HAVANA (Cuba), August 28 2024 – The International Boxing Association is looking to inspire the next generation in Cuba as part of International Boxing Day, donating 500 sets of gloves to children.
It is part of its free training day for athletes in Havana, organized by IBA, ahead of tonight’s IBA Champions’ Night in the capital city.
The streets were full of local people attending the special event, bringing their support for young athletes at the plaza in front of the Grand Hotel Manzana Kempinski La Habana. They celebrated the unity of the boxing community through this important day, celebrated every 27 August – an opportunity to celebrate our sport.
This year’s International Boxing Day also marks 50 years since the first-ever IBA World Boxing Championships, which were held in Havana in 1974.
Umar Kremlev, IBA President, said: ‘International Boxing Day is celebrated today to commemorate our first IBA World Boxing Championships – and now it has been 50 years since this historic event took place. It is important on this day to come together as a boxing community, as our sport is capable of uniting people from around the world without discrimination. Rich or poor, boxing is for all and today we have brought it to the streets of Havana: one of the greatest cities in the world for boxing.’
Afterwards, the weigh-in for the competitors at IBA Champions’ Night took place, with all 12 boxers making their expected weight for this momentous occasion, beginning at 19:00 local time.
The main event of IBA Champions’ Night Havana sees Julio Cesar la Cruz of Cuba meet Uzbekistan’s Madiyar Saydrakhimov over 10 rounds. Arlen Lopez will also be the home favourite on the main card as he meets Luis Antonio Tejeda from the Dominican Republic at 80kg.
On the undercard, Roniel Iglesias faces Armenia’s Gurgen Madoyan in the 67kg division, following on from two 63.5kg matches between Cuba’s Erislandy Alvarez and Colombia’s Jose Munoz; and Lazaro Alvarez from Cuba and Mujibillo Tursunov of Uzbekistan.
The event begins with a 57kg contest between the home hero Saidel Horta and Ruslan Belousov.
