Cuban Boxing

ODD-JOB

My Old man used to teach me on the boxing as a kid and Ive always been fascinated with the Cuban tradition, as each Olympic year came !

Apart from defectors , which is becoming ever more prolific, the Cuban boxing talents are largely forgotten by the mainstream fight-fans.
Then every 4th year , we are dazzled by a new breed of "world beaters" who totally dominate the sport of boxing.

So what makes such an under-privilaged nation produce such great talents , who then disappear again until the next World championships/Olympics ?

Fidel Castro : The president promised in the early 1960's to provide as much as possible to the country's sporting youth. Despite their crippling economy , and the disaster of the control the USA had, in stunting and destroying any chance of development or advancement in Cuba , Fidel always managed to provide the essntials for talents to emerge.

Cuba is littered with gymnasiums and boxing schools , with even the youngest of kids "playing" boxing , like Irish kids play football.
Kids aree assessed throughout thier schooling , with anybody standing out being directed towards special boxing schools where they are coached and nutured by the previous generation of top-class boxers.


The hunger that exists in Cuba stems from the desire to be revered amongst their nation. The desire to be repected and admired like their own hero's , representing Cuba on the world stage,..
There must be no greater pleasure than taking gold medals from the grasp of the USA.

Former *******n gold medallist Teofilo Stevenson famously said :
" What is $5m compared to 5 million Cubans who love me?"

The defectors havent always been amazing on world stage though , for a number of reasons.
The type of person to abandon Cuba, is also quite likely to abandon the disciplined lifesyle so necessary to pinnacle in the sport.
Strict lives of boxing devotion is replaced with all the glitter and gold of the American and European "dream".

The absolute top pass through the Rafael Trejo gym .
A run down old courtyard in havana, where the most celebrated boxers and trainers still go around in rags. They recieve little financial rewards for their triumphs.



Politics often help choose who gets on to the Olympic stage, leaving an unknown quantity back in Cuba .
Some argue that the level of boxing in Cuba is at least equal to the World Pro game, nobody really knows.