Cuba added a couple of successes this Wednesday through the debutants Erislandy Álvarez and Jorge Cuéllar in order to maintain the undefeated step in the World Boxing Championship which is held in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan.
Álvarez, a Cuban representative in the 60-kilogram division from Cienfuegos, was too much for the Indonesian Gianlugi Kalaipupin, whom the referee sent back to his corner in the same initial round after two protection counts, according to a report from the sports portal Hit.
The publication adds that straight punches and hard hooks on the loser’s body defined the outcome, the one that allows the Cuban to advance to a higher-ranking commitment agreed for next Monday against the Dominican Alexis de la Cruz, bronze medalist of the previous tournament edition.
“Actually I thought about covering the three rounds, but I realized that the opponent loosened up and it is always better to finish without the need for a vote by the judges,” said Álvarez, quoted by the media.
For his part, Cuéllar, from Espiritu, found a different panorama in his 71-kilo fight. The Australian Shannan Davey was a difficult opponent who was imposed by a vote of 3-1.
points Hit that the Caribbean was dominant at the beginning and won the two initial rounds, but made defensive oversights that allowed his opponent a better closing; hence the divided ruling of the judges.
After this closed debut in competitions outside the island, Cuéllar will return to the ring on Saturday to cross blows with the South African Simnikiwe Bongco, bronze in the Commonwealth Games.
The Cuban army will have action again this Thursday with the second presentation of the three-time world champion Lázaro Álvares (63.5 kg), who starts as a favorite to subdue the Ethiopian Mesfin Keralah.
In addition, the debut in the tournament of the young Alejandro Claro (48 kg) and Fernando Arzola (+ 92 kg) is scheduled. They will have in the opposite corner the Armenian Baregham Harutyunyan and the Italian Diego Lenzi, respectively.
So far, Cuba has recorded five successes in the same number of appearances in the tournament that took place at the Humo Arena in the Uzbek capital, with the registration of 600 fighters from more than a hundred nations.
