In keeping with their apparent commitment with staying undefeated just for undefeatedness sake (remember, we came up with this word, and we’re keeping it), Klitschko (61-3, 52 KO), has agreed to negotiate the deal, even though the Leapai-Boytsov bout was not an elimination fight and that, other than this one outstanding victory, Leapai is much less qualified to challenge for the heavyweight crown than many other available contenders.
The fact that Klitschko is coming off a five-knockdown victory over top rated Alexander Povetkin in his last defense, and his undeniable talent as one of boxing’s most dominant champions, should definitely account for something. But in the long run, it would be difficult to put Klitschko’s career(s) in perspective against the all-time greats, when they seem more worried about keeping their championship run going than making great fights that could cement their legacy.
The taming goes on
This Saturday’s main event on HBO featuring Guillermo Rigondeaux and Erislandy Lara’ co-main bout appearance on Showtime is just a sample of how far Cuban boxers have gone to establish themselves in the pro ranks. But that could be small potatoes compared with what looms in the horizon.
Recently, we talked about the imminent invasion of Cuban talent into the world of professional boxing thanks to AIBA’s new franchises such as the semi-pro World Series of Boxing and the all-pro AIBA Open Boxing programs. And we were on the right track.
The Cuban squad in the WSB tournament, the Domadores (Tamers) continued their collective unbeaten streak with a rare and unique local presentation in Havana, Cuba, where professional boxing has been banned by the local regime since 1961. The semi-professional character of the WSB (where boxers retain their Olympic eligibility while collecting a stipend from every 5-round, no-headgear bout in which they participate) and the chance to expose their talented team worldwide have combined to apparently convince the Cuban government (currently undergoing a softening of their hardcore Marxist policies) to allow the Domadores to become the new flagship of their boxing program.
And the results are nothing short of extraordinary. Team Domadores went 5-0 at home with big wins by Erislandy Savon (nephew of the legendary Felix Savon, one of Cuba’s most decorated amateurs), Luis Ramon, Yosbany Veitia, Marcos Forestal and Luis Oliva, who, in spite of putting together an impressive collective performance, can only be considered a second-tier group of fighters who were given the opportunity to fight at home and give some rest to the “starters” in a deeply talented team that includes the Despaigne brothers (Arisnoidys and Yaciel, related to current US-based professional Yordanis Despaigne) and a true gem like Lazaro Alvarez.
With 2-0 in team performances in this new season of WSB fighting, and a 10-0 personal record in the five-division WSB competition, the best is yet to come from a team that will go a long way in renewing the calls for the island to open up to professional sports. Their baseball team has recently been allowed to play in the Caribbean Series, so this could be a very good omen for the huge Cuban talent pool in boxing.
