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.
Stamps fot the WC
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.
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