Astonishing Arisnoidys Despaigne Perfectly Begins Cuba’s APB Journey

Cuba’s historic entry into AIBA Pro Boxing (APB) on Friday night in Kemerevo resulted in a debut victory for Welterweight (69 kg) Arisnoidys Despaigne (CUB), as he put on a boxing clinic against Dimitros Tsagrakos (GRE).

An elaborate opening at the Arena Sports and Entertainment Complex produced an electric atmosphere, and the many fans in attendance warmly received both fighters as they made their way to the ring.

Despaigne exuded confidence in the opening stages of the match, which began by the Cuban fighting off the back foot and using a sharp left jab to accurately deduce the correct angles for more dangerous attacks.

The dynamic footwork of the Cuban enabled him to bob and weave through and difficult moments, while Tsagrakos seemed content to bide his time with defence his main objective.

As the early rounds progressed, Despaigne’s shots began to carry more power, but Tsagrakos took them well, and on the rare occasions he let his own punches go, he managed to tag his decorated opponent with the right hook.

Those moments were all too rare however, with Despaigne’s elusive moment enabling him to begin boxing on the front foot, and a more physical match began to develop.

Although the Cuban AIBA World Championships silver medalist was winning the rounds, Tsagrakos grew in ambition through the middle stages, and never wilted despite the immense pressure he was facing.

By the beginning of round six, both men were in unchartered territory as neither had competed past five rounds in their careers, but despite wilting stamina, each athlete shook off any fatigue to constantly move forward as the war of attrition became an intensely entertaining contest.

Arisnoidys Despaigne (CUB) vs Dimitros Tsagrakos (GRE)

Despaigne opened up the seventh round with a series of blistering combinations, which perfectly showcased the full range of shots he has accumulated over the course of his lengthy career.

Tsagrakos yet again stood firm, and lasted through to the final bell of the eighth and final round.

After the scorecards from each of the three judges were handed in, Despaigne’s hand was raised by the referee, and it was announced he had the match won on each and every card by scores of 80:71, and 79:73 x2.

The performance of the Cuban was absolutely stunning, and represented a perfect start for his legendary boxing nation in APB.

He will next meet fellow 2013 AIBA World Championships bronze medalist Arajik Marutjan (GER) in Cycle I Round 2, after the German star widely outpointed Amin Ghasemi Pour (IRI).

Two further important matches took place in Russia, beginning with a surprise victory for Gyula Kate (HUN) over the number one ranked Ray ‘Boom Boom’ Okwiri (KEN).

Kate dominated the early stages of the match, before a valiant fightback from Okwiri took the fight to new levels.

It was the Hungarian competitor who eventually prevailed however, winning his first match in APB on two scorecards, with the third judge seeing the fight as a draw.

Arisnoidys Despaigne (CUB) vs Dimitros Tsagrakos (GRE)

His performance will be rewarded with a Cycle I Round 2 clash with Andrey Zamkovoy (RUS), and the winner of that bout shall earn a qualification quota for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, plus an APB title match against Welterweight Champion Onur Sipal (TUR).

Zamkovoy was forced to work hard in every second of his engrossing clash with Eimantas Stanionis (LIT), but ultimately prevailed by a narrow margin.

Supported passionately by his home supporters in Kemerevo, Zamkovoy made the most of his height advantage against Stanionis, whose pressure based tactics frequently made life very uncomfortable for his Russian rival.

After losing two of the first three rounds, Zamkovoy found his range from the fourth frame onwards, which eventually led to two judges awarding him the contest 77:75 and 77:74, while the third scorer had the fight level at 76:76.

Match results:

Arajik Marutjan (GER) W.P. (79:73/ 79:73/ 78:74) vs Amin Ghasemi Pour (IRI)

Arisnoidys Despaigne (CUB) W.P. (79:73/ 80:71/ 79:73) vs Dimitros Tsagrakos (GRE)

Ray ‘Boom Boom’ Okwiri (KEN) vs Gyula Kate (HUN) W.P. (75:77/ 75:77/ 76:76)

Andrey Zamkovoy (RUS) W.P. (77:75/ 77:74/ 76:76) vs Eimantas Stanionis (LIT)

History Is Written As Arisnoidys Despaigne Becomes The First Cuban Boxer To Compete In AIBA Pro Boxing On Tonight

History will be made tonight in Kemerovo, Russia, as a Cuban boxer will make his debut in AIBA Pro Boxing (APB) for the very first time during the Welterweight (69 kg) Cycle I Round 1 stage.

Fans will be able to watch the action live and free at 20:00 (GMT +6) on http://www.youtube.com/user/AIBAproboxingTV.

When 32-year-old AIBA World Championships silver medalist Arisnoidys Despaigne (CUB) makes his debut against Dimitros Tsagrakos (GRE), he will become the first Cuban fighter to compete in APB, and this news has been greeted with much interest across the boxing world.

With the full endorsement of the Cuban Government, a partnership was made earlier this year confirming that the International Boxing Association (AIBA) has become the exclusive partner for all Cuban boxers from the Cuban Boxing Federation whenever they compete in international boxing competitions, including APB.

“Cuba’s arrival in APB represents a further step forwards into making this competition one of the most vital and successful sporting systems in the world, and we are delighted to be welcoming Arisnoidys Despaigne to the format, as he is one of the most entertaining and fan-friendly Cuban boxers to watch,” said AIBA President Dr Ching-Kuo Wu.

Cuba are one of the most successful nations in boxing history, having won a total of 67 Olympic Games medals, and have also earned a deserved reputation as a sporting nation built on pride and honour.

Three-time Olympic gold medalist Teofilo Stevenson was one of the greatest boxers of his generation, but memorably declined an opportunity to face Muhammad Ali despite a huge cash offer, because he would have needed to defect from his beloved Cuba if he had accepted.

“What is one million dollars compared to the love of eight million Cubans?” remarked Stevenson at the time, and those values have remained a mainstay of the Cuban psyche to this very day.

The transparent judging, fair and equal system and reliable match format were all significant reasons for Cuba’s decision to join APB, and the organisation is delighted to welcome the country to the fold.

Mr. Alberto Puig de la Barca, President of Cuba Boxing Federation also expressed his excitement. “Cuba’s historic entry into APB has been an important step in the development of our boxers and we have immense pride in Arisnoidys Despaigne becoming the first of our athletes to display his skill and heart across this world class format,” he said.

Despaigne has enjoyed a very successful career in recent years, and won the deciding match in the Season IV World Series of Boxing Finals for Cuba Domadores.

Tsagrakos is seen as the underdog, but the two-time Greek National Champion has been competing since 1999, which means he will not be fazed by his decorated opponent in the ring.

Arisnoidys Despaigne (CUB) vs Dimitros Tsagrakos (GRE)

Three more matches will take place in Kemerovo, including an excellent contest between the number one ranked Ray ‘Boom Boom’ Okwiri (KEN), and Gyula Kate (HUN).

Okwiri stunned the boxing world in the first week of the APB Ranking Phase when he sensationally knocked out Marcos Nader, and the Kenyan made it all the way to the APB Inaugural Title Match where he was defeated by Champion Onur Sipal (TUR).

Kate is a highly experienced boxer who has twice finished on the podium at the AIBA World Championships, as well as earning two European silver medals across his distinguished career.

Although each fight is scheduled for over eight rounds, do not be surprised if this match in particular fails to go the distance.

As his nickname suggests, ‘Boom Boom’ carries devastating power in both hands, while Kate also boasts considerable strength, and needs to attack from the outset if he is to triumph.

The winner of the Okwiri/Kate contest will meet either Eimantas Stanionis (LIT) or Russia’s Andrey Zamkovoy (RUS) in Cycle I Round 2.

Both Stanionis and London 2012 Olympic Games bronze medalist Zamkovoy have identical 3-1 records in this competition, and their bout is expected to be a very entertaining clash with neither man known to take many backward steps in their fights.

Zamkovoy will enjoy home advantage of the support of the fans in attendance, while Stanionis is known to perform well under pressure.

Two debutants open the action in Kemerovo, with 2013 AIBA World Championships bronze medalist Arajik Marutjan (GER) facing Amin Ghasemi Pour (IRI).

Match schedule:

20:00: Arajik Marutjan (GER) vs Amin Ghasemi Pour (IRI)
20:30: Arisnoidys Despaigne (CUB) vs Dimitros Tsagrakos (GRE)
21:00: Ray ‘Boom Boom’ Okwiri (KEN) vs Gyula Kate (HUN)
21:30: Andrey Zamkovoy (RUS) vs Eimantas Stanionis (LIT)

AIBA Becomes The Exclusive Partner For All Cuban Boxers

The International Boxing Association (AIBA) made history today by becoming the exclusive partner for all Cuban boxers from the Cuban Boxing Federation whenever they compete in international boxing competitions.

A memorandum signed today between AIBA and the Cuban Boxing Federation (FCB) commits that all FCB boxers will only compete in AIBA-approved competitions, including the World Series of Boxing (WSB) and AIBA Pro Boxing (APB).

Both AIBA and the FCB have agreed that Cuban boxers will not be allowed to compete in any non-AIBA professional boxing competitions in order to protect them from being exploited by professional promoters as diplomatic doors with Cuba begin to open.

Ahead of the British Lionheart’s final home match against the Cuba Domodores, AIBA President Dr Ching-Kuo Wu welcomed the two teams, as well as representatives from both GB Boxing and Cuba Boxing Federation, to the ArcellorMittal Orbital to witness the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the two organisations.

AIBA becomes the exclusive partner for all Cuban Boxers

AIBA President, Dr Ching-Kuo Wu was proud to mark the future union. “Signing this memorandum with the Cuban Boxing Federation is a significant step in AIBA’s history, and it highlights our commitment to supporting the very best boxing talent in the world. We are very grateful for the trust and commitment shown by FCB toward our organization.”

President of Cuba Boxing Federation Mr. Alberto Puig de la Barca also expressed his delight at the signing of the memorandum. “Today is an important day for the development of Cuban boxing and I am happy to be a part of this historic event for our sport. This agreement will ensure that Cuban boxing continues to grow and prosper all over the world,” he said.

With the British Lionhearts v Cuba Domodores match-up taking place at the Copper Box Arena, the event was made even more significant by its location on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, home of the London 2012 Olympics, reminding many of the young boxers of their Olympic goals.

Cuba defeat Azerbaijan in the WSB Season IV Finals

Heavyweight (91kg) Erislandy Savon (R) Cuba Domadores vs Abdulkadir Abdullayev (L) Azerbaijan Baku

The first leg of the World Series of Boxing (WSB) Season IV Finals between Azerbaijan Baku Fires and Cuba Domadores took place in Baku, with the Cubans narrowly winning the night 3-2.

Going into the second leg both teams would have been confident of their chances, and indeed both performed incredibly well under much pressure.

At the end of the night however, it was the Cuba Domadores, in their debut season who won the WSB Season IV title, by the narrowest of margins.

The contest went down to the wire, with The Baku Fires winning three of the first five fights.

This meant that the scores were tied 5-5 on aggregate, with a Sudden Death bout between Azerbaijan’s Yauheni Ramashkevich and Cuba’s Arisnoydis Despaigne needed to find an overall winner.

It was the Cuban who prevailed, despite a great effort from Ramashkevich, and his victory saw his team crowned champions.

The Flyweights (52kgs), Bantamweight (56kg), Lightweights (60kg), Welterweights (69kg), Light-Heavyweights (81kg) and Super-Heavyweights (91kg+) contested this match.

The first fight of the night was at Flyweight (52 kg) between Azerbaijan’s Elvin Mamishzada and Cuba’s Gerardo Cervantes.

There was a consistent tempo to the fight, and Mamishzada dominated from the outset, with one thudding right hand stunning Cervantes i round one, which made the Cuban have to take a standing count.

The second round was another strong one from the Azeri athlete, and though Cervantes ended the second round stronger, he still lost the round.

Mamishzada’s stamina looked to be waning in round three, but he found a second wind in rounds four and five.

It was the way he controlled the fight from the outset which impressed the judges, and though Cervantes never gave up, Elvin Mamishzada made it 1-0 on the night for The Baku Fires, and 3-3 on aggregate with a large points win over his Cuban opponent.

Bout of the match
The second fight of the night was at Welterweight, as WSB veteran Mahamed Nurudzinau faced the undefeated gold medal specialist Roniel Iglesias Sotolongo.

Iglesias came into the fight with a 4-0 WSB record, but he was made to work for every minute of his clash with the savvy Nurudzinau, who pushed his Cuban opponent to the brink in every round.

The fight was one you couldn’t take your eye off, as both men fought valiantly to achieve victory.

Despite his advancing years, Nurudzinau’s workrate was incredible, and he used all manner of veteran tricks to try and thwart Iglesias.

Cuba’s Iglesias just about managed to distance himself from Nurudzinau enough to impress the judges, and he fought in a very un-Cuban way, setting himself in the middle of the ring, and fighting fire with fire with the man from Baku.

He eventually won a very entertaining contest by points on all three judges scorecards, 49-46 x2, and 48-47.

Fires

Boxer of the match
Cuban Light-Heavyweight Julio Cesar De La Cruz had the pressure of his entire nation on his shoulders going into his fight against The Baku Fires representative Mikhail Dauhaliavets.

De La Cruz needed to win to keep Cuba in the contest, and a loss would have given the title to Azerbaijan.

The Cuban put on a boxing clinic against his brave opponent, using incredible footwork and head movement, teamed with sharp shots and dynamic reflexes.

He won every minute of every round against Dauhaliavets, who attacked with constant pressure, but could not find a way through a genuine world class opponent.

The turning point
Coming into the third fight of the evening, Azerbaijan were drawing 1-1, but knew that they had a great chance of victory in the fourth fight of the evening, but they were aware that the last fight of the night involved Cuba’s Julio Cesar De La Cruz, who was expected to win his contest.

Therefore they needed a performance from their star boxer, Albert Selimov, a legend in boxing for beating Ukraine’s superstar Vasyl Lomachenko in the final of the 2007 AIBA World Boxing Championships.

His opponent was Cuba’s Lazaro Alvarez, a two-time World Champion who was also 6-0 in WSB going into the contest.

The fight turned out to be one that could have gone either way, with Selimov constantly peppering Alvarez with sharp punches, while his Cuban opponent frequently flustered his opponent with furious flurries.

In the end, two judges scored the fight for Selimov, while one favoured Alvarez.

The result meant that Azerbaijan went into a 2-1 lead in the evening, and the win ultimately ensured that a Sudden Death bout would be needed.

Wrap up
The fourth bout of the evening was a Super-Heavyweight battle between Azerbaijan’s number one ranked Arslanbek Makhmudov in action against Cuba’s José Angel Larduet.

Makhmudov was undefeated in WSB prior to the bout, mostly due to his special power, and he controlled the majority of his contest against the Cuban to extend his record to 5-0 for the season.

Larduet was several inches smaller than his opponent, and couldn’t find his range until the third round, by which time Makhmudov had already built up an impressive points lead.

Makhmudov’s win put The Baku Fires into a 3-1 lead on the night.

The WSB Champion was decided by a Welterweight tiebreaker between Azerbaijan’s Yauheni Ramashkevich and Cuba’s Arisnoydis Despaigne.

Despaigne was ranked two at Welterweight, and was 3-0 going into the bout, while Ramashkevich had a more modest 2-2 record.

Both boxers gave it their all, but ultimately the class of Despaigne proved too much for the spirited Ramashkevich, and he won the fight on all three scorecards to win the title for Cuba.

Will the WSB Season IV Champion be decided by a Sudden Death bout?

Light Welterweight (64kg) Gaybatulla Gadzhialiyev (R) Azerbaijan Baku Fires vs. Yasnier Toledo (L) Cuba Domadores

The World Series of Boxing (WSB) Season IV all comes down to the second leg between Azerbaijan Baku Fires, and Cuba Domadores.

Cuba won the first leg 3-2, and a similar result in the second leg will see them win the WSB Championship in their debut season.

This event is taking place in the beautiful city of Baku, Azerbaijan on Saturday 7th June at the Sarhadchi Olympic Sport Complex.

Both teams are naturally keen to ensure that they win within the ten bouts over both legs. If not, the contest will go down a Sudden Death match.

The Baku Fires Managing Director Rizvan Genzhiyev announced at the weigh in press conference that: “We hope we will not have to get to the Sudden Death bout”

Alberto Puig de la Barca, President of the Cuban Boxing Federation concurred with that statement for Cuba Domadores, explaining that:

“It took us two days to get to Baku, it is already tiring, we really hope it will be over with 10 bouts”

Nuripasha Talibov, Head Coach of The Baku Fires is confident either way.

“Our line-ups for the first and second day of the finals are equally good.”

Azerbaijan Baku Fires vs. Cuba Domadores

Leg Two

Heavyweight (91kg) Erislandy Savon (R) Cuba Domadores vs Abdulkadir Abdullayev (L) Azerbaijan Baku Fires

The first fight of the night is at Flyweight (52 kg) and takes place between Azerbaijan’s Elvin Mamishzada and Cuba’s Gerardo Cervantes.

Mamishzada won a silver medal at the 2010 European Championships in Moscow, and is 2-1 in WSB this season, with both of his wins coming at home.

His lone loss was to the undefeated Andrew Selby at the quarter-final stage.

Cervantes is 2-2 in WSB, and will be eager to finish his season with a positive record.

He has lost his last two away matches, both to Eastern European opponents, and Mamishzada will take confidence from the fact that Cervantes has lost by TKO this season, to Russia’s Bakhtovar Nazirov in week eight.

Mamishzada is small for the weight class, and will rely heavily on his speed against Cervantes.

The second fight sees the Welterweights (69 kg) in action, as WSB veteran Mahamed Nurudzinau faces the undefeated gold medal specialist Roniel Iglesias Sotolongo.

Baku Fires legend Nurudzinau has competed in all four WSB seasons, and the 33 year old is 1-1 this season.

Sotolongo is one of the best boxers on the planet, and has gold medals from the 2009 AIBA World Boxing Championships, and the London 2012 Olympic Games.

The Cuban is 4-0 in his debut WSB season, with wins over Russia’s London 2012 bronze medallist Andrei Zamkovoi, and AIBA World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Gabriel Maestre of Venezuela in the competition so far.

This is a true battle of an experienced boxer in the WSB format, against a virtuoso boxer who has looked unbeatable in his short WSB career so far.

Nurudzinau has never lost at home in five WSB matches, and will need to be at his very best to make it six of the best against a true world class fighter.

Fight number three of the evening is a breathtaking battle between two boxers who know how to win tournaments.

Albert Selimov is representing Azerbaijan Baku Fires, and the number four ranked Lightweight (60 kg) is 3-1 in WSB this season, with all three of his victories coming at home.

The 28-year-old star beat Ukraine’s superstar Vasyl Lomachenko in the final of the 2007 AIBA World Boxing Championships, and has had only two WSB losses in career, one of them suffered by Lomachenko ,while the other was this season courtesy of Italy’s top boxer Domenico Valentino.

Cuba’s Lazaro Alvarez is ranked number one at Lightweight, and is 6-0 in his first WSB season, including three wins away from home.

Alvarez is a two-time AIBA World Champion, and has fond memories of Baku, as he bagged a gold medal in the 2011 AIBA World Boxing Championships in the city.

Both Selimov and Alvarez are true icons in this sport, and this has been a match-up many WSB fans have been salivating over since it was announced.

Whoever wins will have achieved an incredible victory, and one that will help their team out immeasurably.

Following up that dream clash are the big boys, as the Super Heavyweights (91+ kg) are in action fourth on the night.

Arslanbek Makhmudov represents The Baku Fires, and has a perfect 4-0 record in WSB this season, with three stoppage finishes in those four fights.

His opponent, Cuba’s José Angel Larduet is 2-1 this season, with his lone loss a TKO defeat to Filip Hrgovic in week four.

The 24-year-old Larduet competed in three different weight classes during his elite career, but the Cuban is ranked nine places lower in WSB compared to his number one ranked opponent, and may find himself vulnerable to Makhmudov’s incredible power, and fantastic home WSB record.

In the Super Heavyweight division one punch can end a fight at any point in the contest, and with so much on the line in this clash, it could be a case of blink and you miss it.

The last fight of the night will take place at Light Heavyweight (81 kg), between The Baku Fires representative Mikhail Dauhaliavets, and Cuba’s Julio Cesar De La Cruz.

Dauhaliavets is from Belarus, but represents the Azerbaijani team with great enthusiasm and loyalty.

The 33 year old is 0-2 this season, but impressed a lot of people in his last fight against the very experienced Hrvoje Sep, even winning the fight on one judge’s scorecard.

25 year old Julio Cesar De La Cruz won the 2011 AIBA World Boxing Championships in Baku, and defended his title in Almaty last October.

He is 4-1 in his debut WSB this season, with only Russia’s European Champion Nikita Ivanov able to beat him in a close away bout.

Julio is the current team captain of the Cuban national squad, and boasts wins over the likes of Hrvoje Sep and Teymur Mammadov, and is the number one ranked Light Heavyweight in WSB.

While he will be the favourite in the contest, Dauhaliavets is a former Olympian, and carries power.

In the event of a draw on aggregate after all ten of the bouts in the Finals, the WSB Champion will be decided by a Welterweight (69kg) tiebreaker between Azerbaijan Baku Fires Yauheni Ramashkevich and Cuba Domadores’ Arisnoydis Despaigne.

Photo Credit : World Series Of Boxing Media