Erislandy: I Want to Strengthen my Punch

Erislandy Álvarez was the only representative of the Cuban team that took a gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, and today he is one of the most followed by fans, as he demonstrated at the last Night of Champions of the International Boxing Association (IBA).

There he won by unanimous decision against Colombian boxer José Ignacio Muñoz, but it was a real spectacle to see him on the ring, even though at times he went overboard with some gestures.

In this regard, he told CubaSí:
“For me it is very important to put on a show in the ring, that people leave happy with the show. I’m very happy that whoever comes to see me leaves satisfied and the stadiums are full.”

For the Cienfuegos native it was quite complicated to get involved in a six-round duel, when less than a month before he was boxing three in Paris, and he had to speed up to gain stamina.

“In two weeks no one can adapt to boxing twice as much, but we are ready for whatever it comes. I felt pretty good, in the last round I got a little tired, I slowed down a little in the previous one to save strength and let him wear himself out a little more to close better.”

Although brief, a reference to what he experienced in the City of Light could not be missing from the exchange, because it will mark him for the rest of his life, being also the last to qualify.

“I was crazy to do that rematch with (the French Sofiane) Oumiha, he did not accept in one of these Champions Nights, then in the Gala in Varadero neither, but already in the Olympic Games I could not say no, and finally I was able to achieve my victory.

“Since we fought the first time we have had a good friendship, but on the ring it’s different, there we are not friends.”

Regarding his future plans, he is obviously completing his list of achievements with the rest of the belts the IBA awards, since this was only his first, after finishing with silver at the world event in Tashkent 2023.

“I’m missing the other titles. The one I desire the most is the World Championship, but I also want to be the Central American and Pan American champion, and now that we are starting in the professional world, also the IBA champion.”

Regarding the latter, he expressed that he has a particular mission:

“After what Arlen (López) and Julio César (La Cruz) did, I have to follow in their footsteps. In terms of training, the demands of these fights are quite different from those of the normal world of IBA, but if there’s one thing I have to work on especially, it’s my punching, that is what will really make me a much more complete boxer.”

He is not wrong, if he gains strength with his punching, that will be the spectacularity that he seeks so much on the arena, and what will definitely put him in the glory.

Translated by Amilkal Labañino / CubaSí Translation Staff