La Cruz: I Will Always be Willing to Represent My Flag

I was one of those who thought, because he himself had hinted to me, that Julio César La Cruz was hanging up his gloves this year.

However, the possibility of holding professional fights much more sporadically than what an amateur tournament requires opens up new possibilities for boxers who, like him, have been on the ring for decades and have won practically everything.

Taking into account this new opportunity, La Cruz intends to extend his successful career a little further, thinking above all about fights like the one he had a few days ago in the Ciudad Deportiva capital, and which represented him becoming world champion of the International Boxing Association (IBA).

Regarding that fight and on other issues related to his immediate future, he commented to the press:

“I want to dedicate this victory mainly to my mother and to this lovely public that came to enjoy Los Domadores, I had been waiting for it for a long time.”

La Cruz was crowned after defeating Uzbek Madiyar Saydrakhimov by unanimous vote, whom he beat for the third time in his life but it was not an easy fight at all. The young European did not give up on his efforts to win, and tried to punch the Cuban, who with his elusive style and constant approches and faints landed the best blows.

“We managed to do our strategy to impose the physique, which is what has characterized me throughout my career and has led me to obtain the results I have.”

In some way, it’s a relief after having fallen short on what was expected of him in his first fight at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where he was none other than the standard-bearer of our delegation. About this new step in his career he said:

“I’m very happy, each achievement is very nice, it’s the payment for the sacrifice we boxers have made, as well as the entire work group and all the people who have contributed a grain of sand to these victories. We have the best technical group in the world, they have all my respect and gratitude; if it were not for them we would not fight as we do.”

Will we continue to see you in amateur tournaments?

“I feel physically fit, the technical group will decide if I can participate in any of the traditional IBA competitions, on my behalf I will always be willing to represent my flag and my country, which is my greatest pride.”

Translated by Amilkal Labañino / CubaSí Translation Staff