Rematch set for Cuban boxing in 2024

Cuban boxing fell short of expectations in 2023 with two poor results in both the Central American and the Caribbean Games held in San Salvador and Santiago’s Pan American Games.

Things kicked off pretty well in the World Championship held in Tashkent, but results eventually cooled off in the multidisciplinary sports events, two gold medals in El Salvador and other two golds in Chile.

However, Paris 2024 is already around the corner, and it will be certainly the perfect chance to reverse things, at the best possible scenario. So this sport discipline may regain its brand name: the flagship of Cuban sports.

No doubt, the continental title-holders Julio César La Cruz and Arlen López will be our leaders, but the rest of the team is still unknown. Except for Saidel Horta, no one else has earned their tickets to the City of Light.

But this will change in the first weeks of March, March 4-11, in Italy. The technical staff has yet to decide who to call in the divisions of 51, 63.5, 71, and 92+ kilograms.

The last two seem to already have their owners. The leading boxers in these divisions have proven to be above the rest, and they are Jorge Cuellar and Fernando Arzola. However, the staff still cast doubts on the other two.

At 51 kg, Erislán Romero and Alejandro Claro look quite even, and among the light welterweight, the decision is even harder with the two Álvarez: Lázaro (three times world champion) and Erislandy (current world champion runner up).

Unfortunately, Erislán and The Prince (Lázaro Álvarez) had both health issues and could not make it to the 60^th Playa Girón National Boxing Tournament. Hopefully, as it happened last year, friendly bouts will be held.

It is certain that Romero and Claro will fight for their ticket that way as both have quite similar track record in boxing. Nonetheless, between the Álvarez, Lázaro has more experience and it may ultimately help to tilt the odds in his favor.

Erislandy started 2023 very well with his silver medal in Tashkent, but failed in San Salvador, and Lazarito looked great before the Pan American event, but performed poorly there.

This opens a loophole for the Cienfuegos native, who beat one of the toughest opponents Cubans have faced so far — at the professional level —in Mexican Roberto Gómez Sariñana.

On the other hand, the man from Pinar del Río closed 2023 in not a good shape. He lost to Russian Albert Batygaziev, and thus the opportunity to be the first Cuban boxer with a professional world champion belt.

The name of the Cuban boxer in this division will be decided on the ring and I dare to say that whoever wins it, he will be one of the top candidates to win a medal in Paris 2024.

Translated by Sergio A. Paneque Díaz / CubaSí Translation Staff