The renewed Cuban selection defeated the French national boxing squad in Havana in a friendly encounter over the weekend. The French side have been preparing for the upcoming AIBA World Championships in the Caribbean country while their youth team trains in the Hungarian Olympic Camp, in Tata.
Youth Olympic Games winner and reigning AIBA Youth World Champion, Cuban Robeisy Ramirez, will be celebrating his 18th birthday only in November. But despite his age, he triumphed over Beijing Olympian and France's team member since 2005, Nordine Oubaali, by 3:0 in the flyweight class.
Cuba's rising star former AIBA Cadet World Champion, 20-year-old Lazaro Alvarez, who is a gold medal contender at the upcoming AIBA World Championships in Baku, defeated France's Three Nations Tournament winner Anthony Bret by 3:0 in the bantamweight class.
The host nation's newcomer, Antonio Bisset, who does not have that much experience also won his fight against French great 21-year-old hope, Samir Machrouh, by 2:1 in the light welterweight class.
Beijing Olympic Games silver medalist, Cuban 25-year-old Carlos Banteur, had a few unexpected losses in the last two years but might get his top form back. For this friendly encounter, he beated France's No.1: European Championships silver medalist and newly crowned Military World Champion, Alexis Vastine, by clear 3:0.
Another Beijing Olympic Games silver medalist and AIBA World Championships bronze medalist, 26-year-old Emilio Correa, from the capital city of Cuba, returned to the world of boxing last year. The experienced boxer triumphed over WSB Team Champion, Michel Tavares, by 3:0 in the middleweight class.
Yaikel Kindelan, from Santiago de Cuba, had the closest fight of the encounter against AIBA World Championships bronze medalist and European Championships silver medalist, Abdelkader Bouhenia.
Roberto Balado Cup bronze medalist, Ronney Aguirre, won over France's Ludovic Groguhe, who competed well in the last WSB season. Former AIBA Youth World Champion, 21-year-old Erislandy Savon, defeated Tony Yoka by 3:0 in a decisive bout. Therefore the home squad was outpointing its strong European visitors.
One of the most important extra bout was held between former AIBA Youth World Champion, Jose Angel Larduet, and Youth Olympic Games winner, 19-year-old Leinier Perot. Surprisingly Larduet won the bout by 2:1 and might be representing Cuba at the AIBA World Championships in Baku.
In another extra bout, two-time Panamerican Champion lightweight boxer, Yasnier Toledo, triumphed over former National Champion, Ivan Onate, by 2:1. He will probably soon be integrated to the national selection.
Cuba is one of the leading boxing nation in the World. Not only the French team but the South African and the Mozambiquean ones are also training on the island to prepare the upcoming All Africa Games.
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