Boxing: Yoenlis Hernandez and his world title without being national champion

Havana, December 25 (RHC)-- The surprising title won in the World Boxing Championship held last month in Budapest, Hungary, boosted the medium-sized Agramontino Yoenlis Hernandez to obtain one of the Mentions assigned in the 2021 Sportsmen of the Year awards in Cuba.

And the most surprising thing of all is that the 24-year-old, owner of a powerful left jab combined with accurate right hooks, achieves that title of the orb without having won a Playa Giron National Boxing Tournament, something unprecedented in the annals of the well-named flagship of Cuban sport.

"Without being a national champion, I am given the responsibility of representing Cuba in that world championship. But I concentrated well in every fight, I followed all the instructions given to me by my coach Victor Sanchez and, as the tournament went on, I felt more confident until I won the gold, commented the Agramontino middleweight."

Yoenlis emphasized that all the fights were complicated because he was making his debut in a World Championship, and reaching that gold medal, when he did not come out as a favorite for the title, is the greatest thing that has happened to him and so he closes this year 2021 very happy.

"When I won the first fight against the Brazilian, my coach (Victor) approached me in the hotel room and told me that the forecast they had given me was to try to get a bronze medal; but that I had worked very hard to be able to think about the gold," Yoenlis said.

The young man from Agramontino also told ACN that when he secured the bronze medal, he still did not feel confident, but a little more confident. And he told his trainer that he would change the color of that one. And undoubtedly, with this world title, Yoenlis' expectations increase for the coming year 2022, in which his initial step will be to consolidate the first place in his division in the country.

"I want to continue to stay as I am, being the same person, training hard every day, focused on my training for the pride of my coach, to whom I promise that together with him I will achieve many more positive results," he said.

Yoenlis, who confirmed to imitate with his boxing on many occasions his fellow countryman and five-time world champion Julio Cesar La Cruz, included among the 10 best athletes of the year, commented to ACN about the expected participation of the Domadores de Cuba in professional events.

"That brings with it more training and more precision. The preparation includes more work regimen, but the fundamental thing is to maintain what you have always been doing in the gym: prepare yourself strong and very concentrated, complying with all the instructions of the coaches," Yoenlis Hernandez stressed.