By Gabriel F. Cordero
In a major development, the Cuban Boxing Federation has reached an agreement with Golden Ring Promotions to allow Cuban boxers, including Olympic champions Roniel Iglesias, Julio César La Cruz, Arlen López, and Andy Cruz, to compete in professional boxing matches. The first pro event to include Cuban boxers is expected to be held on May 20 in Aguascalientes, Mexico, and be broadcast by ESPN Knockout throughout the entire Latin American territory. Alberto Puig, president of the Federation, and Gerardo Saldívar made the announcement publicly and formally on Monday.
Cuba was once a professional boxing hotbed, but the pro sport was banned there in 1962. Since then, the island has established the world’s premier amateur boxing program.
I always think about this in regards to how much money Cuban boxers have missed out on. They’ve had some busts, definitely, but some of the ones who have defected have done very well and made great money, like Ugas, Rigoand Lara now, Casamayor, Hernandez and Gomez back in the day. So many others who could have done the same or maybe even better never even got the opportunity and just kind of aged. So hopefully they do this and stick with it.
Ya lo pasado pasado es, ahora es el momento de regresar y disfrutar de lo q viene,,,, como el boxeo la lucha la pelota,,, el voleibol el atletismo,,, y muchos más deportes,,,, y hacer ligas profesionales en Cuba,,, dejar los perjuicios q no llevan al desarrollo a nadie,,, un aplauso por estas decisiones
This is awesome!!!
Still wonder after all these years for all you babies out there how Teofilo Stevenson would have done in the pros.
Undeniable great skills and awesome power, but his chin was less than average. Not much chance in the American heavyweight environment of those days (Ali, Shavers, Foreman, Frazier, Norton, Lyle….)
When Foreman was watching Stevenson fight he repeatedly mentioned how he has never seen that “type of class” anywhere. Said Stevenson was the best out of the bunch. Aint arguing with Foreman
The first name that come to mind for many, when is about Cuban amateur greats is Teofilo Stevenson. He wouldn’t had a chance to succeed in that golden era of the heavyweights IMO, rather I think about other names, among them Angel Herrera, a formidable southpaw that held a great rivalry with Parnell Whitaker, another one could be Rolando Garbey (Middleweight) great skills and power.
No matter how you frame it, I think that this is good news for the sport of Boxing.