2024-06-08 14:33:17
Textual content: Editorial Cuba Noticias 360
Foto: RL Hevia
Simply two months after going for his third consecutive Olympic crown, Julio César La Cruz from Camagüey has as soon as once more made his title within the annals of Cuban boxing, by turning into the largest winner within the historical past of the Playa Girón tournaments, whose 61st version ended the day earlier than in Guantánamo.
With the victory in opposition to his co-provincial Nelson Williams within the 92-kilogram closing, the captain of the Cuban boxing squad added the 14th belt in these nationwide competitions to his intensive showcase of awards and, within the course of, broke the tie he maintained with the Additionally legendary Félix Savón.
In lower than six months, La Cruz reached and surpassed the three-time monarch underneath the 5 rings, because it was solely final January when he equaled Savón, after profitable the sixtieth model of the event held within the province of Sancti Espíritus, in a closing in opposition to Santiago’s Freddy Pérez.
“I didn’t come into this world to surpass anybody, however to meet myself and I believe that’s what has come out. The information and titles have occurred on their very own, I’ve achieved them due to a lot time devoted to boxing, with quite a lot of love, will and particularly self-discipline,” the Camagüey idol instructed the sports activities publication Jit.
Nonetheless, what was most stunning about his statements was the potential for extending his intensive and award-winning profession till after the Paris Olympic Video games, the place he may win the gold medal simply the day earlier than turning 35 years outdated, on the eleventh. of August.
“There’s nonetheless Julius Caesar for some time. So long as I really feel in good bodily form, I’ll proceed combating each in Cuba and within the skilled cartels to which I’m invited. And I’m additionally considering that the Paris Olympic Video games won’t be the final both,” declared the additionally five-time world champion.
Returning to his new feat within the Playa Girón tournaments, “La Sombra” isn’t solely now the only real proprietor of the biggest variety of scepters in an occasion the place dozens of boxers who’ve additionally tasted Olympic glory have paraded. As well as, his 14 gold medals have been received in three totally different divisions.
After reigning 9 instances within the 81 kilograms, the primary of them in a distant yr 2008 when he was solely 18 years outdated, he rose to 91 kg earlier than the Tokyo Olympics and in that class he received three belts. However since 2023 he needed to acquire one other kilo to be consistent with the brand new worldwide divisions, so his final two got here within the 92s.
La Cruz was one of many 4 qualifiers for Paris 2024 who received their respective divisions, because the forecasts indicated. Additionally repeating their golds from final January had been Arlen López (81) and Saidel Horta (57), who, along with Julio, had licensed their passage to the summer time occasion on the Pan American Video games in Santiago, Chile 2023.
In the meantime, Alejandro Claro (51 kg), categorized within the pre-Olympic event within the Italian metropolis of Busto Arsizio final March, took revenge for his failure in opposition to Giorvis Salfrán within the Sancti Spiritus closing in January and now beat him to win the title. flyweight division title.
Exactly, nowadays 4 different Cuban boxers are in Bangkok, capital of Thailand, within the second and final qualifier of the game of fists for the joust underneath the 5 rings. To date, Jorge Cuéllar (71) and Erislandy Álvarez (63.5) have emerged victorious of their first fights, in addition to Yakelin Stornell (66) amongst girls, whereas tremendous heavyweight Fernando Arzola (+92) debuts this Tuesday.