-warm territory served to build bridges that led to the signing of the agreement that would allow for this first professional experience. “When we were here last year, we prepared ourselves for the professional boxing poster because we would be looking for fighters who are similar to the professionals. The result was at the Olympic Games, with eight golds in the men we reached four. We owe that to Aguascalientes ”, highlighted Alberto Puig de la Barca this week.

Ever since the legendary Alcides Sagarra took over as coach of the Cuban national team in 1964 (he held that position until 2001), boxing has been the island’s main Olympic sport. Cuba is 16th in the historic Games medal table, with 241 medals (85 gold) in its 21 participation. Of those, the sport of gloves contributed 78 (41 gold). In addition, Cuban boxers have won 80 titles at the AIBA world championships.