Even though we missed the incandescent lights penetrating the darkness of the ring before the initial gong, the high-sounding music and beautiful girls announcing with their bodies the beginning of each round of the World Series of Boxing, the “Playa Girón National Tournament “demonstrated, above all things, that there are right now in Cuba very few divisions that have an undisputed figure.
The championship, under the shadow and curiosity of the return of several of our stellar figures (sanctioned by indiscipline), provided a series of combats gathering in the ring the fight for national belt and bloody rivalry between boxers.
There were no surprises in the light flyweight and flyweight, as it was known beforehand that Yosvani Veitía (49 kg) and Gerardo Cervantes (52 kg) would fight with the tranquility of knowing themselves kings in their respective divisions.
The respective performances of both fighters reinforce the idea that right now they have no rivals in Cuba; perhaps this could much influence on their commitments outside home, or maybe when facing higher quality opponents and latent concern for a seat on the national team, the results were others in the international arena.
The third fight of the final put face to face Marcos Forestal vs. Robeisy Ramirez. A small dejavu took them to an explosive scene happened weeks ago but in which they played different roles. Ramirez is sanctioned and separated from the national team and therefore Forestal took the place of the Olympic champion. So, the latter was the main actor, while Ramirez was the supporting actor.
Now, almost a month later, everything returns to its place and they both had the opportunity to put things in their right place. This time Robeisy would not be supporting Forestal just like did that World Series night; on the contrary, he is in the opposite corner with the same enthusiasm of that night but this time with the intention of transforming it into a barrage of punches worth of his return to the leading role in the division.
Robeisy was not at the height of his lofty class, he did not launch combinations of straights, uppercuts and jabs, neither had an impressive performance with his mighty left swing and nor had enough feet speed, while Forestal took advantage of that fact by providing effective combinations to the plexus of his opponent and also showed an excellent defense to definitely win the belt in the 56 kg.
In the 60 kilos, Pinar del Rio´s Lazaro Alvarez showed himself impregnable again, with excellent defense, able to fight in all three distances without rivals can reach his face, increasingly bold, and he is not longer that boxer that two years ago, when knowing himself with great talent, only tried to please himself reserving his strength for times of danger. Again, the left-hander did his homework to be crowned national champion for the first time in his career as well as being the winner of the distinction as most technical boxer of the contest.
The 64 kg division would bring back other of the recently sanctioned, Yasniel Toledo, who would face in the final the versatile Luis Oliva. A fight without much cache in which the first imposed his rhythm with no problem. To his rival, Oliva, a talent that has been just that, the continuous changes of divisions continue affecting him and has failed to settle on a specific weight which makes him cannon fodder for the leading figures, in the fighter by excellence in the national finals, which he always reaches but never wins.
By far, the final of the 69 kg was the most morbid, a rematch bout in which Arisnoide Despaigne faced Roniel Iglesias. The first one, 28, tasted the delicious flavor of glory to be world silver medalist. The second, Olympic champion, pound for pound the best Cuban boxer, separated from the national team for indiscipline.
Roniel came to regain lost ground, to prove that his style is a mass destruction weapon that few in the world can escape of it. His sporting shape was a mystery, but nobody doubts of his class. So, a lefty and a right-handed puncher climbed into the ring, the first is a gallant between strings, and the second one a ferocious fighter.
In the first round they both respected the curriculum of each one, but Iglesias took a slight advantage. The second round was accompanied by Rosniel´s waltz, a performance that left Despaigne completely lost and out of rhythm, a big beaten based on waist and torso movements accompanied by jabs, swings, straights and hooks with both hands. When the third round ended up and the judges gave the verdict, Rosniel turned to the fans and raised both arms, only to announce his return.
Both in 75 and 81 kilos there were winners from the beginning to end. In both divisions the champions (Ramón Luis and Julio Cesar La Cruz respectively) won by only using a slightest effort, they only performed at half speed to subdue their opponents to the gallows. Perhaps, Luis has had to put a little more tenacity to his performance, to sweat more, and exchanging punches a few more times, but La Cruz has enough with his name, the contenders at this weight go straight to the gallows without any expectation to beat him. Caesar those who are going to die salute you !
Erislandy Savon and Lenier Perot, cruises in the end, starred a rocky bout, disputed from the start, without mincing words, both boxers did not ceased of fighting in the short distance, both in the middle of the ring and in the corners in clear provocation “to see who punches more.” But Perot was much more accurate by hitting a very effective left swing that made Savon to drive back a couple of times.
But as a whole train, Erislandy, despite taking the worst balance in these exchanges, did not stop and accepted the challenge, in which the judges gave him the victory despite his display has been seen lower than that of Perot.
The final fight was the already customary duel between Yoandi Toirac and Jose A. Larduet on + 91 kg. It was a bout which despite being narrowly decided did not meet pre-competition expectations. Both men were slow, too cautious. In that trance of confusion Larduet took greater advantage and in the last round with a little more accurate punch he managed to take the national crown.
