As happened in the first World Championship organized by the nascent World Boxing, the Cuban army was shipwrecked at the gates of the podium of the universal event called by the questioned International Boxing Association. Boxing (IBA), in which he was only able to secure a medal through double Olympic champion Arlen López.
Dubai He witnessed a new setback, which did not make him hit rock bottom thanks to the performance that guaranteed the Guantanamo’s advance to the semifinals in the 80 kilogram division agreed for this Thursday, review the sports portal Hit.
Only Arlen for #Cuba to the semi-final of the IBA World Cup
Salfrán, Arzola and La Cruz lost. #Boxing #CubanBoxinghttps://t.co/QEr43cg19z pic.twitter.com/x0dQOznuI3— JIT Cuban Sport (@jit_digital) December 11, 2025
The media highlights that a decade after consecrated in the edition held in Doha, Arlen retained the illusion of repeating sensations after overcoming the challenge posed by Nekruz Salimov, from Tajikistan, with a vote of 4-3 “emerged from an additional vote that is activated in those contests when the initial one is 3-2.”
As the ruling reflects, it was a very even fight during the three rounds, as will surely be his next confrontation against the Uzbek Javokhir Ummataliev, who dominated the division in the universal fight sponsored by Boxing last September.
The quarterfinal evening was disastrous for the other three representatives of the island in the tournament, who will return home without prizes.
Among them, the two-time Olympic monarch also stands out. Julio Cesar La Cruzwho was looking for his sixth belt on the planet to equal the harvest of the legendary Félix Savón in these fights.
La Cruz’s options crashed against the Uzbek’s approach Turabek Khabibullayev, whose victory by 4-1 vote seems to have put an end to the Camagüey native’s presentations at this level after nine presentations.
Fernando Arzola (+92 kg) and Giorvis Salfrán (51 kg) suffered a similar fate in the fights that should open the doors to the podium for both. The first almost managed to change the history of their duel by sending Arman Makanov, from Uzbekistan, to the canvas, but that was not enough to avoid defeat, according to the unanimous verdict of the judges.
Boxing World Cup: La Cruz, Arlen and Arzola win again and will go for bronze
The debutant Salfrán said goodbye in the same way, at the hands of the Armenian Rudolf Garboyan, who showed superiority throughout the entire fight.
Despite having accepted the guidelines of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), assuming to the nascent World BoxingCuba’s participation in the tournament organized by the IBA made clear the island’s federation’s intention to maintain its close ties with the IBA.
By participating in the tournament he also sought to improve the image of a few months ago, shown in the British city of Liverpool, where eight fighters registered and only three won bronze medals, thus signing the worst historical performance in World Cups.
