Havana, December 17 (RHC) -Rolando Garbey, world champion and the first three-time Pan American champion of Cuban boxing, died in Havana at the age of 76 from two heart attacks.

Garbey, 76, "died at 8:15 p.m. Saturday night of two cardiac arrests, after being admitted to the Hermanos Ameijeiras Hospital, where he underwent surgery for peritonitis," his daughter Margarita Garbey told Cubadebate.

Cubadebate recalled that Garbey, trained by legendary professor Alcides Sagarra, the father of the Cuban Boxing School, won two Olympic medals: silver in Mexico 1968 and bronze in Montreal 1976, took the title in the World Championship in Havana 74, and three gold medals in Pan American Games: Winnipeg-67, Cali-71 and Mexico-75.

"Pain in Cuban sport," wrote on the social network X the president of Inder, Osvaldo Vento Montiller, who evoked the trajectory of the man who added Olympic silver and bronze medals, was world champion and was proclaimed triple monarch in Pan American Games.

Vento also pointed out that after a long and fruitful career as a finner, Garbey embraced the mission of teaching and carried it out until his last days at the same national school where he was forged.

"His triumphant passage through the most demanding competitive scenarios, and his work as a trainer, will accompany us as a permanent inspiration," the COC posted on its Facebook page.

The president of the FCB, Alberto Puig de la Barca, highlighted the exemplary service record of a man who, in addition to his achievements as an athlete, became an expression of Cuban citizenship and commitment to his homeland.

"We dawn with the sad news of the death of this glory of our sport," said the message, which like the previous ones includes sending condolences to the family and closest friends of Garbey, whose death occurred on Saturday night.

Family sources explained that two heart attacks caused the death, after a peritonitis that followed a surgical intervention, and specified that the burial will be next Wednesday.

In one of his last interviews, Garbey said last month that the American Ray Leonard, whom he considered one of the best in the world, once said that he and Enrique Refueiferos were "the only Cuban boxers whose quality could have beaten him".

A native of Santiago Cuba, Garbey came from a family of athletes. Two of his siblings, jumper and sprinter Marcia Garbey and former major leaguer Bárbaro Garbey, also had notable results.  

In addition to working until his last days at the Boxing School, known as the Finca del Wajay, Garbey also worked as a trainer in countries such as Angola, Algeria, Zimbabwe, Venezuela and Mexico.

Sources: Cubadebate and Jit