Located in the blue waters of the northern Caribbean, just south of Florida and east of Mexico, is Cuba, a small island famous for many things. Among these, Cuba is famous for boxing. Despite being a small island with only 11 million people, it boasts great Olympic boxing accolades. Throughout its rich history, Cuba has earned global recognition for its boxing style, characterized by strong fundamentals.
Cuban boxing started in the early 20th century when boxing was imported when Cuba hosted several American boxing matches. Due to controversies, the sport faced many government interventions, including bans. The sport was initially banned for its violence, but the ban was lifted soon after when the government saw the sport’s potential to help families escape poverty. However, the sport faced severe government regulations. In 1962, Fidel Castro banned the entire professional ranks of boxing. This was to prioritize amateur boxing as a means of earning international respect and to follow communist party values which contradicted the capitalist dimension of pro boxing. Thi,s in comparison to basketball, was like banning the NBA and only allowing participation in NCAA and Olympic basketball tournaments. This limited opportunities for Cuban boxers to the amateur circuit where they would ultimately compete for Olympic glory.
The Cuban government’s policy resulted in different consequences. As a result of the nationwide ban, many Cuban boxers fled the country for professional and financial opportunities. Quite recently in 2022, an accomplished Cuban boxer named Andy Cruz attempted to flee Cuba as well. The policy also shifted the focus to Olympic boxing, increasing Olympic participation. The Cuban government, seeing the potential to earn global recognition through the Olympics made huge financial investments. As a result, Cuba was successful in Olympic boxing and has won a total of 78 medals – with 41 of them being gold medals.
The Cuban boxing style is a unique style that focuses on boxing fundamentals. Even at the pinnacle of the sport, it is rare to find boxers with as much mastery of the fundamentals as the Cuban boxers. Its strong fundamentals allow for defensive mastery through dazzling footwork and distance management, embodying the principle of “hit and not get hit.” Cuban boxers are often seen slipping by opponents’ punches by ducking, weaving, and swaying. These defensive movements are supported by their fancy but strategic footwork, which allows the boxer to maneuver around the opponent and strike at the angles and distances they desire. This style can be seen through bouts of Cuban boxers like Guillermo Rigondeaux, Teofilo Stevenson, and Andy Cruz. However, it is important to note that each boxer incorporates their different style over the fundamentals, meaning not all Cuban boxers box the same way.
Cuba, to this day, continues to produce world-class boxers and control their own destiny in the world of boxing. There is much to learn from Cuban boxing – from perseverance through challenges to mastering of the fundamentals. Cuban boxing serves as an inspiration for everyone in the world of combat sports.
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Global Boxing Atlas 