1980 : Moscow Olympic Games

Introduction :

The USA 1980 Olympics boycott was an action to protest against the Soviet invasion of the Afghanistan. Other countries took part to this boycott, for example West Germany or Canada. Cuba will be deprived of US opposition and will only face the other Eastern countries and European countries as France and Great-Britain. Cubans fighters will win trust the podium.

1980 OG were the first to suffer from a large boycott for the boxing tournament and this situation will last until 1992.

Preparation :

1979 :

During the Cordova tournament, the Cubans win, as usual, all gold and silver medals.

During the confrontation between Cuba and the USA, on February 11th, 1979 in Havana, the Cubans win with 18 points to 6, or 9 wins and 3 defeats. ( - 60 kg) Johnny Bumphus/USA def Adolfo Horta on points. ( - 81 kg) Hermenegildo Baez beats Tony Tucker/USA on points and Teofilo Stevenson def Phil Brown/USA also on points (+ 81 kg).

In May 1979, the 12th Giraldo Cordova Cardin Tournament in Havana, Cubans win all the medals.

In July 1979, during the 8th Pan American Games in San Juan/Puerto Rico, Cuba win 5 gold and 2 bronze medals and the USA 4 gold, 3 silver and 1 bronze medals. The USA win 6 direct fights against Cuba, for 3 defeats. This was a real surprise, following the poor US performance in 1978, during the WC. In the quarter-finals, ( - 81 kg), Tony Tucker/USA beats Sixto Soria on points; (- 57 kg) Bernard Taylor/USA def Angel Herrera on points; (- 71 kg), James Shuler/USA def Luis Felipe Martinez on points. In the semi-finals (+ 81 kg), Teofilo Stevenson def Rufus Hadley/USA with a KO.

Angel Herrera right

1980 :

In February 1980, in Charlotte/USA, the USA lose by 10 to 14 against Cuba, or 5 wins for 7 losses. It was also an excellent result. ( - 57 kg) Angel Horta beats Bernard Taylor/USA on points. Teofilo Stevenson def Jimmy Clark/USA on points ( + 81 kg).

In June 1980, during the 13th Giraldo Cordova Cardin Tournament, Cuba win all the medals except one.

Boycott :

The USSR attacked Afghanistan in 1979. The USA gave a deadline to the USSR to withdraw, from this country, with the threat of a boycott of the Olympic Games in Moscow. The USA is supported by various boxing strong countries, including West Germany and Canada. Great-Britain and France supported the boycott, but allowed their athletes to go to Moscow. Italy and Spain were also represented.

Guinea boxing stamp for the Olympic Games in Moscow

62 countries did not participate in the Olympics, despite being invited (including African and South American countries).

Because of this boycott, the level of the boxing tournament was greatly diminished.

USA Team :

It is of course impossible to imagine the results of the confrontation between USA and Cuba at the 1980 Olympic Games. Take also notice that a boxing American selection died in a plane crash near Warsaw/Poland on May 14th, 1980. This selection came to Poland to compete in a tournament. Coach Thomas "Sarge" Johnson, who was in charge of the 1976 Olympic team, was in this selection. A total of 14 boxers died during this accident.

One of the victims, Lemuel Steeples, was the US 1979 Champion and was the 1979 Pan American Games gold medalist, after defeating, among others, Jose Aguilar, on points 5-0. Steeples had also lost the 1979 World Cup final against the Russian Serik Konakbayev, futur 1980 OG silver medalist. Kelvin Anderson, also a victim, had finished 2nd during the 1979 US Championships, losing against Tony Tucker. Anderson had also lost against Sixto Soria in 1978, on points 3-0, during a confrontation between the USA and Cuba.

According to the list of the other victims, no one was a 1979 US champion, or had taken part in the US selection, which met the USSR during a confrontation in the early 1980, or even participated in confrontation with Cuba. In conclusions, this team was not the best US team.

In May 1980, Richard Sandoval, Johnny Bumphus and Marvis Frazier, son of Joe Frazier , become US National Champions.

It is difficult to determine who would have been part of the Olympic boxing team. We have found a list with Richard Sandoval, Bernard Taylor, Johnny Bumphus, Donald Curry, James Shuler, Leroy Murphy and James Broad, who were either pro world champions or have had interesting careers.

The Olympic Games :

The tournament takes place in Moscow from July 19th to August 3rd, 1980.

Postcard of Moscow Olympic Games

Gold medals :

( -54 kg) Juan Bautista Hernandez wins the gold medal in the finals, and beats Pinango Bernardo/Venezuela, on points 5-0. Video of the fight : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ep0q6Mit8Ps Bernardo Pinango will become boxing pro World Champion in 1986 in the bantams and in 1988 in the super-bantams.

Juan Bautista Hernandez right

( - 60 kg) Angel Herrera defeats in the finals Viktor Demyanenko/USSR, by RSC in the 3rd round. Angel Herrera has already won a gold medal at the 1976 OG. He was gold medal at the 1978 WC and will be present at the 1982 WC. Video of the fight : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26IQsCPS0Ws

(- 63 kg) Andres Aldama beats John Mugabi/Uganda, in the finals, on points 4-1. Video of the fight : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVQxB9OuTwk Andres Aldama has already won the silver medal at the 1976 OG and did not win a medal at the 1978 WC. Mugabi had been eliminated in the second round of the 1978 WC. He will become a boxing pro World Champion, in the junior-middleweights in 1989, after losing against Marvin Hagler for the middleweight’s title, in 1986.

( - 71 kg) Armando Martinez wins the gold medal, against Russian Alexander Koshkin, on points 4-1. Martinez will be present at the 1982 WC. Video of the fight: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qEXNX4WHog

( - 75 kg) Jose Gomez wins the gold medal and beats Viktor Savchenko/USSR, on points 4-1. Video of the fight: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48prvGxSwb8 Jose Gomez won the gold medal at the 1978 WC. Savchenko won bronze at the 1976 OG and the gold medal at the 1978 WC, winning against Luis Felipe Martinez, ( - 71 kg).

Jose Gomez left

( 81 + kg) Teofilo Stevenson beats Petr Zayev/USSR, on points 4-1, (see Teofilo Stevenson’s article in this blog).

Silver medals :

( - 48 kg) Hipolito Ramos wins the the silver medal, losing against Shamil Sabirov/USSR, on points 2-3. Ramos will be present at the 1982 WC. Sabirov was eliminated in the first round of the 1978 WC. Video of the fight : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAlPM3t_dp8

(- 57 kg) Adolfo Horta loses the final against the East German Rudy Fink, on points 1-4. Horta won a gold medal at the 1978 WC and will be present at the 1982 WC.

Bronze Medals :

( - 64 kg) José Aguilar wins the bronze medal. Aguilar loses in the semi-finals against Russian Serik Konakbayev, on points 4-1. Konakbayev loses in the finals against Patrizio Oliva/Italy. Patrizio Oliva will be a boxing pro World Champion, in the junior welterweights, in 1986.

(- 81 kg) Ricardo Rojas, wins the bronze medal. He loses in the semi-finals against Grzegorz Skrecz/Poland, on points 2-3. Skrecz lost in the preliminaries of the 1978 WC.

Eliminated without a medal :

( - 51 kg) Jorge Hernandez loses on points for his first fight against Miroshnichenko/USSR. Jorge Hernandez won the gold medal at the 1976 OG and 1974 WC, and won the silver medal at the 1978 WC. Miroshnichenko loses in the finals against the Bulgarian Petar lesov.

Because of the futur Cuban boycott, all the fighter from this island will disappear from the Olympic team.

Teams competition :

Cuba wins the team’s competition, with 6 gold, 2 silver and 2 bronze medals, for an incredible total of 10 medals. The USSR is 2nd with 1 gold, 6 silver and 1 bronze medals. GDR comes third. The first Western country is Italy, with 1 gold medal.

Cuba wins 39 fights for 5 losses, a victories ratio of 88%, a record for this team.

1980 Olympic Postcard

In direct confrontations, Cuba gets 5 victories over the USSR, for 3 defeats.

Alternative Games :

Shortly before the Moscow Olympics, the United States organized alternative games for boycotting countries. For track and field, we found the results of the Liberty Bell Classic, but nothing about boxing.

The US boxing team meets West Germany in August 1980, with a B team.

After the Olympic Games :

Cuba has not taken part at other major competitions after the Olympic Games. This country was absent from the Golden Cup in Kenya, in September 1980. USA and Germany were present.

Misha, the fighting bear, 1980 Olympic Games

Conclusions :

Cuba has won many medals during these games, but against a poor opposition.

Moreover, after these Games, Cuba will be absent of the OG during 12 years. His return will take place only in 1992.

1978 : 2nd AIBA World Championships

Introduction :

The second World amateur boxing Championships organized by the AIBA are a "desert for the media". No video is available on this subject, not only for the Cuban team, but for all participants. We have only found this single photo of these Championships.

Teofilo Stevenson in the center and certainly
Dragomir Vujkovic left
It is the only photo available of this Championships

We will base our article on the records, without newspaper articles of the time.

Preparation of the Cuban Team :

In July 1977, during the 10th Giraldo Cordova Cardin tournament, Cuba wins almost all the medals available.

In August 1977, for the 8th Central American and Caribbean Championships, in Panama City, Cuba wins 8 gold and 2 silver medals. In the -67 kg finals, Michael McCallum/Jamaica beats Emilio Correa on points 4-1.

In November 1977, in Houston/USA, the USA meets Cuba. Cuba wins 7 fights for 4 losses.

(- 48 kg) Jorge Hernandez def Richard Sandoval on points 2-1.
(-54 Kg) Angel Herrera beats Rocky Lockridge on points 3-0.
(-71 Kg) Clinton Jackson beats Luis Felipe Martinez on points 3-0.
(+ 81 kg) Angel Milian beats Greg Page on points 2-1.

In February 1978, in La Havana, Cuba meets the USA. Cuba wins 8 fights for 3 defeats.

(-54 Kg) Rocky Lockridge def Adolfo Horta on points 2-1.
(-57 Kg) Angel Herrera def Johnny Bumphus on points 3-0.
(+ 81 kg) Teofilo Stevenson def Jimmy Clark on points 2-1.

The World Championships :

The 2nd World Championships take place in Belgrade/Yugoslavia, from the 6th to 20th May, 1978.

1978 World Championships Flag, in Belgrade

Eliminated without medal :

(- 60 kg). Bienvenido Lazo is defeated by Vladimir Sorokin/USSR in the quarter-finals, on points, 3-2. Lazo wins his first two fights. Lazo disappears from the Olympic team.

(- 63.5 kg) Andres Adalma is beaten by Veleriy Lvov/USSR, future gold medalist, on points 3-2, in the quarter-finals. Previously, he beats his two first opponents before the limit. Adalma, already a silver medalist in Montreal, will be at the 1980 OG.

Andres Aldama (left), during a competition unknown

(-67 Kg) Emilio Correa loses his second preliminary fight against Ernst Mueller/West Germany, future bronze medalist, by RSC in the 2nd. Emilio Correa was gold medal at the 1972 OG and 1974 CM, and lost in the preliminaries of the 1976 OG. He disappears from the Olympic team.

Silver Medals :

(-48 Kg) Jorge Hernandez loses in the finals against Stephen Muchoki/Kenya, on points 4-1. Previously, Jorge Hernandez beats Richard Sandoval/USA in the semi-finals, on points 4-1. Jorge Hernandez has already won the gold medal at the 1976 OG and 1974 CM. He will attend the 1980 OG. Richard Sandoval becomes a pro World Champion, in the bantams, and wins 29 fights for 1 defeat. Stephen Muchoki becomes a pro fighter, with 14 wins and 3 losses and will never be a World Champion.

(-51 Kg) Hector Ramirez loses in the finals against Henryk Srednicki/Poland. Previously, Ramirez has beaten his first three opponents. He disappears from the Olympic team.

(-71 Kg) Luis Felipe Martinez loses against Viktor Savchenko/USSR in the finals by 3-2. Previously, Martinez has won his first 4 fights, the first against Stéphane Ferrara/France, by 5-0. Martinez was a bronze medalist at the 1976 OG. He disappears from the Olympic team. Viktor Savchenko has won the bronze medal at the 1976 OG and will be at the 1980 OG.

Gold Medals :

(-54 Kg) Adolfo Horta wins the finals against Fazlija Sacirovic/YU, on points 3-2. The latter beats Rocky Lockridge/USA, on points 3-2, in the quarter-finals. Adolfo Horta wins his first 3 fights. Horta will attend the 1980 OG.

(-57 Kg) Angel Herrera beats Bratislav Ristic/YU, in the finals, on points 4 -1. Previously, Herrera has won his first 3 fights. Angel Herrera has already won the gold medal at the 1976 OG and will be present at the 1980 OG.

(-75 Kg) Jose Gomez def Slobodan Kacar/Yugoslavia, by RSC in the 2nd during the semi-finals and Tarmo Uusivirta/Finland on points 5-0, in the finals. Gomez will attend the 1980 OG. Slobodan Kacar will be 1980 Olympic Champion and a pro World Champion in the light-heavyweights.

Jose Gomez, left, during a competition unknown

(-81 Kg) Sixto Soria beats Tadija Kacar/Yugoslavia, on point 4-1, in the finals. Previously, Sixto Soria has defeated his opponents in his first 3 fights. According to the St. Petersburg Times, issued the 18th May, 1978, it has been difficult for Soria to beat the Australian Benjamin Pike, who has dominated the Cuban during the first two rounds. Soria reached his opponent only in the third round and the Australian was then counted by the referee. Soria was silver medalist at the 1976 OG and disappeared from the Olympic team. Tadija Kacar was silver medal at the 1976 Olympic.

(+ 81 kg) Teofilo Stevenson def Dragomir Vujkovic/Yugoslavia in the finals, by retirement in the 2nd. In the quarter-finals, Stevenson beats Tony Tubbs/USA on points 5-0 and Carlos Rivera/Venezuela, in the semi-finals, by RSC in the 2nd.

Tony Tubbs will become a heavyweight pro World Champion. Vujkovic has already lost in the semi-finals of the CM 1974 and was eliminated by Luis Felipe Martinez at the 1976 OG, in the middleweights. He is maybe an "inflated" heavyweight at these championships. The proof is that in February 1978, before the CM, Vujkovic fought against the USA in the light-heavyweights, and won against Charles Singleton. In February 1979, after the CM, Vujkovic also fought in the light-heavyweights, losing in the finals of the Yugoslav Championships, against Tadija Kacar. This change of weight category could be due to a lack of a reel Yugoslav heavyweight champion.

For Stevenson's career, see the article devoted to him in this blog.

Comparisons with other teams :

Cuban Team finishes first, with 5 gold and 3 silver medals. The USSR finishes second with 3 gold, 1 silver and 2 bronze medals. Yugoslavia wins 6 silver medals, a big surprise. The USA wins only 2 bronze medals.

1978 World Championships Medal

Note the great weakness of the U.S. team. Only three members of this team will become professional champions, Tony Tubbs, Rocky Lockridge and Richard Sandoval. This reflects the great void created by the formidable 1976 American team. The majority of this "dream team " became professional after the 1976 OG.

In direct confrontation, Cuba beats once the USSR for 3 defeats. Cuba beats once the U.S. with zero loss.

Cuba has fought 44 fights with 38 wins and 6 losses, a victories ratio of 86%. This result is just less than in Munich (88%) but higher than in La Havana (84%) and Montreal (81%).

After the World Championships :

In July 1978, at the 13th Central American and Caribbean Games, Cuba wins 5 gold and 1 silver medals, with a team B, with the exception of Jose Gomez who wins the -75 kg category.

In October 1978, in New York, the U.S. faces Cuba. Cuba wins 8 fights for 3 defeats.

(-57 Kg) Bernard Taylor beats Angel Herrera on points.
(-63.5 Kg) Jose Aguillar beats Don Curry on points.
(- 67 kg) Andres Aldama beats Clinton Jackson by RSC 1.
(+ 81 kg) Teofilo Stevenson def Jimmy Clark by RSC 3rd.

Conclusions of the USA – Cuba tests :

In the 3 direct confrontations, Cuba has always won with an average of 8 wins for 3 losses. This indicates a remarkably consistent level for the national team, despite many changes in it.

Rolando Garbey : 3 Olympic Games and 2 Medals

Introduction :

Rolando Garbey has participated in 3 Olympics Games with two medals. This is sufficient to justify a separate article for this pioneer of the Cuban amateur boxing.

Rolando Garbey was in the -71 kg weight division during his entire career.

Debuts :

Rolando Garbey was born on November 19th, 1947. He begins boxing around 1965 and wins the silver medal at the National Championships, losing against Andres Molina.

In 1967, during the Pan American Games in Winnipeg, Garbey wins his first 2 fights and beats Victor Galindez/Argentina by ko in the 2nd, in the finals. Victor Galindez will become World professional Champion in the light-heavyweights.

Rolando Garbey, left, facing an unknown opponent

Garbey wins the bronze medal at the National Championships, losing vs Juan L. Martinez. Garbey has already lost 2 times against Martinez the same year.

1968 Olympics Games :

Garbey loses again in the Giraldo Cordova Cardin tournament in 1968, against Martinez and wins the silver medal.

Despite the victories of Juan L. Martinez, Rolando Garbey is sent to the OG. We did not find any other traces of Juan L. Martinez, who does not seem to have represented Cuba in a major championship.

Garbey wins the silver medal in Mexico City in 1968. Excerpt of the quarter-finals fight against Eric Blake/Great Britain, won by ko in the 1st round: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9qxjkS9p5w

Garbey beats Johnny Baldwin/USA in the semi-finals on point 4-1. Baldwin will have 32 fights with 5 defeats in the pro, including a loss against Marvin Hagler.

Garbey loses in the finals facing Boris Lagutin/USSR, on points 0-5. Lagutin was bronze medallist at the 1960 and gold medallist at the 1964 Olympic Games. He finishes his career with 241 victories and only 11 defeats. For this fight, Garbey has been a fighter at the international level for 2 years and is only 21 years old. Excerpt from the final http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zs0A81Lhnhs

The silver medal of Garbey is the second won by Cuba in boxing, his compatriot Regueiferos has won the first, at the same games.

In 1970, Garbey wins the gold medal of the Central American Games. The same year he loses in the finals of the 1st Central American Championships.

In 1971, he beats his countryman Emilio Correa in the Giraldo Cordova Cardin tournament finals. He also wins the gold medals of the Pan American Games and Central American Championships.

1972 Olympics Games :

In 1972, at the Munich Olympics, he wins his first 3 fights before losing on points 1-4, against the Polish Wieslaw Rudkovski. The latter wins the silver medal of these OG.

Garbey is national champion in Cuba in 1972, 1973 and 1974.

In 1973, he wins the Central American championships.

1974 World Championships :

In 1974, he wins the Central American Games.

Rolando Garbey wins his first 4 fights at the World Championships in La Havana, including a preliminary match against Peter Tiepold/East Germany by TKO in the 3rd round. Too short excerpt from this fight : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsWHgbUSm30

Garbey wins the finals against Alfredo Lemus / Venezuela, on points 3-2.

Rolando Garbey, right

In 1975, Rolando Garbey loses twice vs his compatriot Luis Felipe Martinez, before beating him in the finals of the Giraldo Cordova Cardin tournament. Garbey wins the Pan American Games, beating Alfredo Lemus in the semi-finals.

(left to right) Teofilo Stevenson, Emilio Correa and Rolando Garbey at the 1975 Pan-American Games in Mexico City

1976 Olympics Games :

In 1976, Rolando Garbey loses against Luis Felipe Martinez in the finals of the Cuban Championship. He also loses at the Cup Strandzha in Sofia/Bulgaria finals, facing Tadija Kacar/Yugoslavia.

Despite these defeats, Rolando Garbey is sent at the Montreal Olympic Games. Luis Felipe Martinez wins the bronze medal at the OG in the middleweights and the silver medal at the 1978 CM (-71 kg).

Garbey wins the bronze medal in Montreal OG. He wins his first three fights before losing on points facing Tadija Kacar/Yugoslavia in the semi-finals. Kacar wins the silver medal at these OG and the silver medal at the 1978 CM. He is the brother of Slobodan Kacar, future Olympic champion.

Rolando Garbey disappears from the Cuban Olympic team in 1976.

He has met little opposition against amateur boxing stars, with the exception of Emilio Correa and Boris Lagutin.

Garbey has the particularity of having missed a medal at the 1972 OG and having come back on the podium at the 1974 CM and 1976 OG. His career at the world level lasted almost 9 years.

He stays the second Cuban Olympic medallist in boxing.

Style :

Rolando Garbey is 178 cm (sometimes cited 183 cm) for 71 kg. He is right-hander and uses a low guard. His footwork is hopping. He does not hesitate to accept the clinch and has the punch in his right fist. Many victories before the limit are written on his record.

Rolando Garbey, left. Very nice attitude

Record :

We unfortunately do not have a complete record for Garbey. An excerpt is available at this address : http://www.geocities.com/pedrinet/rgarbey.html

Where is he now ?

Rolando Garbey was the coach of Guillermo Rigondeaux.

1976 : Montreal Olympic Games

Introduction :

The 1976 Olympic Games are an opportunity for the USA and the USSR to beat the Cuban team, victorious in the 1972 OG (see separate article in this blog). After the Cuban team victory in 1974, during the first World Championship (see separate article), the challenge will be difficult for both countries.

Cubans will have to fight in Canada, in front of a pro-American crowd.

Preparation of the Cuban team :

1975 :

For the 6th Central American and Caribbean Championships, in Guatemala City, in August 1975, Cuba wins only 2 gold and 1 silver medals, a very bad result for this country. Hector Ramirez, Genovefo Grinan and R. Arrevalo are the only medalists. It is possible that Cuba had sent a B team, just before the 7th Pan Am Games.

At the 7th Pan American Games in Mexico City in October 1975, the gold medalists are Jorge Hernandez (-48kg), Ramon Duvalon (-51 kg) Orlando Martinez (-54kg) against Bernard Taylor/USA, Rolando Garbey (-71kg ), Alejandro Montoya (-75kg), Rene Pedroso against Leon Spinks/USA (-81kg) and Teofilo Stevenson against Michael Dokes/USA (81 kg)

The silver medalists are Genovefo Grinan behind Dave Armstrong/USA (-57kg), and Viktor Corona behind Ray Leonard (-63 kg).

The bronze medalists are Luis Echaide while Aaron Pryor/USA is silver medalist (-60 kg), Emilio Correa (-67 kg), while Clinton Jackson/USA is gold medalist.

A strong U.S. opposition is growing, with fighters who will be present at the 1976 Olympic Games.

For the Pre-Olympic Tournament in Montreal in December 1975, 3 Cubans are in the finals, with only one elimination during the preliminaries. Hector Ramirez loses against Gyorgy Gedo/Hungary (-48 kg), Bienvenido Lazo wins against Vassily Solomin/URSS (-60 kg) and Luis Felipe Martinez loses against Viktor Savchenko/USSR (-71 kg).

1976 :

During the tournament between Yugoslavia and Cuba, in Banja Luka/YU, in February 1976, Cuba loses by 8 losses to 4 wins, with a B Team. In the second competition, still in Yugoslavia, the result is 5 wins and 5 losses, with the same type of team. Thereafter, Cuba meets Montenegro and won by 6 wins to 3 losses, with the same fighters.

In the Giraldo Cordova Cardin Tournament in May 1976, Cuba wins almost all the medals available.

In summary, Cuba seems to have followed the same type of preparation as the 1972 one.

Olympic Games :

The Olympic tournament takes place from July 18th to 31st, 1976.

5 Canadian $, Olympic Games 1976, boxing

Eliminated without medal :

(-54 Kg) Orlando Martinez loses his second match, vs Soon Chul Hwang/South Korea, on points 3-2. Orlando Martinez has already participated in the 1968 and 1972 OG (gold medal).

(-60 Kg) For his second combat, Reinaldo Valiente loses by 5-0 points, against Ace Rusevski/YU, future bronze medal. Valiente disappears from the Olympic team.

(-67 Kg) For his second fight, Emilio Correa loses RSC 3rd, vs Pedro Gamarro/Venezuela, future silver medal. Emilio Correa won a gold medal at the 1972 OG and 1974 WC. He will participate in the 1978 WC.

Clinton Jackson/USA, a former silver medalist in the 1974 WC and Mike McCallum/Jamaica, future world champion in pro boxing, are eliminated in the quarter-finals.

The gold medalists are :

(-48 Kg): Jorge Hernandez beats Li Byong Uk/North Korea in the finals, on points 4-1. Jorge Hernandez was gold medal at the 1974 WM. Jorge Hernandez will be at the 1978 WC and 1980 OG.

Jorge Hernandez (left) against an American

(-57 Kg). Angel Herrera wins in the finals against Richard Nowakowski/West Germany, by ko in the 2nd. In the quarter-finals, Angel Herrera beats Dave Armstrong/USA, on points 3-2. Angel Herrera will be at the 1978 WM and 1980 OG.

(81 kg). Teofilo Stevenson wins the gold medal, as mentioned in the article devoted to him in this blog. He beats John Tate/USA in the semi-finals, before the limit. A clip of a preliminary fight http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wtm9Ytmc4kM.

The silver medalists are :

(-51 Kg) Ramon Duvalon loses in the finals vs Leo Randolph/USA, on points 3-2. He disappears from the Olympic team.

(-63.5 Kg) Andres Aldama loses in the finals against Ray Leonard/USA, on points 5-0. Aldama wins his first 4 fights before the limit, for example vs Vladimir Kolev/Bulgaria by ko in the 1st during the semi-finals. Aldama will be in the 1978 WM and 1980 OG. Ray Leonard will become a multiple World Pro Champion. Excerpt from the fight : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpUUMugmZ4s

Sugar Ray Leonard (left) against Andres Aldama

(-81 Kg) Leon Spinks/USA beats Sixto Soria by RSC in the 3rd. Sixto Soria wins his first 3 fights before the limit. Sixto Soria disappears from the Olympic team, but will be at the 1978 WM. Leon Spinks will beat Muhammad Ali for the heavyweight Pro Title in 1978. Video clip of the fight: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azd-g1CnW0k

Leon Spinks (standing) beats Sixto Soria

Bronze medalists are :

(-71 Kg) Rolando Garbey loses on points 4-1, vs Tadija Kacar/YU (future silver medalist) and brother of Slobodan Kacar, himself a future Olympic gold medalist and World Champion. Rolando Garbey participated in the 1968 (silver medal) and 1972 OG. He was gold medal at the 1974 WC.

(-75 Kg) Luis Felipe Martinez loses on points 3-2 vs Rufat Riskiyev/USSR in the semi finals. Luis Felipe Martinez disappears from the Cuban Olympic team. He will be at the 1978 WM.

Rufat Riskiyev, World Champion in 1974, loses vs Michael Spinks/USA in the finals, by RSC 3. Michael Spinks will become World Pro Champion, for the light-heavyweights and heavyweights.

In the first round, Luis Felipe Martinez def Fulgencio Obelmeijias/Venezuela, by 5-0. Obelmeijias will challenge Marvin Hagler for the Middleweights Pro Title. In the quarter-finals, Luis Felipe Martinez def Dragomir Vujkovic/YU, future silver medalist in the 1978 WC.

Comparison with other teams :

The U.S. team wins 5 gold, 1 silver and 1 bronze medals, 7 medals in total. Cuba is second with 3 gold, 3 silver and 2 bronze medals, with 8 medals in total, but with less gold medals than the USA. Russia finishes with 1 silver and 3 bronze medals, behind East Germany and North Korea.

It should be noted the exceptional result of the USA in this tournament, a team with many future professional boxing stars, but with less experience than the Cubans, who have sometimes already participated in two Olympiads.

The U.S. domination is clear in direct confrontation. The USA win 3 fights to 2 vs Cuba. Cuba wins 1 fight against the USSR and loses 1.

The Cubans have 34 fights and lose 8 times, a victories ratio of 81%, very close to that obtained in Munich (77.5 %) and La Havana (84%).

After the Olympic Games :

7th Central American and Caribbean Championships, Kingston/Jamaica. Cuba wins 6 gold medals and 1 silver, without the Olympics medalists.

1974: 1st AIBA World Championships

Introduction :

The creation of the Amateur Boxing World Championships by the AIBA (International Boxing Association or Association Internationale de Boxe amateur in French) make a 2 years delay between the two major events (Olympic Games and World Championships). Before, the fighters had to wait 4 years between two Olympic Games.

The first World Championships were held in Cuba. This country had the best results at the 1972 Olympics in Munich.

A Cuban stamp dedicated to the World Championships

Preparation :

1973 :

The Cuban team, of course, participated at the 6th Giraldo Cordova Cardin tournament in July 1973, in Cuba. They have won virtually all the available medals, with the exception of the first place in -75 kg, won by Rufat Riskiyev/USSR over Orlando Stable/Cuba. In addition, Igor Visotsky/USSR won by surprise over Teofilo Stevenson in +81 kg, as detailed in Stevenson's specific article in this blog.

1974 :

During the 12th Central America and Caribbean Games, the Cubans won 6 gold and 1 silver medals. It should be noted that Venezuela's team won 4 gold and 1 silver medals.

At the 7th Cordova Cardin tournament in June 1974, Rufat Riskiyev/USSR, won again in -75 kg, facing Alejandro Montoya. Otherwise, all important medals are won by the Cubans.

World Championships :

This tournament takes place from August 17th to 30th, 1974 in La Havana.

Poster of the World Championships
(sorry for the poor quality of the image)

The Cubans results :

Eliminated without medal :

In -63.5 kg, Enrique Regueiferos loses during the preliminaries against Mario Rafael Ramos, by ko in the 3rd. Video clip of the fight: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVcZj5HfnBE

Ramos loses in the quarter finals. Ayub Kalule, Ugandans and future pro Middleweight World Champion with Denmark, wins in the finals against the Bulgarian Vladimir Kolev, on points 5-0. Regueiferos, former 1968 Olympic Games silver medallist and 1972 OG participant, disappears from the Cuban Olympic team.

In -75 kg, Alejandro Montoya loses during the preliminaries against Bernd Wittenburg/West-Germany, on points. Rufat Riskiyev/USSR, winner of the two previous Cardin tournaments beats Alec Nastac/Romania in the finals by 3-2. Alejandro Montoya, a former 1972 Olympics Games participant, disappears from the Cuban Olympic team.

Alejandro Montoya (left) in difficulty facing Bernd Wittenburg.

En -81 kg, Gilberto Carrillo loses in the quarter finals against Mate Parlov/Yugoslavia. Carrillo had already lost to Mate Parlov in the 1972 Olympics Games finals, by RSC in the 2nd (see article about 1972 OG in this blog). Carrillo disappears from the Cuban Olympic team. Extract of the fight : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAYWPVAnHsc

Leon Spinks, the future winner of Muhammad Ali for the pro Heavyweight World Championship, loses in the semi-finals to Oleg Karatayev/USSR, by TKO in the 3rd.

Mate Parlov beats Karatayev in the finals by TKO in 2nd. Mate Parlov also becomes pro Light-Heavyweight World Champion.

Bronze Medal :

In -57 kg, Mariano Alvarez loses in the semi-finals against Howard Davis/USA, on points. Howard Davis beats Boris Kuznetsov/USSR, on points 3-2 in the finals. Howard Davis becomes Olympic champion in 1976 and a pro boxer, without gaining a world title, despite 3 attempts. Alvarez disappears from the Cuban Olympic team.

In -60 kg, Luis Echaide loses in the semi-finals against Vasiliy Solomin/USSR, on points. Solomin wins the gold medal. Echaide disappears from the Cuban Olympic team.

Silver Medal :

In -54 kg, Jorge Luis Romero def David Torosyan/USSR in the semi-finals, on points, while Wilfredo Gomez/Puerto Rico beats the French Aldo Cosantino via ko in the 1st round. Aldo Cosantino becomes coach of the French amateur team, while Wilfredo Gómez becomes multiple pro World Champion.

In the finals, Wilfredo Gómez beats Jorge Luis Romero by TKO in the 2nd. Jorge Luis Romero disappears from the Cuban Olympic team. Video clip of the fight: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OM6KPGRBpA0

Fidel Castro congratulates Jorge Luis Romero

Gold Medal :

In -48 kg, Jorge Hernandez beats Albert Sandoval/USA, on points in the preliminaries. Sandoval becomes pro world title challenger in the bantams. Jorge Hernandez def Stephen Muchoki/Kenya on points 5-0 in the finals. Jorge Hernandez will be at the 1976 and 1980 Olympics Games. In 1978, during the second World Championships, Stephen Muchoki will beat Jorge Hernandez in the finals, on points.

Jorge Hernandez (right) against Albert Sandoval

In -51 kg, Douglas Rodriguez def Alfredo Perez/Venezuela, on points by 4 to 1, in the finals. Former 1972 Olympic bronze medallist, Rodriguez disappears from the Cuban Olympic team.

In -67 kg, Emilio Correa beats Clinton Jackson/USA in the finals by ko in the 3rd. Jackson beats in the quarter finals Mike McCallum/Jamaica, future multiple pro World Champion on points. Jackson will take part at the 1976 Olympics and becomes a pro fighter, without winning the world title. Correa, a 1972 Olympic Games gold medallist, will be at the 1976 Olympic Games.

In -71 kg, Rolando Garbey beats in the finals Alfredo Lemus/Venezuela, on points 3-2. Former 1968 Olympic Games silver medallist and 1972 OG participant, Garbey will be present at the 1976 Olympic Games.

In 81 kg, Teofilo Stevenson wins the gold medal against Marvin Stinson/USA, as mentioned in the article devoted to him in this blog. Evgeni Gorstkov/USSR loses in the preliminaries.

Comparisons with other teams :

Cuba wins 5 gold medals, 1 silver and 2 bronze. Soviet Union and the United States finish 2nd and 3rd.

In direct confrontations, Cuba wins 3 fights to 1 vs. the USA and also 3 fights to 1 vs. USSR.

For a total of 38 fights, Cuba has 32 wins and 6 losses, a 84 % wins ratio, (less than 1972 Olympic Games results, a 88 % wins ratio).

After the World Championships :

For the 5th Central American and Caribbean Championships, held in Caracas/Venezuela in December 1974, Cuba wins 5 gold, 3 silver and 1 bronze medal. Luis Enrique Ramos, Ramon Duvalon, Luis Felipe Martinez and Victor Corona are emerging. Among the former World Championships team are Martinez Orlando, Orlando Palacios, Teofilo Stevenson and Luis Echaide. Many of Havana medalists are absent in Venezuela.

Conclusions :

The 1974 World Championships confirms the Cuban domination on the amateur boxing, domination initiated at the 1972 Olympic Games.

1975 Cuban stamp about the Championships of La Havana

They also demonstrated the ability of Cuba to organize a major championship.

A pin's created for the World Championships

Finally, of the 11 team's members, only 4 Cubans will continue their Olympic careers, while 8 medals were won. It is a turning point and a generation change for the Cuban team.

1972 : Munich Olympic Games

Introduction:

These Olympic Games will be the Cuban emergence in amateur boxing. Cuba has won 2 silver medals, in 1968, in Mexico. In 1972, the Cuban team will become the best team of the world, in every competition in which Cuba will take part.

Cuban team preparation :

After the participation at the 1971 Pan-American Games (see the article Cuban Amateur Boxing Debut), the Cuban team has, to our knowledge, participated only at one tournament against a nation, Czechoslovakia, in April 1972, at Usti. The final result was 6 to 18 for Cuba, with 3 losses and 9 wins.

The 2 first losers, Raul Castillo and Luis Vallier will be absent in Munich, but Alejandro Montoya will be present. The winners will also be in Munich.

In July 1972, at the 5th Giraldo Cordova Cardin tournament in Havana/Cuba, the Cubans won almost all the medals available in each category. The opposition is from Chile, Mongolia and East-Germany.

Stamp for the 1972 Cardin Tournament

Olympic Games :

From August 28th to September 10th, does the boxing tournament take place in Munich. Something new for this Games. Boxing gloves with white hitting surface are used for the first time

1972 Olympic program

The first Cubans eliminated during preliminary rounds will be:

Orlando Palacios (-57kg), who loses on points against the Romanian Gabriel Prometcu and Enrique Regueiferos (-60kg) who loses on points against the West German Peter Hess. These were the first OG for Palacios. Regueiferos was already present in 1968, winning a silver medal.

Quarter-finals :

Rafael Carbonell (-48kg) loses on points against Cal Enrique Rodriguez/Spain. These are the last OG for Carbonell, who was present in 1964 and 1968.

Rolando Garbey (-71kg), who was present in 1968 (silver medal) and will be in Montreal in 1976, loses on points against Wieslaw Rodkowski/Poland.

Alejandro Montoya (-75kg) loses on points against Marvin Johnson/USA. Marvin Johnson gets the bronze medal of the Olympics and will become light-heavyweight World Champion in pro boxing. Montoya takes part at the OG only in Munich.

Andres Molina (-63.5kg) loses against Ray Seales/USA. Ray Seales becomes Olympic champion. He will be a pro fighter, and loses, among others, vs Marvin Hagler. Andres Molina has already participated at the 1968 Olympics.

Medalists :

Bronze :

Douglas Rodriguez, (-51 kg) wins the bronze medal after losing in the semi-final against the Ugandans Leo Rwabwogo. Douglas Rodriguez will fight at the CM 1974, but this is his only participation at the Olympic Games.

Silver :

Gilberto Carrillo (-81 kg) loses in the finals against Mate Pavlov/Yugoslavia, on RSC in the 2nd. Pavlov will become pro World Champion in the light-heavyweights. Carrillo will not take part to another OG. He will lose against Mate Pavlov, on points, in the 1/4 finals of the 1974 World Championships.

Mate Parlov gold and Gilberto Carrillo left, silver

Gold :

Orlando Martinez (-54 kg), who has already fought in Mexico, wins on points against Zamora/Mexico in the finals and get the gold medal. Martinez will fight at the 1976 OG. He has a record of 326 fights, with 23 defeats. He is the first Cuban boxer to receive an Olympic gold medal.

Orlando Martinez, black shirt, against Zamora

Emilio Correa (-71kg) def Gunther Meier/West Germany (bronze medal in 1968), via TKO in the 2nd, during the 1/4 finals, before beating the Hungarian Janos Kajdi in the finals, by 5-0. Emilio Correa, father of the current Olympic champion with the same name, will participate at the Olympic 1976.

Emilio Correa Sr

Teofilo Stevenson (+81 kg), receives his first Olympic medal in a series of 3. His story is detailed in the article devoted to him in this blog. An excerpt from his fight in the semi-finals against the West German Peter Hussing : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwsKncVbuLg

Comparison with other teams :

For the first time, Cuba becomes the first team in Olympic boxing, with 5 medals. The Soviet Union finishes 2nd with 2 gold medals. The U.S. is only 6th, with 1 gold and 3 bronze. Note that the US Team is particularly weak, in comparison with his 2nd place in 1968 and his 1st place in 1976.

For 40 fights, Cuba has 31 wins and 9 defeats, with a wins ratio of 77.5 %.

Cuba wins 2 fights to 0 against the Soviet Union and wins 2 fights with 2 defeats against the USA.

After the Olympic Games :

At the Central American and Caribbean Championships, held in San-Jose/Costa-Rica in November 1972, Cuba wins 6 gold medals and 3 silver medals. Alberto Brea, Victor Corona, Daniel Ferrer may be from a second level team, but the presence of Teofilo Stevenson, Gilberto Carrillo, Alejandro Montoya, Orlando Martinez and Rolando Garbey shows that the Olympic team is still there. Only two Munich medalists are not present, Douglas Rodriguez and Emilio Correa.

Conclusions :

Munich is the beginning of the Cuban hegemony on the world amateur boxing, with the emergence of an idol, Teofilo Stevenson. It took almost 12 years for the Castro island to become the best boxing nation of the world.

Cuban amateur boxing debut

Introduction :

If the first Cuban boxing idol has emerged in 1972 with Teofilo Stevenson and if the first Olympic gold medal is received in 1972, the Cuban amateur boxing has grown since the beginning of the revolution and the arrival of Fidel Castro, in 1959.

In this article, we will examine the beginnings of the Cuban amateur boxing and its initial results at the international level. These results will be compared to those of the USA, natural regional rival of Cuba, both in sport and in politic.

1960 : Olympic Games in Rome

The first Cuban boxer to participate at the Olympic Games is Esteban Leiva Aguilera, born in 1941. He's 18 years old, weighs 169 cm for 60 kg. He fights in the lightweights and loses on points 0-5, against O'Brien/Ireland. There were only 12 Cuban athletes at this Olympiad.

Esteban Aguilera Leiva has come alone to these games, without a partner and has trained with athletes from other disciplines.

Teams results : USA are second, USSR fourth and Cuba is not classified.

Professional boxing :

The Cuban revolution takes place 18 months before the Olympics in Rome. Professional boxing is still allowed at that time. We note for example that the last national professional middleweights title is awarded in 1961.

The pro boxing, as pro sports in general, is banned in February 1962 by a national decree.

While many professional boxers and coaches then left the island to fight abroad (Jose Napoles and Sugar Ramos, for example), new boxers reinforce the amateur contingent, without the danger to become professional thereafter, except defections.

Sport is therefore managed by the Instituto Nacional de Deportes, Educacion Fisica y Recreación, the INDER.

1962 : Central American and Caribbean Games in Kingston/Jamaica

Felix Betancourt, Moises Vives, Osvaldo River and Leonardo Alcolea win the gold medal in their weight division and Roberto Caminero the silver medal. This is a significant achievement for the Cuban amateur boxing.

Roberto Caminero (right)

1963 : Pan American Games in Sao Paulo/Brazil

First participation of Cuba in the boxing tournament of the Pan Am Games.

Roberto Caminero wins the gold medal in the lightweights. Leonardo Alcolea wins the silver medal in the middleweights.

Teams results : Cuba finishes 4th, behind Brazil, USA and Argentina.

Arrival of Alcides Sagarra :

In early 1964, Alcides Sagarra becomes national coach. He is assisted by, among others, Andrei Chervonenko, a coach from USSR. This cooperation brings to Cuba the most developed training techniques of the time.

Various infrastructures are in place to improve the capacity of Cuban athletes to reach the highest level. This is the Escuela Superior del Perfeccionamiento Atletico (ESPA) at the national level and the Escuelas de Iniciacion Deportiva at the regional level.

1964 : Olympic Games in Tokyo

Fermin Espinosa, for the bantams, wins the first fight won by Cuba in the history of the Olympic Games, defeating the Australian William Boot by RSC in the 3rd. The Cuban will not fight against South Korean Cho Chung Kim, due to an hand injury (Walk-over). Espinosa will also fights in the 1968 OG.

Felix Betancourt, light-welter, must beat the Tunisian Habit Galhia in the quarter-finals, to get a medal, but he is wounded in the first round and must left (ko1).

Roberto Caminero, in the feathers, Bienvenido Hita, in the lights, Virgilio Jimenez, in the welters, Rafael Carbonell, in the flyweights, lose before the semi-finals. Carbonell will also fight at the 1968 and 1972 OG.

Rafael Carbonell (left) against Sean McCafferty Ireland

Teams results : USSR is first and USA fourth. There was no direct confrontation between Cuban boxers and those of the USSR and the USA.

Cuba, for 9 fights, has won 3 and has lost 6, a 33 % wins ratio.

1965 : Poland and Cuba

Poland wins 4 fights and Cuba 6 battles in the first match. Poland wins 6 fights, including 3 Walk-over and Cuba 4 battles in the second match.

1966 : Central American and Caribbean Games in Puerto Rico

Andres Molina Casanola, Marinco, Fermin Espinoza, Calcedo and heavyweight Jose Luis Cabrera win the gold medal in their categories. Roberto Caminero wins the silver medal.

1967 : Pan American Games in Winnipeg/Canada

Enrique Regueiferos wins the gold medal for the lightweights, as Andres Molina for the welters.

Rolando Garbey wins the gold medal, in the light-middleweights, in front of Victor Galindez/Argentina, who will become world champion in the pro light-heavyweights.

Jose Cabrera, heavyweight, wins the silver medal, losing in the finals in front of Forest Ward/USA.

Fermin Espinosa wins the silver medal in the bantams, and Joaquim Delis the bronze for the middleweight division.

Teams results : For its second participation at the Pan Am Games, Cuba finishes 1st in the boxing tournament, ahead of the USA. In direct confrontation with the USA, Cuba wins two fights and lost two battles. This demonstrates the progress of the Cuban boxing, facing its American rival.

1968 : Cuba - Bulgaria and Cuba - East Germany

Cuba wins 8 fights and loses 2 battles, facing Bulgaria. Cuba wins 8 fights and loses 3 battles, facing East Germany.

1968 : Olympic Games in Mexico

Enrique Regueiferos Blanco, in the light-welters, wins the first silver medal for Cuba. He loses in the finals against Kulej/Poland by 3-2. Regueiferos is a southpaw and will also fight at the 1972 Olympic Games. An video of a Regueiferos fight, from 1974: http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=pVcZj5HfnBE

Rolando Garbey fights in the light-middleweights (- 71kg) and loses in the finals against Boris Lagutin/USSR, on points by 0-5. He wins the silver medal and will also fight at the 1972 and 1976 OG. Two videos of his fight : http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=k9qxjkS9p5w and http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=Zs0A81Lhnhs

Rolando Garbey (left) with a beautiful guard

Among the others boxers, Rafael Carbonell/Cuba light-flyweight, Roberto Caminero, lightweight, Andres Molina, welter, Fermin Espinosa, bantam, and Orlando Martinez in -54 kg, lose before the semi-finals.

Molina will participate at the 1972 OG, and Martinez at the 1972 and 1976 OG.

Carrillo Nancio Quesada, heavyweight of 2 meters and 85 kg, 18 years old, loses against Bernd Anders/East Germany, by RSC in the 1st round. Teofilo Stevenson will beat Carrillo in 1970, by ko.

Teams results : USSR is first, United States second and Cuba eighth. In direct confrontation with the USSR, Cuba wins one fight and loses two battles. With the USA, Cuba wins two fights and loses one battle.

Cuba, for 22 fights, has won 11 and lost 11 also, a 50 % wins ratio.

1970 : 11th Central American and Caribbean Games in Panama

Oduardo Francisco, Enrique Regueiferos, Rolando Garbey, Luis Valier and heavyweight Jose Luis Cabrera win the gold medal in their division. Marcos Santana and Marcelino Buider win the silver medals.

1970 : 1st Central American and Caribbean Championships in Havana

Cuba win nine gold medals (including Carbonell, Regueiferos and Betancourt) and one silver medal. Teofilo Stevenson beats Earl McClear/Bermuda in the finals.

1971 : Pan American Games in Cali/Columbia

Rafael Carbonnell wins the gold in the light-flyweights, Enrique Regueiferos in the light-welters, Rolando Garbey in the light-middleweights and Emilio Correa in the welters. Emilio Correa will participate at the 1972 and 1976 OG.

Enrique Regueiferos (right)

Douglas Rodriguez wins the bronze medal in the flyweights and will participate at the 1972 OG.

Manuel Torre wins the bronze in the feathers, as Teofilo Stevenson, who loses his semi-final against Duane Bobick/USA and wins the bronze medal (see his article in this blog).

Teams results : Cuba is the first team, ahead of Mexico and the USA. We do not have the results of direct confrontation between Cuba and the USA.

Conclusions :

At the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, Cuba will become the most powerful amateur boxing nation of the world. It took nearly 10 years after the Cuban revolution to catch up with a new generation of boxers.

Since then, Cuba remains the best team in the amateur boxing world, keeping the same champions for many Olympiads and having a pool of young prospects. This is obviously not the case for the United States, which see their amateur champions becoming professional after their first Olympiad.