$120,000 prize money and new rivals as professional boxing returns to Cuba

MERIDA, Mexico -. The “Night of Champions” of the International Boxing Association (IBA) in Havana suffered changes in two of the announced fights at the same time that it was learned that Prize money will reach up to $120,000.

The poster, which will take place next Tuesday at the Coliseum of the Sports City of Havana, and marks the return of professional boxing to the Cuban capital, suffered two changes in the rivals of the Cubans, the official press noted on Sunday.

In one of the main fights of the evening, which offers a prize of 120,000 dollars and is scheduled for 10 rounds, the Cuban two-time Olympic champion Arlen López (bronze in Paris) will face the Dominican José Luis Tejeda in the 80 kilos, instead of the Belarusian Aliaksei Alfiorau, as originally announced.

Paris Olympic champion Erislandy Álvarez will face Colombian José Ignacio Muñoz (COL), who has 16 professional victories, instead of Uruguayan Eduardo Estela, as previously announced.

Alvarez’s fight is scheduled for six rounds.

In the star fight of the night, the other one that awards a prize of 120,000 dollars and is scheduled for 10 rounds, the two-time Olympic champion Julio César La Cruz remains against the Uzbek Madiyar Saydrakhimov in the 92 kilogram category.

Professional boxing returns to Havana for the first time in half a century

After more than half a century of absence, professional boxing returns to Cuba with the celebration of the “Night of Champions” of the International Boxing Association (IBA) in Havana.

The event, which will begin on Tuesday at 7:00 pm, will mark a milestone for boxing in the country, which for decades was disconnected from professional sport.

In 1961, professional sport was abolished in Cuba as part of a movement that sought to “align itself with the principles of the Revolution, privileging amateur sport as a symbol of socialist achievements,” according to the rhetoric of the Cuban regime. For more than five decades, Cuban boxers, among other athletes, stood out in international competitions, especially at the Olympic Games, but always under the banner of amateurism. Although in 2013 the participation of Cuban athletes in professional events was timidly permitted, these fights always took place outside the national territory.

The “Night of Champions” in Havana represents the first time in more than 60 years that a professional fight card has been organized on Cuban soil.

The island’s authorities have set ticket prices at 100 pesos for the stands and 150 for the seats.

It is worth noting that the celebration of the “Night of Champions” in Havana once again demonstrates the growing relations between the Cuban regime and Russia. Kirill Shchekutyev, the Russian promoter of the IBA in charge of supervising the event, pointed out that the “strong” relations between both countries have facilitated the organization of this event.

Combat program