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Newcomer Saidel Horta made his debut with a victory at the opening of the World Boxing Championship in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, and brought Cuba's first success in the competition.

Havana, May 1 (RHC) - Newcomer Saidel Horta made his debut with a victory at the opening of the World Boxing Championship in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, and brought Cuba's first success in the competition.

A native of the province of Ciefuegos (south-central Cuba), the southpaw fighter deserved the vote of the five judges against the Belarusian Maksim Dankov (30-26, 30-26, 30-27, 30-26 and 30-25), to seal the first success of the Cuban team.

According to Radio Rebelde's broadcast, the bronze medalist of last year's world youth championship took advantage in the exchanges in the first two rounds, supported by his better punching, and knowing he was the winner, he fought from long distance in the third round.

This Monday, 41 fights will be disputed on the opening day. In addition to the 57 kg, there will also be fights in the 60, 92 and over 92 kg divisions, although Cubans Erislandis Álvarez, Julio César La Cruz and Fernando Arzola will not fight.

In the end, there were four "seeded" Cuban athletes: two-time Olympic champions Roniel Iglesias (67 kg), Arlen Lopez (80 kg) and Julio Cesar La Cruz (92 kg), and world champion Yoenlis Hernandez (75 kg).

Of the stars of the Cuban team, only three-time universal champion Lázaro Álvarez (63.5 kg) was the only one who was not awarded seeded status.

The number of boxers closed at 538 and the number of countries represented at 107, both remarkable in the midst of the boycott orchestrated by some national federations.

The draw determined that on Tuesday there will be a double Cuban presence in the majestic Humo Arenas, in charge of Lázaro Alvarez, as opponent of the Mexican César Morales, and the young Nelson Williams (86 kg), who will face the Dominican Daniel Guzmán in his first trial by fire at this level.

The remaining initial presentations of Rolando Acebal's students will be extended until the eighth day of a competition in which, in addition to Cuba, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, India and Kazakhstan appear with 13 competitors.