The defeats of Olympic medalists Julio César La Cruz, Arlen López, Lázaro Álvarez and Roniel Iglesias at the Tashkent 2023 World Boxing Championship shake Cuban boxing. Faced with the setback in Uzbekistan, the ruling party admitted this Wednesday in his publication of Cubadebate that the Island “plunged into a tailspin.”
For the regime, the elimination of “several of its most high-ranking leaders” in the fight for bronze sets off alerts in the Cuba Tamers team. hurts the knock out in a representative sport for the Island that in this tournament organized since 1974 adds 80 gold, 35 silver and 28 bronze medals.
Julio César La Cruz’s cluster of failures in the 92 kilograms (kg) and arlen lopez (80 kg) was described as a “collapse” by the edition Play Off Magazine. The defeats of the two-time Olympic champions in Tokyo (2020) and Rio de Janeiro (2016) are added to that of Roniel Iglesias (67 kg), gold medalist in Tokyo (2020) and London (2012).
The official Jit site tried to downplay the boxing failure. He considered that La Cruz’s fight was due to a “controversial decision”. According to his analysis, the one who was the favorite to reign at 92 kilograms had a successful performance in the second and third rounds that should have been enough to reverse the 4-1 score given by the victory over Uzbek Lazizbek Mullojonov.
The bunch of failures by Julio César La Cruz in the 92 kilograms (kg) category and by Arlen López (80 kg) was described as a “collapse” by the ‘Play-Off Magazine’ edition
“Another verdict for the questioning of the judges”, published the same edition on the 4-3 defeat of Iglesias. For the sports edition, the native of Pinar del Río had a better performance than his Uzbek rival, Asad Khuja Muy Dinkhujaev, who with this result guarantees the bronze medal.
Arlen López lost 3-4 against the Chinese Tanglatihan Touohetaerbieke. Lázaro Álvarez lost by decision 1-4 against Chinzorig Baatarsukh, in the 63.5 kg category and Jorge Cuéllar (71 kg) was eliminated from the ring by the Indian Nishant Dev.
Cuba finished the day this Wednesday with six wins and six losses.
The defeats in the Domadores team contrast with the success of Andy Cruz, also Cuban. The Olympic champion is already in the United States after signing with the company Matchroom Boxing. The agreement was formalized in Mexico and promoter Eddie Hearn confirmed that the Matanzas native’s debut will be in a 10-round fight with an opponent yet to be defined. The plan is to include him on the card for next July 15, in which the American Alycia Baumgardner will also fight, in Michigan.
“I would give Andy Cruz the favorite today against any lightweight in the world. This guy is incredible. I feel very blessed to have gotten his signature. We delivered a great coup.” stated Hearn to left punch.
The boxer with the greatest projection left the Island in November of last year and settled in the Dominican Republic, he did so after a frustrated escape attempt due to the alleged denunciation of Rolando Céspedes, The prosecutora man who has been in the business of sending athletes out for more than 10 years and presumably has immigration contacts in Cuba.
“I would favor Andy Cruz today against any lightweight in the world. This guy is incredible. I feel very blessed to have gotten his signature,” Hearn said.
Cruz is one of several fighters who defected last year. In March the Cuban boxer Kevin Brown Bazainjunior world champion in Yerevan, Armenia, in 2012, eloped prior to his participation in the Continental Boxing Championship in Guayaquil, Ecuador.
billy rodriguez he took advantage of his trip to Mexico during the month of August to escape. defected after his professional debut with a victory over the Aztec Miguel Ángel Luna.
osvel caballerowinner of a gold medal at the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima and bronze at the 2021 World Boxing Championships in Belgrade, decided on November 2 to stay in Mexico after defeating Gerson Tiger escobar. Two days later, the boxers Albert González and Carlos Castillo they abandoned the team in Germany, where Cuba had clinched its first three bronze medals at the World Cup of Boxing.
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