World Boxing Series: Excellent Return for Cuba

Finding first-level competitions for our boxers is really difficult, the announced return of the World Series of Boxing (WSB) seems like a gust of fresh air to give training to a new generation that needs to burn stages to reach higher goals.

The WSB was initially launched in 2010, with 12 teams representing an equal number of franchises and countries from around the world, but ceased to exist in 2018, cut short by financial problems that now intend to solve with a rebranding.

With the aim of bringing together the best amateur boxers and some professionals, the new program aims to reach higher than ever, and although it’s not yet known whether it will maintain the regional group phase, the prize money and Olympic qualification places at stake will be kept, the latter if the International Boxing Association (IBA) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) ultimately reach an agreement.

Los Domadores de Cuba and the Lobos de Astana dominated their previous versions with three titles each, in events that saw, in addition to the Cuban stars such as Julio César la Cruz, Arlen López, and Lázaro Álvarez, other fighters who later earned celebrity in professionalism such as the Ukrainians Oleksandr Usyk and Sergiy Derevyanchenko, the Frenchman Tony Yoka, the British Michael Conlan and the American Rau'shee Warren, just to mention a few, in addition to the Uzbek Hasanboy Dusmatov and the Frenchman Sofiane Oumiha, recent contestants in the 2024 Paris Games.

The return of the WSB is scheduled for 2025 and the format and contestants have not yet been defined, but it’s already excellent news for Cuban boxing, whose recent poor performances in international competitions owe much to the inexperience of its representatives.

Even if it’s in semi-professional fights, facing European rivals will be of great value to our boxers, who as we’ve said on other occasions had to take a step forward and become top representatives before their time.

However, in the Cuban case, the fight could also serve to extend the sporting careers of those legends we mentioned above, who may no longer be able to sustain the daily pace of fights in an amateur competition, but who can shine on isolated nights and continue to give joy to their fans, without holding back the rise of their replacements.

According to what was announced, the new franchises could also have female representation, so in that case the result would be twice as important for Cuban boxing, which is in urgent need of promoting women in the rink after its late debut in the international arena.

Whatever the fate of the competition, it will be a boost for Cuba, of that we are certain.

Translated by Amilkal Labañino / CubaSí Translation Staff