Cuban Boxing: The start of a new era in Varadero on April 11th

Given Cuba’s relentless production of world-class fighters, it’s remarkable that as I write this, the Caribbean nation will host its first professional boxing event in over 60 years this month.

Fidel Castro’s ban of professional boxing in Cuba back in 1962 cast a shadow over one of the sports greatest nations, but it seems a new era of Cuban boxing is upon us.

Whether amateur or professional, boxers from Cuba have always held their own. A nation so integral to the sport, that it’s known famously for having its own style of boxing. ‘Cuban style’ is defined by the cliché of ‘hit and not get hit’, emphasising supreme defensive movement and footwork. Such style has led to the successes of fighters hailing from The Pearl of the Antilles for decades.

The historic card in Varadero this month promoted by German outfit AGON sports will showcase some of Cuba’s greatest ever talents. Julio Cesar La Cruz, arguably one of the greatest amateur boxers of all-time, will headline on the night in a WBA final eliminator at bridgerweight against Dilan Prasovic.

“I am so excited to fight in Cuba for the first time since turning professional after a lengthy amateur career” La Cruz told Sportsbyte. “It will be an honour and a pleasure to fight in front of our own people.”

La Cruz left the amateurs with a legacy gleaming with gold. The Cuban sensation was a serial winner, claiming four gold medals at the Pan American Games, five gold medals at the World Championships, and then topping off a generational amateur career with gold medals at the Rio and Tokyo Olympics.

The 35-year-old is 3-0 since turning professional in 2022, and despite a pro career plagued by inactivity thus far, hopes that the return of professional boxing to Cuba will eliminate the current limitations that Cuban boxers face.

“We Cuban boxers are very happy and excited about this decision by the country’s presidency and authority to give us the opportunity to box professionally without having to leave our country. It will be a massive boost for all of us since we will have so many more opportunities that we did not have before.

“Here in Cuba, boxing is a very popular sport” La Cruz added. “Every time we fight, we come with the blood and courage of all our great heroes who fought for our independence and for us to be a free country. This is why Cuba produces so many world class fighters.”

La Cruz was part of a special crop of Cuban fighters who dominated the amateur circuit for a decade. Former teammates Andy Cruz and Robiesy Ramirez have already stamped their authority on the professional ranks after defecting to the USA to pursue a professional career, but April’s historical card could change the future of Cuban boxing indefinitely.

Four other Cuban fighters will take the stage in Varadero, including lightweight Olympic gold medalist in Paris, Erislandy Alvarez.

At just 24-year-old, Alvarez has entered the professional ranks much earlier than your typical Cuban boxer, who have been forced to compete as amateurs for a prolonged period of time due to the ban on professional boxing.

“It feels so good to fight in our own backyard and even more so at a professional level” said Alvarez speaking to Sportsbyte.

“The future is very exciting, it’s great that Cuban boxers can fight on big professional cards. But It’s going to happen little by little because professional boxing in Cuba is only just starting” he added.

Alvarez won silver in the 2023 World Championships after suffering defeat in the final to long-time amateur starlet Sofiane Oumiha, but the Cuban inflicted his revenge when the pair met again in the Olympic final in Paris last year, as Alvarez took home the coveted gold medal.

The recently crowned Olympic champion has expressed the importance of Cuba to the foundations of the sport.

“I think Cuba is the root of amateur boxing and growing up, every Cuban boxer has the hunger to fight and be a champion”.

Cuba is one of the most successful nations in the history of the sport, in second place behind the USA in the all-time boxing medal table at the Olympics. However, it’s not just Cuba’s amateur accomplishments that are recognised by boxing enthusiasts, but also what Cuban fighters have achieved in the professional game outside of their home country.

Former two-weight IBF world champion Rances Barthelemy is just one of many Cuban fighters who escaped Cuba to fight professionally in the USA.

‘Kid Blast’ had over 200 amateur fights for the Cuban national team, but ahead of the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, decided to defect to the United States.

“It was very difficult to adapt to professional boxing, without being able to box in Cuba” Barthelemy told Sportsbyte. “At the beginning of your professional development, it is very important to have a good support base from your country.

“But now, I think Cuba has good sports programs and sport development systems, not to mention the love for boxing is in the DNA of Cuba” he added. “The first professional Cuban boxing show in over 60 years is a very historic and positive event for not only Cuban boxing now, but also it’s future”.

At 38 years old, Barthelemy is hitting the tail end of his triumphant professional career. The boxing star left Cuba and reached the pinnacle of the sport, a similar journey to other Cuban natives like Erislandy Lara and Guillermo Rigondeaux – both of whom became world champions.

Cuban-born Yoenis ‘El Bandolero’ Tellez is hoping to follow in the footsteps of the likes of Barthelemy, as fighters who have left Cuba and became world champions.

The 10-0 star, fresh off a career-best win over Julian Williams to win the interim WBA super-welterweight world title, moved from Cuba to Russia in 2020, before ultimately settling in Houston, Texas, two years later.

“I am very proud to represent Cuba as a professional. I am 100% Cuban; I fight for everything that Cuba represents. My fellow Cubans and I are warriors” Tellez told Sportsbyte.

On professional boxing’s returns to Cuba, he added: “I’m very happy that my fellow countrymen can experience and feel the love and pressure of professional boxing, in addition to the large audience that this sport brings. 

“Everyone who deserves it should be given the opportunity to fight professionally in Cuba, and it’s also important that fighters can earn money to improve their economic and living situations.”

Before leaving his country, Tellez trained as an amateur with the Cuban national team. “Us Cubans are known for having beautiful boxing in the amateurs, but amateur and professional boxing are two totally different things. Professional boxing is far more aggressive.” 

24-year-old ‘El Bandolero’ has asserted himself as one of Cuba’s rising boxing stars, and as mandatory challenger to WBA super-welterweight king Terence Crawford, a world title opportunity could be just around the corner.

As the Caribbean nation embarks on a new chapter in the sport next week, the return of professional boxing can only be a positive. With more opportunities for fighters, the influx of elite Cuban talent into the sport will keep growing, ensuring that the country’s rich boxing heritage remains strong.