Roniel and La Cruz Celebrate Boxing Success
The boxing contest was distinguished by excellent fights, high competition and the fourth consecutive win by Camaguey. Roniel Iglesias (69kg division) achieved his seventh title to come eighth among top winners of the Playa Girón National Boxing Tournaments. Former boxer Félix Savón leads the list with 13 wins in this tournament.
Welter weight Iglesias, Olympic champ in London, beat world champion runner up Arisnoidys Despaigne 3-0.
“It is stimulating this effort to go forward, mainly because we are talking about an event of great tradition and it is good to start 2015 with the World Boxing Series, World Boxing Championship and Pan American Games,” said Iglesias.
“We knew each other well and my strategy went as expected and he made many mistakes this time,” Iglesias talked about the fight he led as he wished from the beginning to the end. “I always work on my training with my thoughts on the gold medal and I believe this is the reward,” he added.
For Julio César La Cruz (81kg) defeating Enmanuel Reyes 3-0 with no major problems meant to finish winning the sixth title in these tournaments and match former boxer Pablo Romero at the top of this division and placed at the end of the season among the best Cuban athletes in 2014.
Olympic featherweight champ Robeisy Ramírez found tough opposition in juvenile 2012 world bronze medalist Andy Cruz but celebrated his win 2-1.
The fight showed constant punch exchanges in all distances. Ramírez did better by the end of the fight, although judges had different opinions in their decisions.
Flyweight Yosbany Veitía had an uncomplicated fight and won 3-0 over Jorge Luis Cordero. Veitía made his winning debut in this division. He has won the title three times in the 49kg division.
Lázaro Álvarez (60kg) beat promising young fighter Armando Martínez 3-0 as well in a fight Álvarez didn't need to work too hard.
Light welterweight Yasnier Toledo stopped the impetus of Luis Oliva with a standing count on the second round and won the title 3-0.
Everyone expected a stimulating fight and constant exchanges between middle weights Arlen López and Emilio Correa. However, López defeated Correa 3-0 due to the quality and clarity of his punches amid the contact action shown by both contenders.
In another exciting and last fight on Sunday, challenger Leinier Peró was crowned winner over Yoandris Toirac 2-1 in the heavyweight division.
Santiago Amador beat Luis Correoso 3-0 in the 49kg division and Erislandy Savón (91kg) won his victory over Henrich Ruiz 3-0 on Saturday's two final fights.
The Camaguey team won their fourth consecutive win in this event with three gold and four bronze medals followed by Guantanamo (2 gold and 4 bronze) and Pinar del Río with two gold medals.
Wrestling events for 2015
Cuban wrestling will have a very competitive 2015 with several tournaments including the Junior Pan American Games from May 3 to 9 in Havana.
The continental event will be held at Coliseo de la Ciudad Deportiva with action in the men's Greco-Roman style and men and women free style.
Eduardo Perez, national wrestling commissioner told reporters that hosting such events is a great achievement, since Cuba has not hosted such important events for more than two decades.
Perez highlighted that Cuban young gladiators are training well to have positive results and give a good show to the audience.
In 2015, Cuba will also host the traditional International Tournament Cerro Pelado-Granma from February 8 to 15, with the participation of foreign wrestlers, mainly Europeans and Americans.
Other wrestling tournaments will take place on the island including a wrestling event for elementary students in April, and the National Sports School Games in July. Both events are focused on securing the relay of Cuba's wrestling.
International Soccer
Spanish club Real Madrid won 2-0 the match against the Argentinean club San Lorenzo to conquer the World Soccer Clubs event, by extending their wins and ratifying the Spanish team as the best of 2014.
Defender Sergio Ramos scored in the 37th minute of the game and Welsh Gareth Bale at 51. This was enough to give the Real Madrid the only trophy left at the trophy room of the Santiago Bernabeu camp.
This will be an unforgettable year that ends with this title, but the season still goes on and we are going to work to make 2015 as good as this one, said Los Merengues' coach Italian Carlo Ancelotti.
The team and its coach is to maintain their pace and if possible, break the record of 24 straight wins for any soccer team.
The Auckland City from the US beat the Mexican Cruz Azul 4-3 in penalty shots for the third position of this World Clubs event held in Morocco.
