Fernando Arzola achieved today the first victory of the Cuban delegation in the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games.

Havana, October 19 (ACN)-- Fighter Fernando Arzola, in the +92 kilograms (kg) division, achieved today the first victory of the Cuban delegation in the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games, which will be officially inaugurated tomorrow in this city.

Arzola, silver medalist in the last World Boxing Championship, won by no-show against Charles Jno, from Dominica, according to the tournament organizers.

Still in the afternoon, 5:00 p.m. local time, 4:00 p.m. in Cuba, two other Cuban boxers will step into the ring: Saidel Horta (57 kg) and the female Arianne Imbert (66 kg).

At the Olympic Training Center, venue of the fist sport competitions, Horta, also runner-up in the most recent world championship, will have as his first opponent Miguel Fernando Vega from Mexico.

Imbert, winner of the bronze medal in the Central Caribbean Games in San Salvador, concluded last August, will make her debut against Maria Altagracia Moronta, from the Dominican Republic, and will try to make history with the first victory of a Cuban boxer in continental multisport events.

With the forecast of three gold medals, the Caribbean nation's boxing will take on the challenge of the XIX Pan American Games, in which Lázaro Álvarez (63.5 kg), Arlen López (80 kg) and Julio César La Cruz (92 kg) were consecrated.

In the case of Alvarez and La Cruz, they will be looking for their fourth title, while Lopez will try to achieve his third gold medal.

Four years ago in Lima, Peru, the fighters from the largest of the Antilles swept eight gold medals, in addition to a silver and a bronze, to dominate this discipline by countries, far ahead of Colombia (2-2-1).