Cuba Domadores Beats British Lionhearts 5-0 in World Series of Boxing

In front of a large crowd at London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park Copper Box Arena, Cuba Domadores defeated British Lionhearts 5-0 on Thursday and achieved their 13th consecutive victory in Season V of the World Series of Boxing (WSB).

Cuba's latest victory comes after the historic news was revealed that the International Boxing Association (AIBA) has become the exclusive partner for all Cuban boxers from the Cuban Boxing Federation whenever they compete in international boxing competitions, and their WSB team celebrated the occasion with five superb victories.

The British had no chance of qualifying having won only three out of 12 ties in the eight-team event, in which the top four advance to the play-off stage.

Cuban Light flyweight (49Kg) Joahnys ARGILAGOS edged a split decision verdict over British debutant Joe Maphosa in the first fight of the eventy.

Bantamweight (56Kg) unbeaten Cuban Andy Cruz claimed the win on all three scorecards over contender Sean MCGOLDRICK. Despite his young age, Cruz performs well in all facets of boxing, and combined a strong defense with an outstanding array of attacks.

Lionheart's light welterweight (64 kg) Samuel MAXWELL lost to unbeaten rival and London 2012 bronze medalist and two-time AIBA World Championships silver medalist Domadores' Yasnier Toledo. This result gave Cuba the overall victory on the night, and sent Toledo to the top of the Light welterweight rankings, four points ahead of Vincenzo Mangiacapre and Gaybatulla Gadzhialiyev who compete later this weekend.

Cuban Middleweight (75Kg) Arlen LOPEZ won his sixth match of the season against British debutant Troy Williamson. Lopez moves to first in the Middleweight rankings, but will be aware that three further fighters could join him on 30 points at the end of the WSB weekend if they win their respective bouts.

In the last fight, Heavyweight (91 kg) Jitaru IONUT-MIREL was edged out with a technical knock out in round two by WSB Season IV Boxer of the Year Erislandy SAVON. Savon’s victory takes him to the top of the Heavyweight (91 kg) rankings, five points ahead of Kazakhstan’s Vassiliy Levit who will need to win via unanimous decision or by stoppage on Saturday night to retake the lead and claim the sole Olympic quota for the weight class.

Cuban wrestlers for Toronto Pan American Games

Obtaining the six still pending tickets for the Pan American Games in Toronto will be the goal of Cubans that will compete in the continental wrestling championship to be held in Chile from April 24 to 26.

On Chilean soil, Cuba will be represented by 18 wrestlers, six men in Greco-Roman style and equal number of women and men in freestyle.

The women are seeking four places in the qualifying for the Canadian contest; while men will only have to win one place to complete the roster.

Katherine Videaux (63 kg), winner in Guadalajara 2011, said that apart from qualifying to the Toronto games, her main purpose will be facing the best contenders of her division.

Julio Mendieta, head coach of men's national wrestling team, explained they attend the event with the second figures of each division, who are already training in Chile.

He added that Alfredo Cisneros (57 kg) will try to win the remaining qualifying place to the games.

After that tournament in Chile, the Cubans free style and Greco-Roman wrestlers will hold a friendly match against their U.S. opponents in May, held in the United States.

U.S. runners prepare for Havana marathon

The chance to lace up sneakers and take a lap down the iconic Malecón esplanade is a dream that is only now becoming a reality for many U.S. citizens.

For runners, one way to legally get to Cuba is to sign up for the Havana Marathon – a grueling, hilly course known locally as Marabana that winds its way through Old Havana, past the El Morro fortress and down the iconic Malecón – and tour companies offering packages to take racers to and from Havana for the race have seen a dramatic increase in interest.

What makes the Havana Marathon different from its more famous cousins like the Boston or New York races is the distinct Cuban culture surrounding the race. There are no corporate banking sponsors like TCS or John Hancock emblazoning their logos on signs or bibs, no energy bars handed out during the race and no international television coverage. Instead marathoners here in Havana drink sugary, distilled water, race alongside people wearing boots or worn-out canvas tennis shoes and head through the post-colonial architecture of the Cuban capital.

This year's marathon race here in Havana takes place on November 15th.